S. Korea Relatively Safe from Quakes: Experts

As Japan has been hit by 8.9 magnitude earthquake and ravaged, the safety issue of Korea peninsular from such big quake has been raised.

Local geological experts are saying South Korea is relatively insulated from the kind of quake that hit Japan yesterday.

Lee Hee-ill, head of the geological research division at the state-run Korea Institute of Geoscience & Mineral Resources (KIGAM) said to Yonhap news agency that South Korea is situated deep inside the Eurasian tectonic plate, with the closest major fault line a thousand kilometers away.

“Japan is located in frequent quake rim, say, Eurasian, Pacific, North American and Philippines plates,” he was quoted by the agency

Even so, some experts say that careful watch of earthquake is needed for safety preparation.

Every year, Korea Peninsular has more than 10 earthquakes, even though most of them are less than 3.0 magnitudes. Last year it was 42 and this year already 6 was recored.

(아주경제 송지영 기자)

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com