This undated photo, taken from South Korea's western border island of Yeonpyeong, captures North Korea's Ongjin County in South Hwanghae Province. Korea Times photo by Lee Han-ho

A 2.2 magnitude earthquake struck North Korea's southwestern county of Ongjin, the latest in a series of natural earthquakes to hit North Korea in recent years, South Korea's weather agency said Sunday.

The earthquake occurred at 2:43 a.m., about 8 kilometers northeast of Ongjin near the western sea border with South Korea, the Korea Meteorological Administration said. The epicenter was detected at a latitude of 38.00 degrees north and a longitude of 125.39 degrees east at a depth of 5 km.

The KMA said the quake was assessed as a natural occurrence.

In November, a 2.5 magnitude natural earthquake struck near North Korea's northeastern county of Kilju, home to the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, where the North conducted all six of its nuclear tests. Kilju is prone to earthquakes. (Yonhap)