• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.249-262
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• 2006

The 29 May 2004 offshore Uljin, Korea earthquake was predominantly thrust-faulting at a depth of approximately 12 (±2) km. The mainshock attained the seismic moment of M0 =5.41 (±1.87)  1016 N m (Mw = 5.1). The focal mechanism indicates a subhorizontal P-axis trending 264° and plunging 2°. The orientation of P- and T-axis is consistent with the direction of absolute plate motion generally observed within the plates, hence the cause of the May 29 shock is the broad-scale stress pattern from the forces acting on the downgoing slab along the Japan trench and inhibiting forces balancing it. The 29 May 2004 earthquake occurred along a deep seated (~12 km), pre-existing feature that is expressed on the surface as the basement escarpment along the western and southern slopes of the Ulleung basin. The concentrated seismicity along this basement escarpment suggests that this feature may qualify as a seismic zone - the Ulleung basement escarpment seismic zone (UBESZ).