SEOUL, Jan 6: A 5.1 magnitude tremor was detected close to North Korea’s nuclear test site on Wednesday, with Chinese earthquake monitors suggesting it could be the result of an atomic explosion.
North Korea is expected to make an “important announcement” soon, Yonhap news agency reported..
The US Geological Survey said the epicentre of the quake – detected at 10:00 am Pyongyang time (0130 GMT) – was in the northeast of the country, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) northwest of Kilju city, placing it right next to the Punggye-ri nuclear test site.
The website of the China Earthquake Network Centre described it as a “suspected explosion”.
The Japanese government said today that an earthquake recorded in North Korea might have been caused by a nuclear test.
“Considering past cases, there is the possibility that this might be a nuclear test by North Korea,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, the government’s top spokesman, said at a regular briefing, adding that Tokyo was analyzing the situation.
