North Korea: Pyongyang launches two short-range ballistic missiles toward Sea of Japan Sept. 13 /update 1

Event

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles from Pyongyang's Sunan area into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) the morning of Sept. 13; South Korean officials made the announcement at around 11:46 after the projectiles had reportedly fallen outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone. The incident caused no damage or casualties.

Context

The Sept. 13 missile launch follows North Korea's National Day observance Sept. 9 and has occurred in the lead up to a summit between Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin. North Korea has conducted at least 14 other ballistic missile tests this year, with additional missile launches likely in the coming months.

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.