North Korea: Pyongyang confirms April 13 intercontinental ballistic missile launch toward Sea of Japan /update 1

Event

North Korea confirmed it fired the Hwasong-18, a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), off its eastern coast into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) at around 07:23 April 13. The South Korean military said the missile flew 1,000 km (621 miles) before landing in waters outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone. Pyongyang announced the first stage fell 10 km (6 miles) off Kumya County, South Hamgyong Province, while the second stage fell 335 km (208 miles) east of Orang County, North Hamgyong Province. The incident caused no damage or casualties.

The launch prompted a warning from the Japanese alerting system for residents in Hokkaido to seek secure shelter; authorities withdrew the alert shortly after citing erroneous calculation. Some transport services temporarily suspended operations due to the warning.

Context

The April 13 incident is the fourth ICBM launch of the year by North Korea, in a series of missile launches that has occurred from the lead up to the joint US-South Korean military exercises named "Freedom Shield." Pyongyang has denounced the military drills as "preparations for a war of aggression" against its forces. If verified, the launch of a solid-fuel missile indicates the continued expansion of North Korea's nuclear capabilities. 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.