Sunday, May 24, 2009

North Korea Conducts Nuclear Test

Update 2: Korean won, stocks tumble - Bloomberg

Update:
North Korea confirms it has conducted a nuclear test. "We have successfully conducted another nuclear test as part of the republic's measures to strengthen its nuclear deterrent."

Developing story.
The South Korean weather agency detected a tremor test at 00:54 GMT which Yonhap has subsequently determined has been a nuclear test. BNO reports:
Unusual earthquake activity was reported in North Korea's nuclear test area on Monday morning, the United States Geological Survey reported. The agency said the earthquake, which happened at 9.55 a.m. local time, had a preliminary magnitude of 4.7.

It struck about 45 miles from the town of Kimchaek, which is located in northern North Korea. A spokeswoman for the United States Geological Survey told BNO News that the epicenter of the earthquake was located about 5 miles west from the location of a controversial nuclear test on October 9, 2006, but the exact location was still subject to change. It struck about 6.2 miles deep, showing additional similarities to the detonation of the nuclear device in 2006.

Earthquakes in North Korea are rare and the spokeswoman said there has been nearly no activity in the last 30 years. She said the last recorded seismic activity in the area was in 2006, generated by the nuclear test. Another event was in 2002, but this earthquake struck dozens of miles away from the test area.

Further details were not immediately available, and there were no reports of any events at the nuclear test site.

Hat tip Equity Private


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