North Korea launches fourth 'warning shot' in a week

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has launched a short-range ballistic missile on Sunday morning, South Korea's military has reported. This is the fourth such test in the space of just one week, and Pyongyang has stated that the shows of force are warranted due to the joint military exercises held by Washington and Seoul on the peninsula. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the rocket was fired from the DPRK's west coast at 11:05am local time and traveled 800km (500 miles) before hitting a target in the East Sea. The Japanese Coast Guard also confirmed the latest North Korean missile launch. The US Indo-Pacific Command also confirmed the launch, adding that the missile did not pose an immediate threat to US personnel or territory, or to our allies.

On Thursday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un observed the launch of a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) – which, he said, was intended to "strike fear into enemies" and "deter war." The test follows several others that have been conducted in recent days, and is in response to the ongoing US-South Korea military exercises, called 'Freedom Shield'. The two allies insist that the DPRK's actions, including the record number of missile launches in 2022, make the drills necessary.