What Kind of Missiles Does North Korea Launch?

North Korea intensified launches of ballistic and other types of missiles in 2022, conducting more than 30 test launches since the start of the year.

In October, North Korea launched a ballistic missile which reportedly flew over the territory of Japan. The ballistic missile traveled about 4,500km and fell into the Pacific Ocean. This was the first launch of a North Korean missile over Japan since 2017.

Pyongyang has emphasized that its test launches are being carried out in response to "provocations" by Seoul in South Korea, which has recently been conducting active military exercises both independently and jointly with the US and Japan.

Amid the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's intensified missile launches, the US and South Korea expressed concern that North Korea could conduct further nuclear tests. Between 2006 and 2017, Pyongyang conducted six nuclear tests, as a result of which large-scale sanctions were imposed on North Korea.

UN resolutions prohibit Pyongyang from testing ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.