Haenam earthquake: South Korean government raises crisis alert

A series of seismic activities has been recorded in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, with a magnitude 3.1 earthquake occurring on the morning of the 23rd. This marks the strongest earthquake recorded in the Korean Peninsula and surrounding waters this year. Including micro-earthquakes, a total of 71 tremors have been detected in the region over the past ten days.

In response to the cluster of small-scale earthquakes, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety has raised the earthquake crisis alert level from ‘Interest’ to ‘Attention’. While no casualties or property damage have been reported, the government has convened emergency meetings with the Korea Meteorological Administration and fire services to maintain a preemptive emergency response posture.

Authorities noted that the earthquake reached a maximum intensity of IV, causing indoor objects to shake in some areas. Experts suggest the activity is likely due to the reactivation of existing faults within the tectonic plate rather than plate boundary movements. Although the frequency of tremors is high, similar patterns were observed in 2020, and experts believe the risk of a large-scale earthquake remains low. Nuclear power facilities, including the Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant, reported no operational impact or safety issues following the tremors.