North Korea quake a ‘suspected explosion’—China seismologists

This image provided by the U.S.-Korea Institute at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies via 38 North and via a satellite image from Centre National d’Études Spatiales and Airbus Defense & Space, shows a satellite image dated Oct. 25, 2015, of what appears to be a new tunnel under mountains where North Korea conducts nuclear test explosions. The U.S. website 38 North said Wednesday, Dec. 2, that a nuclear test does not appear imminent, but the new tunneling adds to North Korea’s ability to conduct more nuclear tests over the coming years if it chooses to do so. Centre National d’Études Spatiales/38 North/Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies via AP FILE PHOTO

BEIJING, China—An earthquake in North Korea Wednesday morning was a “suspected explosion,” Chinese seismologists said, following fears of another nuclear test by Pyongyang.

READ: Nuclear blast eyed in 5.1-quake near North Korea test site

The tremor registered inside North Korea was a “suspected explosion,” the China Earthquake Network Centre said on its website. It gave the depth as zero kilometres and the magnitude as 4.9.

The notice was similar to one given by China in 2013 following an earthquake in North Korea which turned out to have been caused by a nuclear test.

Beijing is a close ally of Pyongyang but relations have become more strained in recent years, in part because of the North’s persistence with its nuclear programme in the face of international condemnation.

China condemned the 2013 nuclear test.

Officials in Seoul also said a 5.1 magnitude tremor was detected close to North Korea’s Punggye-ri nuclear test site on Wednesday.

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