North Korean Nuclear Test Site Experiences Persistent Earthquakes

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North Korean Nuclear Test Site Experiences Persistent Earthquakes

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A recent study has revealed that underground nuclear tests conducted by North Korea at its Punggye-ri site have led to prolonged seismic activity, with earthquakes continuing for years after the last test in 2017. The research, which analyzed 17 years of seismic data from 2008 to 2025, identified 1,399 local earthquakes around Mount Mantap, the location of the test site.

Before North Korea’s first nuclear test in 2006, the Mount Mantap area had been seismically quiet for approximately 2,000 years. While about 60 earthquakes were detected between 2006 and the sixth nuclear test in 2017, seismic activity gradually increased after the third test in 2013. However, the pattern shifted dramatically after the sixth and largest nuclear test in September 2017, which had an estimated yield of 100 to 250 kilotons and registered as a magnitude 6.3 seismic event.

Unlike typical aftershocks that quickly fade, seismic activity intensified approximately three weeks after the 2017 detonation and continued to rise in both frequency and magnitude through 2025. Researchers found that these earthquakes clustered along two roughly north-northwest-trending fault structures. The study suggests that repeated underground nuclear explosions progressively damaged the shallow crust and redistributed stress, reactivating dormant fault lines in the region. This sustained and increasing seismic activity is considered anomalous compared to other nuclear test sites. The research, jointly led by Xingli Fan of Chengdu University of Technology and Kwang-Hee Kim of Pusan National University, has implications for monitoring former nuclear test sites.

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