3.4 Magnitude Earthquake Detected In North Korea

Local Editor

A magnitude 3.4 earthquake, at a depth of 0 kilometers, has been recorded near the Kilju area in the North Hamgyeong Province of North Korea, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

The ‘quake' occurred at approximately 08:30 GMT on Saturday, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

Kilju is home to the Punggyeri nuclear site, where North Korea's sixth and largest nuclear test was conducted on September 3.

Japanese news agency Kyodo reports that the quake was caused by a "suspected explosion" at the site, while Yonhap reported, that as of right now, "it is presumed to be a natural quake."

If it is confirmed as a nuclear test, it would be the North Korean regime's seventh.
The September 3 test spurred the latest raft of UN sanctions and has raised tensions between the US, its allies, and the North Korean regime.

Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the nuclear proliferation watchdog The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization [CTBTO] tweeted to say an investigation is underway.

Saturday's quake follows an escalation of the combative rhetoric between the North Korean and US leaders this week.

North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump have exchanged a variety of barbs through state media agencies and Twitter respectively, in recent days.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team