Tuesday, February 12, 2013

'Artificial' quake signals possible North Korea nuclear test



South Korea has detected an "artificial earthquake" at North Korea's nuclear test site, Yonhap news agency reported Tuesday, February 12, suggesting Pyongyang had gone ahead with a threatened atomic test.

Yonhap said an "artificial earthquake of 5.1 magnitude" had been detected in Kilju county, where the Punggye-ri test site is located.

The US Geological Survey measured it as a 4.9-magnitude quake at a very shallow depth of just one kilometer (0.6 miles).

The South Korean defense ministry and the presidential Blue House both said they were trying to verify whether a nuclear detonation had taken place.

Pyongyang has been threatening a "higher-level" nuclear test for weeks despite warnings of severe repercussions from the UN Security Council.

If confirmed, it would mark the third time the North has detonated a nuclear device, following previous tests in 2006 and 2009.-Rappler (February 12, 2013 11:36AM)

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