North Korea: Pyongyang launches two short-range ballistic missiles toward Sea of Japan late Aug. 30

Event

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles from Pyongyang into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) at around 23:45 Aug. 30, according to South Korean officials. The Japanese military said the missile flew 400 km (250 miles) at a maximum altitude of 50 km (30 miles) before landing in waters outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone. The incident caused no damage or casualties.

Context

The Aug. 30 missile launch comes amid joint US-South Korean military exercises named "Freedom Shield," which are taking place Aug. 21-31. Pyongyang has denounced the military drills as "preparations for a war of aggression" against its forces. North Korea has conducted at least 14 other ballistic missile tests this year, with additional missile launches 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.