North Korean groundwater risk

Tests conducted on 40 North Korean defectors from the Punggye-ri nuclear test site found that at least nine had abnormalities indicating radiation exposure from groundwater


CHINA
NORTH KOREA
P’yongyang
SOUTH KOREA
RUSSIA
Hamgyong Mts.

Punggye-ri test site, North Hamgyong Province

100km 60 miles


Nuclear tests (yield in kilotons*)

Oct 2006 0.5-2.0
May 2009 1.0-10.5
Feb 2013 7.5-32.5
Jan 2016 2-24.4
Sep 2016 3-115
Sep 2017 30-300

*Estimates by American Geophysical Union


North Hamgyong Province: Census data show that nearly one in every six households within 40km radius of Punggye-ri drink groundwater, waterhole or spring water

Exposure levels to cause abnormalities (millisieverts)

2017: Four of 30 North Korean escapees found with chromosomal damage

2018: Five of 10 escapees found with chromosomal damage

All escapees from areas near Punggye-ri

0.1 Chest x-ray
1.5
2.4 Natural radiation
9.0
10 CT scan, full body
15
100 
350 Chernobyl residents
400 
1,000 
6,000 Chernobyl workers who died within one month
10,000 Fatal within weeks


Sources: American Geophysical Union, Transitional Justice Working Group 
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