In March of 2013, the United Nations issued sanctions upon Kim Jong-un and North Korea after they conducted a nuclear test against the wishes of the international organization. On Wednesday morning, a South Korea official reported that North Korea fired two ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan.
These short-range ballistic missiles are believed to have traveled 310 miles northeast off the coast of North Korea from the Hwanghae Province. This is one of many missile and rocket launches into the sea that the country has conducted in recent months, drawing criticism from the United Nations, with whom they are already on thin ice. Japan's Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, has ordered his cabinet to look into details about the launch.
Prior to the launch, North Korea did not declare a no-fly zone (an obvious disregard for anything around them), the South Korean Defense Ministry official said. Fortunately no damage was done and nobody was hurt, but North Korea's behavior remains a serious concern. Since February 21, the country has conducted a total of 90 missile, artillery, and rocket launches, according to Seoul's Defense Ministry. Ten of those were ballistic launches - a rocket that follows a flight path with the goal of hitting a target.
North Korea's last launch occurred on July 1, when they fired two short range rockets into the sea. South
Korea, Japan, and the United States have openly scrutinized their behavior, expressing their concern to the United Nations.
"Our people and the international community clearly know that the fundamental threats to the peace in the Korean peninsula and the future of our people are North Korea's nuclear and missile development," the South Korean Unification Ministry said in this CNN News article. "If North Korea truly wishes for peace in the Korean peninsula it should show its sincerity in resolving its nuclear issue."
This past March, the United Nations extended the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the DPRK Sanctions Committee and imposed additional sanctions against the DPRK a year earlier. They're obviously aware that this issue with North Korea will not be short-lived, as it has already proved, knowing they must have the proper foresight to manage the situation.
North Korea's capital, Pyongyang, has also expressed their distaste with US-South Korea military drills, which could be a reason for their excessive launches. Many believe the launches are a message for the US and North Korea's neighbors to not interfere with the DPRK's nuclear mission and defense strategy. Whatever the case, the UN will likely have some words with Kim Jong-un.
You can read more about North Korea's missile launch in this ABC News article.
