North Korea fires projectile toward Sea of Japan after a week of weapons tests

Launch details

North Korea fired a projectile from the Sondok area in South Hamgyong Province toward the Sea of Japan on Wednesday, 4 November, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The military said the launch took place in the morning hours and has not disclosed the weapon's type or the distance it flew, both of which are still being analyzed. Reports differ on the number of weapons: Jiji Press and Reuters described multiple missiles, while AP quoted the JCS as referring only to an unidentified projectile. The Joint Chiefs did not say whether the weapon was a ballistic or a cruise missile. Dpa and Der Standard relayed the same South Korean military account.

A run of weapons tests

The launch follows a rapid series of tests. In late October, North Korea fired more than 10 rounds from a 600-mm multiple rocket launcher, classed by Japan, the United States and South Korea as short-range ballistic missiles, according to Jiji Press. Reuters, as cited by Aktuálně.cz, put the number at about ten. On Saturday, 31 October, North Korea tested a tactical ballistic missile with a cluster munition warhead, and on Monday, 2 November, it tested a strategic cruise missile carrying a cluster warhead. Der Standard described the launch as the third rocket test within one week. AP reported that North Korea has ramped up its weapons tests, a likely bid to gain leverage ahead of possible diplomacy with Washington.

Tensions along the border

Relations between the two Koreas are strained by an unresolved incident. Mines in the demilitarized zone wounded three South Korean soldiers on 21 September. Seoul and the UN Command say the mines were North Korean and accuse Pyongyang of violating the armistice that halted fighting in 1953, after which the two Koreas remain technically at war. North Korea denies responsibility and calls the incident a provocation, while Seoul demands an apology from the North. In late October, South Korea proposed military talks with the North, which has not responded.

Talks with Washington

Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, rejected possible talks with the United States for now, state media reported. She said there was no reason for personal meetings while Washington keeps what Pyongyang sees as a hostile policy, though dialogue remains a general route to peace if it serves North Korea's national interests. Her remarks came on the same morning as the launch, according to dpa and NZZ. Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants to meet Kim Jong Un this year. Speculation that the two could meet on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen during Trump's China visit is considered unlikely by most experts.

Open questions

The weapon type, range and flight distance were still under review after the launch. South Korea's defence ministry said Seoul and Washington are closely analyzing the firing and are ready to respond to any possible provocation. UN Security Council resolutions bar North Korea from launching ballistic missiles of any range, as dpa and Der Standard note. The reports do not say whether the launch relates to the diplomatic contest over a possible Trump meeting.