North Korea fired ballistic missiles outside Japan’s economic zone

Japan’s defense minister reported that North Korea launched a minimum of seven short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast on Tuesday. This action came shortly after Pyongyang criticized military exercises conducted by its opponents and mere hours before the U.S. election.

Kim Jong Un’s sister has criticized the military exercises involving the United States, Japan, and South Korea, as reported by the state media KCNA. According to Japan’s Defence Minister Gen Nakatani, seven missiles reached an altitude of 100 km and traveled 400 km before falling into the ocean outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. The missiles were launched from the vicinity of Sariwon, North Hwanghae Province, around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The U.S. military stated that they were in close consultation with South Korea, Japan, and other regional allies following the missile launches and were actively monitoring the situation. This recent missile launch comes shortly after North Korea tested a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, known as the Hwasong-19, and just before the opening of voting in the U.S. presidential election.

Yang Moo-jin, the president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, suggested that while the ICBM was potentially aimed at the U.S., the most recent ballistic missiles were likely intended for South Korea. He explained that these missile tests were a direct response to joint air drills conducted by South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, serving as a protest against these military exercises. Additionally, Yang speculated that North Korea’s actions were also intended to assert its presence just before the U.S. presidential election, diverting attention from the international community’s criticism of North Korean troops being dispatched to Russia. Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, criticized the military drills by the U.S., Japan, and South Korea, portraying them as threats that justified North Korea’s reinforcement of its nuclear capabilities, as reported by North Korean state media KCNA. The missile launch coincided with a surprise meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s foreign minister Choe Son Hui. During their meeting, there were concerns in the West that North Korean soldiers might join the conflict in Ukraine on Russia’s side. The U.S., in response, accused Russia and China of shielding and empowering North Korea to violate U.N. sanctions by advancing its missile and nuclear programs. South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun also highlighted North Korea’s tendency to showcase its strength around the time of the U.S. presidential election through provocative actions like intercontinental missile tests or nuclear tests.