SEOUL– A 2.3 magnitude natural earthquake hit near North Korea’s nuclear testing site Monday, the second tremor that has struck the region in recent days, South Korea’s state weather agency said.
The quake occurred about 36 kilometers north-northwest of Kilju, North Hamgyong Province, at 2:33 p.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).
It was the second tremor in the area since a 3.1 magnitude natural earthquake struck the region on Friday.
Kilju is where North Korea’s Punggye-ri nuclear testing site is located. Over 20 earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.0 or bigger have struck regions near Kilju since 1978, with a 3.2 magnitude quake that occurred Sept. 23, 2017, being the strongest.
The epicenter of Monday’s quake was at a latitude of 41.27 degrees north and a longitude of 129.24 degrees east at a depth of 22 km. The KMA said the quake occurred naturally.
So far, seven quakes with a magnitude of 2.0 or bigger have been reported on the Korean Peninsula this year.
Source: Yonhap News Agency