Small earthquake shakes South Korea agricultural region
Seoul (AP): A 4.1-magnitude earthquake shook a small agricultural county in South Korea's central region on Saturday, but officials said there were no immediate reports of damage.
South Korea's weather agency said the small earthquake in the town of Goesan was still the strongest of the 61 quakes that have occurred in the country this year and would have been powerful enough to topple objects or break windows.
Emergency officials have received more than 140 calls from residents saying they felt the ground shaking. The calls were mostly from the central North Chungcheong province but also from Gyeonggi province surrounding the capital, Seoul, and the southern North and South Gyeongsang provinces, according to the weather agency and government officials.
Central government and North Chungcheong provincial officials said they weren't aware of any damage.
Kim Dong-wook, a resident in the central city of Chungju, told news channel YTN that he heard rumblings in the ground and that windows rattled like during a typhoon. He said he saw plates and bowls scattered across the floor of a restaurant in the building where he lives but he didn't know of anyone being hurt.
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.
South Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission said the earthquake didn't pose a threat to the safety of nuclear power reactors in the country's southeastern regions. It also said the earthquake didn't affect a research reactor in the central city of Daejeon, which is about 70 kilometers (43 miles) from where the quake occurred.
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CM Siddaramaiah appeals to Naxalites to surrender, join mainstream
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday appealed to the Naxalites (Maoists) involved in violent activities to surrender and join the democratic mainstream.
He said the government has already formulated a surrender policy, which will be simplified and implemented effectively.
"Our government is determined to encourage all Naxals in Karnataka to surrender completely and reintegrate into the mainstream," Siddaramaiah said in a statement.
The CM said under the surrender policy, financial assistance will be provided in phases.
"Naxals who surrender their weapons to the government will be eligible for incentives, skill training, and comprehensive rehabilitation measures, all of which will be undertaken with empathy and on a priority basis," he underlined.
The government will also take steps to expedite the resolution of cases against surrendered Naxals and ensure they receive necessary legal support, the chief minister assured the Left wing ultras.
He added that efforts are underway to identify and address the needs of those who have already surrendered, ensuring their successful rehabilitation.
Siddaramaiah, however, warned strict action against those engaging in violence.
"At the same time, I want to make it unequivocally clear that anyone engaging in violent or unlawful activities will face strict legal action from our government," he said.
According to him, several progressive and public-spirited leaders met him, emphasising the importance of Naxals joining the democratic mainstream and preventing any loss of life.
On November 20, a top Naxalite, Vikram Gowda, was killed in an encounter with the Anti-Naxal Force at Peetabailu village in Hebri in Udupi district, pointing to the active Naxal activities in the state.
