A South Korean Air Force F-16C fighter jet crashed in a mountainous area of Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, on Sunday.
The Air Force said the single-seat F-16C crashed near Yeongju at approximately 7:31 p.m. during a night training exercise. The aircraft was assigned to Chungju Air Base.
The pilot ejected safely and was confirmed uninjured. No civilian casualties or damage have been reported.
"We have established an accident response headquarters led by the Vice Chief of Staff to investigate the exact circumstances of the crash," the Air Force said.
Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-baek, currently on a visit to Canada, was briefed on the incident immediately after it occurred. He ordered authorities to make every effort to rescue the pilot and conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident, according to the Ministry of National Defense spokesperson's office.