North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the East Sea on the 18th. This marks the 12th military provocation this year.
According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the South Korean military detected several SRBMs launched from the Pyongyang area into the East Sea between approximately 7:44 a.m. and 8:22 a.m. on the day of the launch.
These SRBMs each flew about 186 miles before landing in the East Sea, as reported by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. These SRBMs were known to have flown in the direction of the uninhabited Alsom Island off the coast of Hwadae County in North Hamgyong Province.
During the first half of 2024, North Korea conducted training to strike South Korean front-line guard posts (GPs) and the metropolitan area during the US-ROK joint military exercise “Freedom Shield” (FS) and responded to the FS exercise by launching GPS jamming signals towards the airspace above Five West Sea islands.
North Korea did not launch any missiles during this period, and it is assessed that they refrained from provocations considering major political schedules such as China’s “Lianghui” and the Russian presidential election.
Today’s SRBM launch by North Korea is the first missile provocation in over a month since the launch of the cruise missile “Padasuri-6” on the 14th of last month. This is the second provocation in terms of using ballistic missiles banned by the UN Security Council resolution this year, following the one on January 14th.
Inside and outside the military, it is suggested that North Korea’s provocation this time could be a forceful protest against the US-ROK foreign ministers’ meeting held in Seoul, and they may provoke more frequently as the major political schedules in China and Russia have ended.
Below is a record of North Korea’s military provocations, including missile launches, this year. (▲=Announced by the Joint Chiefs of Staff / △=Announced by North Korea)
▲January 5th, Morning = Firing in the West Sea Buffer Zone (about 200 rounds).
▲January 6th, Afternoon = Firing in the West Sea Buffer Zone (about 60 rounds).
▲January 7th, Afternoon = Firing in the West Sea Buffer Zone (about 90 rounds).
▲January 14th, Afternoon = Launch of a medium-range ballistic missile suspected from the Pyongyang area. Flight distance is about 621 miles. Assumed to be a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) using a solid fuel propulsion system.
△January 19th = Claimed test of “Haeil-5-23” underwater nuclear weapons system in the East Sea. (Joint Chiefs of Staff “Continuously tracking and confirming weapons development trends”)
▲January 24th, Morning = Launch of several cruise missiles into the West Sea. (North Korea announced it as a new type of strategic cruise missile, “Pulhwasal-3-31.”)
▲January 28th, Morning = Launch of several cruise missiles from the Sinpo area in the East Sea. (North Korea announced it as a new type of strategic cruise missile, “Pulhwasal-3-31.”)
▲January 30th, Morning = Launch of several cruise missiles into the West Sea. (North Korea announced it as a strategic cruise missile, “Hwasal-2.”)
▲February 2nd, Morning = Launch of several cruise missiles into the West Sea. (North Korea announced it as a test launch of a new type of anti-aircraft (ground-to-air) missile and a power test of a super-large combat (warhead) cruise missile.)
△February 11th, Afternoon = Test firing of 240mm guided multiple rocket launcher. (Joint Chiefs of Staff “Real-time tracking and monitoring of related activities”)
▲February 14th, Morning = Launch of several “Pasasuri-6” cruise missiles in the northeast sea off Wonsan.
▲March 18th, Morning = Launch of several short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) suspected objects from the Pyongyang area into the East Sea.