S Korea postpones college exam after rare quake

South Korean authorities yesterday took the unprecedented step of postponing nationwide college entrance exams after a rare 5.4-magnitude earthquake hit the southeast, sparking alarm in a country that seldom experiences significant tremors. The quake, the second most powerful recorded in South Korea, struck at a depth of 9km near the industrial city of Pohang at around 2.30pm, the Korea Meteorological Administration said. Seven people were injured, Seoul’s public administration ministry said, but they warned that number could rise because the quake was shallow.