Quake 'shifted nation' 2.4 m east

SEOUL - The massive earthquake that devastated northeastern Japan has shifted the country more than 2 meters away from the neighboring Korean Peninsula, scientists said.

The Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASSI) said the Korean Peninsula moved east up to five centimeters while Japan shifted some 2.4 meters east.

Consequently, the distance between the countries increased by more than 2 meters, the institute said.