Korean Peninsula: North Korea missile lands near Japan Nov. 29 /update 1

Event

North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Pyongsong, South Pyongan province early on Wednesday, November 29 (local time). According to US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, the missile test's unprecedented altitude shows that North Korea now poses a worldwide threat. Reports say the missile reached an altitude of 4500 km (2800 mi) and traveled 960 km (600 mi) before landing approximately 250 km (155 mi) off Japan's northern coast. Experts say that the missile could have struck anywhere in the mainland US using a standard trajectory.

The UN Security Council has called an emergency meeting to discuss the event.

Context

The development of North Korea's nuclear program has been a persistent, global geopolitical concern. Tensions are currently exceptionally high after the country's most recent intercontinental ballistic missile test in September, following a series of similar tests in the preceding months. An increase in inflammatory rhetoric and threats (including between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un) in recent months have led to increased concerns over a potentially dangerous confrontation involving the volatile state.

Meanwhile, on August 5, the UN Security Council unanimously voted to enforce a new series of sanctions on North Korea. These aim to hurt the country's economy by targeting its carbon, iron, and fishing industries.

Advice

Individuals on the Korean Peninsula are advised to follow any instructions provided by local authorities and to monitor developments to the situation.