Jul 13 (Japan Times) - An undersea earthquake off the coast of North Korea was not caused by a nuclear test, the South's media reported Thursday.
The 5.9 magnitude quake struck about 190 km (120 miles) southeast of the reclusive state's third-largest city, Chongjin, in the early hours of Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey.
North Korea has staged five nuclear tests --- including two last year --- and has made significant progress in its missile capability under Kim Jong Un, who took power in 2011.
But the quake, which did not trigger a tsunami warning, was not caused by a nuclear test, Yonhap news agency reported USGS geophysicist John Bellini as saying.