North Korea launched one short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) into the East Sea on Aug. 12, South Korea’s military said. South Korean and U.S. authorities are analyzing the missile’s exact specifications.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, “Our military detected a ballistic missile launched from the Wonsan area of North Korea toward the East Sea at around 6 a.m.,” adding that “the missile flew more than 700 kilometers, while South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities have been tracking and sharing related developments since the launch.” Missiles with typical ranges of 300 to 1,000 kilometers are generally classified as SRBMs.
The JCS added, “Under a strong South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture, our military is closely monitoring various developments in North Korea,” and said it “will maintain the capabilities and readiness to respond overwhelmingly to any provocation.”
Japan’s Coast Guard also said the ballistic missile launched by North Korea landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Intelligence on the launch gathered by South Korean and U.S. authorities was also shared with Japan.
The launch marked North Korea’s 11th ballistic missile launch of the year and came six days after it fired one SRBM on Aug. 6. As with last week’s launch, North Korea fired only one ballistic missile this time, raising the possibility that it may have conducted a follow-up test of the same missile type. North Korea also unusually refrained from reporting on the previous launch through its state-run media immediately afterward.
The latest provocation may have been aimed at preparing for or protesting the regular South Korea-U.S. joint exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS), which is scheduled to begin Aug. 17. South Korea and the United States announced the UFS schedule at a joint briefing on Aug. 10. North Korea has repeatedly condemned the allies’ joint exercises, calling them “invasion drills” and “war exercises.”
Ryan Donald, a public affairs officer, said at the joint briefing that the exercise would include training on how the allies could respond to threats from the North Korean military, as well as cyberattacks, including GPS disruptions, and drone attacks.