North Korea launched a missile toward the East Sea on March 14, marking approximately six weeks since their last launch in January.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a press release around 1:30 p.m. (South Korean time), stating that North Korea had fired an unidentified projectile eastward. U.S. and South Korean officials are currently analyzing the specifications, range, and potential motives behind the North Korean launch.
This latest missile test comes nearly two months after North Korea’s January 1st launch, which they claimed was a short-range ballistic missile with hypersonic capabilities.
On January 27, North Korea had fired several short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the East Sea, reportedly traveling about 350 km. The launch coincided with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asia, Elbridge Colby’s regional tour.
North Korea also conducted cruise missile launches from the destroyer Choe Hyon-ho on March 4 and 10.
Experts suggest that this recent launch may have been deliberately timed to coincide with the visit of Michael DeSombre, the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, who was in South Korea on March 11.