Small earthquake shakes central South Korea

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean officials say there were no immediate reports of damage after a 4.1-magnitude earthquake shook a small agricultural county in the country’s central region.

South Korea’s weather agency said Saturday’s small earthquake in the town of Goesan was still the strongest of the 38 quakes that have occurred in the country this year and would have been powerful enough to topple objects or break windows.

Lee Jae-yeong, an official from the Safety Ministry’s disaster headquarters, said emergency officials from the central North Chungcheong province and surrounding regions received more than 50 calls from residents saying they felt the ground shaking. Lee said emergency workers haven’t yet received any reports of actual damage.

The office of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said he instructed officials to also review the safety of electricity and telecommunication systems, although there were no immediate reports of problems.