Seismological Observatory to Be Built in Dokdo

Lawmakers raised a bipartisan voice on the government’s slow response to North Korea’s nuclear test at a hearing held concerning the Ministry of Science & Technology (MOST) by the National Assembly’s Science, Technology, Information and Telecommunication Committee at the Gwacheon Government Complex on October 16.

Kim Hee-jeong, representative of the opposition Grand National Party, criticized the government for releasing incorrect information on the test site to government officials repeatedly after 10:45 a.m. on October 9, when the test had been conducted, causing the public to become more concerned.

Also, Ryu Geun-chan of the People First Party condemned the ministry, saying, “The MOST announced that there was no damage from the radioactive matter only six hours after the test, not enough time for the matter even to blow to the South. The announcement obviously shows the ministry does not have an appropriate emergency system.”

Kim Woo-sik, deputy prime minister and minister of the MOST, said, “The ministry is planning to adopt a detection system for a second nuclear test by the North as soon as possible. Also, we will make a swift change to the system by constructing an additional seismological observatory for the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources.”

kunta@donga.com