North Korea: Pyongyang launches ballistic missile toward Sea of Japan April 13

Event

North Korea fired a ballistic missile off its eastern coast into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) 07:23 April 13, according to reports from the South Korean military. The launch prompted a warning from the Japanese alerting system for residents in Hokkaido to seek secure shelter, which authorities withdrew shortly after citing erroneous calculation. The missile landed in waters outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. Details on the flight path and distance were not immediately available.

Context

The April 13 incident is one in a series of missile launches that has occurred in the lead up to, during, and after joint US-South Korean military exercises named "Freedom Shield." Pyongyang has denounced the military drills as "preparations for a war of aggression" against its forces. Additional missile launches remain possible in the coming weeks.

Despite attempts at jumpstarting diplomacy, the geopolitical dynamics on the Korean Peninsula remain largely unaltered, as North Korea has previously stated that it will only give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for concrete moves to reduce perceived US threats against it. North Korean leaders have previously warned of stronger actions in response to US sanctions. However, both sides will likely avoid any actions that could escalate into a full-scale conflict.