2.2 magnitude earthquake strikes southwestern North Korea

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Published: 05 Jan. 2025, 13:37 Updated: 05 Jan. 2025, 16:38

The red dot indicates the epicenter of an earthquake that struck North Korea's Ongjin near the western sea border with South Korea on Jan. 5, 2025. [KOREA METEOROLOGICAL ADMINISTRATION]

A 2.2 magnitude earthquake struck North Korea's southwestern county of Ongjin, the latest in a series of natural earthquakes to hit North Korea in recent years, South Korea's weather agency said Sunday.

The earthquake occurred at 2:43 a.m., about 8 kilometers (about 5 miles) northeast of Ongjin near the western sea border with South Korea, the Korea Meteorological Administration said. The epicenter was detected at a latitude of 38.00 degrees north and a longitude of 125.39 degrees east at a depth of 5 km.

The KMA said the quake was assessed as a natural occurrence.

In November, a 2.5 magnitude natural earthquake struck near North Korea's northeastern county of Kilju, home to the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, where the North conducted all six of its nuclear tests. Kilju is prone to earthquakes.

Yonhap