Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sundubuman]

Okay, it's 8:59 and my entire house just shook. Did anyone else feel that?

[Hanson]

Didn't feel a thing in Ansan.

[k-bot]

we felt it. it shook the building we were in....any news on it?

[gdimension]

Yes it was...http://www.ytn.co.kr/_ln/0103_200701202113580056 (in Korean).

My friend felt it in Seoul and called me.

[saw6436]

Felt it here in Daejeon

[gdimension]

at 8:56, 23 KM South of Gangneung, a 4.8 on (what I guess is) the Richter Scale

http://www.moneytoday.co.kr/view/mtview.php?type=1&no=2007012021161535824

[sundubuman]

Strong Quake Likely to Hit Korea


By Lee Jin-woo
Staff Reporter

A local seismologist has predicted an earthquake of magnitude 5.5 will possibly hit the Korean Peninsula within a few years, following a 7-magnitude earthquake that hit Fukuoka, Japan on March 20.

An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 is considered relatively strong, causing minor damage to buildings. Tremors of magnitude 7 or more often cause serious damage such as warping railways.

``Previous records have shown that strong earthquakes in Japan and China have been followed by smaller ones in Korea in the past,�� Chi Heon-cheol, director of the Korea Earthquake Research Center at the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, told The Korea Times.

Chi mentioned a 5-magnitude quake that hit Hongsong, South Chungchong Province in 1978, damaging 118 poorly built buildings and injuring two people.

It was just two years after a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.8 struck Tangshan, northeastern China, obliterating the city and killing over 240,000 people in 1976.

When Korea was hit by another earthquake of magnitude 4.7 in Yongwol, Kangwon Province in 1996, it was just one year after a massive earthquake shook Kobe, Japan in 1995, killing 6310 people. The magnitude of the Kobe quake was estimated at 7.2.

Chi said the common belief that Korea is earthquake-free is not really true.

``Records of earthquakes have been found several times in ancient history books,�� Chi said.

As one example, Chi said Samguksagi, or the History of the Three Kingdoms, tells of around 100 people dying in an earthquake that shook Kyongju, North Kyongsang Province, in 779.

He said recent concerns over the safety of Korean buildings and facilities, especially the subway system and nuclear plants, in the event of an earthquake are a bit exaggerated.

``An earthquake could damage Korean nuclear power plants only after destroying all other constructions in the nation as those power plants have been designed to withstand magnitudes of at least 7 to 8, while other constructions can withstand 6.5,�� Chi said.

However, small apartments less than four storeys high and houses built of bricks, especially those built before 1988 when earthquake safety measures were first introduced to South Korea, are likely to sustain damage in the event of a magnitude-5.5 earthquake.

Chi emphasized the need to inform the general public of how to protect themselves in case of an earthquake.

``Most people still don�t know that they shouldn�t try to leave their houses when an earthquake happens. It might be more dangerous to try escaping from a house as a less destructive earthquake will damage only the glass of buildings and houses.��

He said a new earthquake warning system called the Korea Integrated Seismic System, which has been in operation since 2003, can inform related agencies of an earthquake within 10 seconds of gathering seismic data from the nation�s 92 earthquake observation facilities.

When the earthquake off Fukuoka shook the peninsula, the Korea Train Express, the nation�s bullet train, received an instant message thanks to the system and its operators were able to make an immediate decision whether to slow down or stop the train.

As Korea has been considered a relatively earthquake-free country since 1905 when the nation�s first mechanical earthquake observation started, there are only about 30 South Korean earthquake experts, whereas Japan has around 30,000.

Ninety-two observation facilities provide earthquake information in Korea while Japan has some 40 facilities in Indonesia alone, and around 8,000 in Japan itself.

Since 1978, small earthquakes have been observed on average 23.7 times a year in Korea.

Among them, earthquakes of magnitude 5 or stronger, including the strongest one of magnitude 5.2 that took place some 80 kilometers off the coast of Uljin, North Kyongsang Province, in May 2004, have been recorded a total of six times.

As the east coast of Korea is close to Japan�s west coast, which is often hit by earthquakes, and the East Sea is two kilometers deep on average, residents near the sea should be prepared for tsunamis, which would take two hours to reach South Korea�s coast from a Japanese epicenter, the National Emergency Management Agency said.

Experts expect a magnitude-7 earthquake off the west coast of Japan might cause a 3 to 4 meter high tsunami to hit the South Korean coast.

A one-meter-high tsunami is strong enough to destroy poorly built wooden constructions located 3 to 5 meters from the sea.

[email protected]
04-05-2005 17:27

[Milwaukiedave]

Yep..that's the 3rd thread...add that to the two in the Korean forum.

[sundubuman]

hey my thread was within at least a minute of the quake....for what it's worth....

[Kimchi Cowboy]

[gdimension]

Just noticed - my previous post should read "WEST of Gangneung"...

[Manner of Speaking]

It wasn't an earthquake...it was the sound of millions of Korean war dead turning over in their grave over the ruling party's arsch-kissing to NK.

[tomato]

That was my second earthquake.
The first was when I was in geology class at Indiana University.
It provided for an unplanned laboratory experience.

I am in 안성 in the 경기 province.
I was in my room while the washing machine in the hallway was on.
At first, I thought it might be the washing machine, but washing machine continued after the earthquake stopped.

A little later, my 핸드폰 beep-beeped.
I grabbed it at took a quick look at the message.
Sure enough, I found the word 지진.

[sundubuman]