BEIJING, Feb. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- China says the DPRK’s nuclear test has so far not affected China’s environment and public health, with radiation levels remaining normal. And South Korea says it has yet to detect any change in the levels of radiation or nuclear substances.

China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection says no abnormal levels of radioactivity had been detected as of Thursday morning. Results from more than 150 monitoring stations across China showed no threat has been detected yet to the environment and public health after the test.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s Nuclear Safety and Security Commission said no radioactive isotopes had been discovered as of 3 pm on Thursday. It said detection of certain isotopes, may help determine whether the DPRK’s recent test involved a plutonium, or uranium-based device.

The Yonhap news agency quoted statistics released from Germany’s Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources as saying that the equivalent of 40 thousand tons of TNT equivalent had been released by the DPRK’s third nuclear test.

The Institute said isotopes usually can be detected several hours or days after a nuclear blast, but this time, the detection may take several days or even weeks.

(Source: CNTV.cn)