Underground Nuclear Explosions in North Korea Caused a Serious Problem, and New Research Suggests It’s Getting Worse

An international research team led by scientists from Chengdu University of Technology reports that a series of North Korean underground nuclear test explosions at Mt. Mantap have long-lasting effects on the region’s surrounding crust, including reactivating dormant faults and triggering seismic activity that continues to increase in frequency and magnitude. The research team analyzed seismic data from nearby monitoring stations and found that the seismic effects of the explosions were not well understood. The study suggests that the explosions may have caused persistent and organized fault reactivation, which could be difficult to distinguish from naturally occurring seismic activity.

The research team found that the seismic activity after the final 2017 test began to spike around three weeks later, and this increased seismic activity grew in frequency and magnitude right through the end of 2025. The study also noted that the seismic effects of the combined explosion have not diminished but are getting progressively worse. The team examined 1,399 local earthquakes between 2008 and 2025, the last complete year of data, and found that the seismic activity after the final test was notably different from previous explosions. The findings suggest that the effects of the underground nuclear explosions are still influencing the region's seismic activity.

The study, titled "Nuclear tests at Mt. Mantap have reactivated intraplate faults," was published in Science. The research team focused on how the massive underground explosions affect the region's seismic activity, noting that such effects are poorly understood. The findings could have implications for monitoring former nuclear test sites, as the seismic activity after the explosions appears to be increasing in both frequency and magnitude.

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