North Korea: Pyongyang launches projectile toward Sea of Japan July 12

Event

North Korea fired a projectile off its eastern coast into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) at around 10:00 July 12, according to reports from the South Korean military. Seoul stated the projectile could be a ballistic missile; further details are unclear. Japan has not confirmed if the projectile landed in its exclusive economic zone. Details on the flight path and distance are not immediately available.

Context

The latest incident is one in a series of missile launches that has occurred this year, signifying an intensification of such actions by Pyongyang. 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.