Japanese Expert: S. Korea Needs to Prepare for Inland Earthquake

The head of a Japanese government's seismic activity panel has advised that South Korea needs to prepare for a strong inland earthquake with the magnitude of seven or higher.

In an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday, Naoshi Hirata, the chairman of the Earthquake Research Committee of Japan and a professor at the University of Tokyo, pointed out the fact that a massive earthquake presumed to be stronger than seven-point-zero magnitude once occurred near a stratum located in the southeastern parts of South Korea.

Hirata went on to say that an earthquake caused by active inland strata, such as the seven-point-three-magnitude tremor that hit Kumamoto on April 16th and the eight-point-zero-magnitude quake that shook Nobi on October 28 of 1891 could also occur in South Korea.

The professor said, however, that the five-point-zero-magnitude earthquake, which took place off the east coast of Ulsan on Tuesday was usual seismic activity, adding South Koreans do not need to be panicked.