Tremor Points to a Nuclear Test in North Korea

South Korean officials said that they had detected an “artificial” tremor emanating from North Korea on Friday morning, indicating that the country has conducted its fifth nuclear test despite threats of more sanctions from Washington and the United Nations.

The Korea Meteorological Administration detected the tremor and was analyzing data to see if it was caused by an earthquake or by an underground nuclear detonation, a spokeswoman said.

The spokeswoman said that the tremor appeared to be “artificially caused,” not by an earthquake.

The United States Geological Survey reported a 5.3-magnitude tremor about 15 kilometers east-northeast of Sungjibaejam, North Korea.

A statement from the South Korean military also said that an artificial tremor, registered as magnitude 5.0, had originated from Punggye-ri in northeastern North Korea, where the North has conducted its four previous underground nuclear tests.

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Image courtesy of Reuters