The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has ramped up its defensive capabilities in recent years as the United States has sought an expanded presence in the region.
The DPRK made a highly-visible show of force Sunday when it fired a short-range ballistic missile on the 12th anniversary of the death of ex-leader Kim Jong Il.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff announced the incident shortly after the missile’s launch at about 10:38 pm. Although South Korean National Security Advisor Kim Tae-hyo had recently speculated the North could fire an intercontinental ballistic missile in the coming days, the projectile was confirmed as a short-range variety.
The missile reportedly flew about 570 kilometers before landing in the sea.
“While elevating our alert readiness, our military is maintaining a full readiness posture by closely sharing data on the ‘North Korean ballistic missile’ with the United States and Japan,” said the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff in a statement.
