One in three North Korean refugees from areas near the Punggye-ri nuclear test site exhibit chromosomal mutations, according to a study by South Korea's unification ministry. Of 214 defectors tested, 64 showed genetic changes that researchers believe may be linked to radiation exposure.
An official from the National Radiation Emergency Medical Centre, which conducted the five-year study, stated that it is scientifically plausible that the Punggye-ri site in North Hamgyong province was the cause of these mutations. Recent medical tests conducted last year found that approximately 40% of 59 North Koreans from eight cities and counties near Punggye-ri had chromosomal abnormalities.
The ministry shared its findings with South Korea's National Assembly but also noted the possibility of environmental factors influencing the results. Researchers have called for additional testing to establish a more definitive connection to the nuclear tests. The study aims to recruit 50 new participants and conduct follow-ups with 10 returning subjects this year.
To date, around 800 North Koreans from the affected regions have resettled in South Korea. The Punggye-ri site, where North Korea conducted its first nuclear test in 2006, was reportedly dismantled and its tunnel entrances closed by the North Korean government in 2018 as a measure to ensure transparency in discontinuing nuclear tests.
However, concerns about the site's safety and potential environmental impact have persisted. A collapse at the facility in 2017 was estimated to have killed 200 workers, leading South Korean officials to warn that further tests could destabilize the nearby mountain and release radioactive materials. Chinese officials had also warned of widespread radioactive fallout in the event of such a collapse.
Analysts observed in 2022 that the Punggye-ri site appeared to be undergoing rehabilitation for potential nuclear cruise missile warhead tests, prompting warnings from the United States, South Korea, and Japan of a severe response if testing resumed.