North Korea: Pyongyang launches intercontinental ballistic missile toward Sea of Japan July 12 /update 1

Event

North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from the outskirts of Pyongyang into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) at around 09:59 July 12, according to Japanese officials. The missile reportedly flew around 1,000 km (621 miles) for 74 minutes before landing in waters outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone, around 250 km (155 miles) west of Okushiri Island. The incident caused no damage or casualties.

Context

The July 12 missile launch follows Pyongyang's warning of retaliation to alleged airspace violations by US military aircraft and comes on the day of a meeting between the South Korean President and the Japanese Prime Minister in Lithuania. North Korea previously launched ICBMs in March and April in June, indicating continued efforts to expand its offensive capabilities. 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.