North Korea: Pyongyang launches two short-range ballistic missiles toward Sea of Japan (East Sea) early July 19

Event

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles off its eastern coast into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) between 03:30 and 03:46 July 19, according to reports from the South Korean military. The missiles were reportedly launched from the Sunan area of Pyongyang, and flew an approximate distance of 550 km (340 miles), before landing in waters outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.

Context

The July 19 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. 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.