Expert: the earthquake in North Korea was not caused by a nuclear test – RIA Novosti

© AP Photo / Robert Sorbo

TOKYO, March 16 – RIA Novosti, Ivan Zakharchenko A new earthquake. North Korea, the epicenter of which was located just 34 kilometers from the “revolutionary” Pyongyang’s capital, has not been promised the leader of the country, Kim Jong Ynom fifth test nuclear weapons, assure the experts in government and academia in South Korea.

An earthquake with a barely perceptible a magnitude of 2.2 on the Richter scale occurred on Wednesday at 06.30 MSK about a day later, after North Korea reported that Kim Jong-un indication prepare for in the near future nuclear tests and launches. “ballistic missiles of different types”

Meteorologists in South Korea immediately determine that we are talking about an artificially-induced tremors, probably from the explosion in the quarries.

“If we talk about magnitude 2.2, it is obvious that it was not a nuclear test “- leads the Yonhap news agency the words of an expert from the Institute of science and technology policy Lee Choon-Geun. In 2006, when North Korea conducted its first nuclear test, the magnitude of the earthquake from the blast was 3.9, that is, for an underground explosion of the atomic bomb, the maximum amplitude of the seismic waves should be about 4 on the Richter scale, scientists believe.

Underground hesitation this time around Pyongyang is likely to remain no one noticed and influence of the city did not have. Meteorologists have found that its epicenter was located in the mountainous area in the county Sangwon Hwanghae-do Province, the center lies at a depth of less than one kilometer. It is known that in the area there are rich reserves of minerals, including limestone, iron ore and gold.

© Flickr / Matt Katzenberger

” In this area, with calcareous rocks and in the past were carried out drilling work, “- he told reporters the head of the Center for the study of earthquakes in South Korea Chi Heon-chul. According to him, since the beginning of this year there are already 21 times the artificial earthquake was recorded, that is, they occur on average once every 2-3 days.

In May of this year in Korea is scheduled to hold the first in the last 36 years the Congress the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) and it is possible that for the conquest of labor progress in this country in the field deployed shock work shift, as has happened in the past.

South Korean military also believe that worrying about a possible nuclear explosion in North Korea is not necessary. As has transferred online edition “Nyusiz” referring to a military source, “probably it comes to construction work, and any special actions of the North Korean army in this regard is not seen”.

The same edition of the leading source of opinion South Korean intelligence that “although an earthquake similar to the artificial, dangerous signs there, and any special actions the north side have been recorded”.

However, is not the first time around artificially induced blasting earthquake North Korea raised the hype. According to the agency Rёnhap, in August 2006 in the district Phangё North Korean province of Gangwon, an earthquake with a magnitude of 1.7 – 2.0, it was called overscale blasting

Prior to the addition, in August 2004,. Samsa area Yangkang province as an earthquake with a magnitude of 2.0 and caused it was the beginning of construction of a large hydroelectric power station in North Korea. In both cases, the suspicions of nuclear tests were not justified.