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Through analyzing this satellite photo

An artificial earthquake was detected near Punggye Village in North Korea. It is presumed that North Korea carried out a fifth nuclear test.

“At about 9:30 am, artificial seismic waves with a magnitude of 5.0 were detected in the vicinity of Punggye Village in North Korea. We are currently analyzing whether this was a nuclear test,” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff stated.

North Korea appears to have carried out the nuclear test to mark the anniversary of the regime’s establishment on Sept. 9.

Around 10 am, the Korea Meteorological Administration in South Korea reported, “An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.0 occurred around 9:30 am near Kilju County in North Hamgyong Province, North Korea. This is presumed to have been an artificial earthquake.”

According to a document that appeared on the website of the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, seismic waves with a magnitude of 5.3 on the Richter scale were detected at 41.19 north and 129.05 east in North Korea. The institute also stated that the epicenter was estimated to have been 15 km below the surface and that the seismic waves were detected at exactly 9 am local time.

North Korea operates a nuclear testing site at Punggye Village in Kilju County, North Hamgyong Province. The site at Punggye Village is located at 41.16 north and 129.5 east, which is consistent with the location of the seismic waves detected by the institute.

North Korea is currently celebrating a holiday called Sept. 9 Day, which marks the 68th anniversary of the establishment of the North Korean government on Sept. 9, 1948. If it is confirmed that Pyongyang carried out a fifth nuclear test, this would appear to mean that Pyongyang deliberately timed the test to occur at 9 am on Sept. 9.

As of 10 am on Sept. 9, Korean Central Television in North Korea was playing a documentary praising North Korean founder Kim Il-sung and his son and successor Kim Jong-il.

South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Council at 11 am on Sept. 9 in order to discuss response measures.

By Park Byung-soo and Lee Geun-young, senior staff writers, and Jeong In-hwan staff reporter

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