Country profile · USGS ComCat
Earthquakes in North Korea
North Korea has catalogued 12 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 132nd of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M6.8.
North Korea ranks 132nd of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity, averaging about 1 M4+ events a year alongside 7 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. The M6+ record here is thin - 7 events in all, so a single quake moves every figure on this page.
- 12
- M4+ events (since 2005)
- 7
- Major M6+ (since 1900)
- M6.8
- Strongest
- ~1
- M4+ per year
The verdict
North Korea is below the global median in catalogued seismic activity, with 12 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 7 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 6.8.
- 1905
- busiest year (1 major events)
- 487 km
- average recorded event depth
- 14%
- of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)
Average catalogued magnitude is 4.6 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder Botswana sits immediately above at 13 events and Gabon sits immediately below at 11.
Where North Korea sits in the catalog
Rank 132nd of 187 tracked countries (26th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Botswana sits immediately above at 13 events and Gabon sits immediately below at 11.
Same M4+ count, broken by peak magnitude
7 tracked countries share North Korea's exact count of 12 M4+ events since 2005. Among that cohort, North Korea ranks 1st of 7 by strongest recorded magnitude (M5.9).
Major (M6+) earthquakes in North Korea by year
Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year
- 1905
1905: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1952
1952: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1954
1954: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1960
1960: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1973
1973: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1979
1979: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1990
1990: 1 major (M6+) events
1
What this shows North Korea's most active year for major earthquakes was 1905 (1 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.
0 of 12 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.
Magnitude distribution of major events
Breakdown of the 7 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for North Korea.
M6.0-6.9
7
100.0%
Depth of major earthquakes
Hypocentral depth of the 7 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 487 km.
Shallow (<70 km)
1
14.3% of events
Intermediate (70–300 km)
0
0.0% of events
Deep (>300 km)
6
85.7% of events
Strongest earthquakes in North Korea
The 7 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).
| Mag | Location | Depth | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.8 | 108 km SSE of Kilju, North Korea | 607.5 km | Oct 8, 1960 |
| 6.6 | 5 km SE of Namyang, North Korea | 470.0 km | Aug 25, 1905 |
| 6.5 | 61 km SSE of Ungsang-nodongjagu, North Korea | 575.0 km | Sep 29, 1973 |
| 6.4 | 212 km ESE of Hoemul-li, North Korea | 551.7 km | Nov 19, 1954 |
| 6.3 | 67 km SE of Rajin, North Korea | 578.5 km | May 11, 1990 |
| 6.3 | 3 km ENE of Chunghwa, North Korea | 35.0 km | Mar 19, 1952 |
| 6.1 | 64 km SE of Rajin, North Korea | 588.0 km | Aug 16, 1979 |
Significant earthquake record (7 events)
Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in North Korea since 1900, most recent first.
| Mag | Location | Depth | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.3 | 67 km SE of Rajin, North Korea | 578.5 km | May 11, 1990 |
| 6.1 | 64 km SE of Rajin, North Korea | 588.0 km | Aug 16, 1979 |
| 6.5 | 61 km SSE of Ungsang-nodongjagu, North Korea | 575.0 km | Sep 29, 1973 |
| 6.8 | 108 km SSE of Kilju, North Korea | 607.5 km | Oct 8, 1960 |
| 6.4 | 212 km ESE of Hoemul-li, North Korea | 551.7 km | Nov 19, 1954 |
| 6.3 | 3 km ENE of Chunghwa, North Korea | 35.0 km | Mar 19, 1952 |
| 6.6 | 5 km SE of Namyang, North Korea | 470.0 km | Aug 25, 1905 |
Other countries in this catalog sample
A North Korea-keyed shuffle of the full 186-country roster, not the six nearest by count.
Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster
A second North Korea-keyed shuffle of countries with a recorded max magnitude.
Understand the data
Frequently asked questions
How many earthquakes have occurred in North Korea? ▼
What was the strongest earthquake in North Korea? ▼
How seismically active is North Korea? ▼
How deep are earthquakes in North Korea? ▼
Where does this data come from? ▼
About North Korea's figures
12 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M6.8 · average M4.6 · 7 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Mar 24, 2025. Computed from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). See the methodology and USGS ComCat.
Disclaimer: PlainQuake is informational only, not an emergency service or engineering advice. See our full disclaimer.
What North Korea's numbers mean
North Korea ranks 132nd of 187 countries tracked - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity.
- About 1 M4+ earthquakes strike North Korea per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1905 was the busiest year on record with 1 significant events. See the full country ranking
- 14% of North Korea's catalogued major earthquakes are shallow (under 70km) - shallow events generally produce stronger surface shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. How depth affects shaking
- The strongest catalogued event reached M6.8. Compare against neighboring or similarly-ranked countries before drawing conclusions from magnitude alone. Compare strongest earthquakes
Figures reflect the USGS ComCat catalog (M4+ since 2005, M6+ significant events since 1900) - not a real-time hazard assessment. For official guidance, see the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.
According to the US Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, PlainQuake's figures are rendered directly from 315,341 recorded M4+ earthquakes and 14,428 significant M6+ events (USGS ComCat, 2005-present) -- no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-07-19.