18/03/2024 Corea del Sud, Seoul, Cheongju
“If you ever come across anything suspicious like this item, please do not pick it up, contact your local law and/or enforcement agency for assistance”
By DAVID CHOI AND YOO KYONG CHANG
A laborer wielding a spade found an intact, 1,000-pound bomb from the Korean War at a construction site Wednesday, less than a week after an identical bomb was unearthed there. The worker at the site in Cheongju, 60 miles south of Seoul, found the bomb in a 19.6-foot crater and reported it to police, a South Korean air force spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone the next day. The spokesman declined to identify the construction site. South Korean officials regularly speak to the media on a customary condition of anonymity. Air force explosive ordnance disposal specialists identified the object as an American AN-M65 general-purpose bomb from the 1950-53 Korean War, the spokesman said. They removed the detonator and carried the bomb away for further investigation, he said. The bomb turned up 32 feet from the spot were where another M-65 was found and removed by the South Korean air force on March 7. Following the second bomb’s discovery, Cheongju officials, construction workers and police agreed construction “should cease for a while until safety is guaranteed,” a city hall spokesman said by phone Thursday. “The military’s [explosive ordnance disposal] team is now exploring there in consideration of possible bombs,” the spokesman said. “Our city doesn’t know how long it will take, but, if the team finds no more bombs there, the construction company is going to be able to restart its work there then.” M-65 bombs were dropped from P-47 Thunderbolt and B-26 Invader aircraft on structures such as dams and railroad bridges, according to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force’s website.
If you find anything that appears to be an explosive device, do not touch it, leave it where it is and call the police. We will contact the appropriate agencies to properly dispose of the item.
Dear editors, Biographie einer Bombe is aimed at highlighting the danger caused by unexploded bombs. Moreover, the most important aspect is that we work completely non profit, what drives us is raising awerness about this topic. We make use of your pictures and articles, but we need them to put a context in how findings are done. We trust in your understanding. We will (and we always do) cite the source and the author. We thank you for your comprehension.
