The strongest earthquake yet that hit the country Monday night is a reminder that this land is not safe from the curse of a major earthquake or other major natural disasters.
It is fortunate that there have been no reports of casualties or major property damage, but what the nation experienced overnight was sufficient to urge the government and the public to raise their awareness of the danger of earthquakes.
The 5.8-magnitude tremor, which was centered in the southeastern city of Kyeongju, was the strongest tremor since 1978. It was preceded by a 5.1-magnitude quake and subsequent aftershocks throughout the night.
The tremors were felt across the country, including Seoul and Jejudo, and many people shuddered with fear as they were powerful enough to sway buildings and houses.
Residents of an 80-story apartment building in Busan went into panic as the building was shaken and the 63-story Busan International Finance Center was evacuated.
The seismic shocks forced operators to halt temporarily the four nuclear power plants in Wolsong, near the epicenter in Kyeongu. An LNG unit of a power plant in Ulsan also went down before resuming operations five hours later.
The quakes also affected transportation and communications networks. Authorities halted operations of the KTX bullet trains, and subway cars in cities like Busan and Daegu were also grounded temporarily.
There have been no major industrial disruptions, but Samsung Electronics and LG Display had to shut down their plants in Gumi.
Again, it is fortunate that damages have been limited. Experts also rule out the possibility of a catastrophic quake hitting the country, but the tremors should awaken government officials, businesses and the general public to the need to get ready for encountering a stronger earthquake.
