Magnitude 3.0 Earthquake Strikes 4 km North-Northeast of Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi...No Damage Reports

First Earthquake of Magnitude 3.0 or Higher This Year

An earthquake with a magnitude of 3.0 occurred near Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi Province, at around 4:13 a.m. on the 15th. No damage reports have been received so far.

Earthquake location in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province. Provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, a natural earthquake with a magnitude of 3.0 was observed at 4:13:38 a.m. that day, 4 km north-northeast of Yeoncheon-gun (latitude 38.13 degrees north, longitude 127.10 degrees east). The focal depth was analyzed to be 9 km.

This was the strongest earthquake to occur on the Korean Peninsula so far this year. Since the beginning of the year, there have been a total of eight earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.0 or higher on the Korean Peninsula and in the surrounding seas. Among them, this is the first with a magnitude of 3.0 or higher. The remaining seven had magnitudes of at least 2.0 but less than 3.0.

The maximum instrumental intensity recorded on seismographs was 3, a level at which people indoors, especially on the upper floors of buildings, can clearly feel the shaking and stationary objects may move slightly. By region, the instrumental intensity was 3 in Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi Province, and 2 in Gimpo, Dongducheon, Paju, and Pocheon in Gyeonggi Province, as well as Cheorwon-gun in Gangwon Province. An intensity of 2 is a level that only a few people in a quiet state or on the upper floors of buildings can feel.

This is the 19th earthquake with a magnitude of 3.0 or higher to occur within a 50 km radius of the epicenter since 1978. The largest earthquake within this range was a magnitude 3.3 quake that occurred on May 10 last year.

An official at the Northern Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters stated, "There have been no earthquake-related reports so far." The Korea Meteorological Administration said, "People in areas near the epicenter may feel the tremors," and urged the public "to pay attention to safety."