17 Dec 2023 | 11:54 PM UTC
North Korea: Pyongyang fires an unspecified ballistic missile toward Sea of Japan (East Sea) early Dec. 18 /update 1
North Korea launches an unspecified ballistic missile toward Sea of Japan (East Sea) early Dec. 18. No reports of damage.
North Korea fired an unspecified ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan (East Sea) early Dec. 18. The exact flight path and distance of the projectile remain unclear. There were no immediate reports of damage, injuries, or transport disruptions following the launch. The launch on Dec. 18 follows a suspected North Korean short-range ballistic missile test that flew roughly 570 km (354 miles) before landing in waters outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone a day earlier. Additional projectile launches cannot be ruled out over the coming days.
The Dec. 18 missile launch follows the second meeting of the Nuclear Deterrence Consultative Group between high-level US and South Korean officials in Washington, DC. It also comes after the US dispatched the Virginia-class submarine USS Missouri to Busan. Prior to the launch, officials in Seoul and Tokyo had issued advance warnings that North Korea might perform a missile test in December. The specific type of missile launched on Dec. 17 remains unclear, but officials assert that the relatively short flight time suggests it may have been a shorter-range missile.
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.
