North Korea: Pyongyang launches cruise missiles toward Yellow Sea early July 22

Event

North Korea fired several cruise missiles off its western coast into the Yellow Sea around 04:00 July 22, according to reports from the US military.

Context

The July 22 missile launch is one in a series of missile launches that have occurred this year, signifying an intensification of such actions by Pyongyang. The latest incident also occurred amid strengthening defense cooperation between the US and South Korea. On July 18, Washington and Seoul held their first Nuclear Consultative Group, and a US nuclear submarine arrived at the Busan port in South Korea. On July 19, North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea. 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.