North Korea Fired a 'Ballistic Missile' into the Sea

The South Korean Ministry of Defense announced that North Korea fired a ballistic missile from the eastern coast of the country into the sea on the morning of March 18. In this context, a U.S. Defense official told CNN that the launch of two missiles by North Korea was observed off the eastern coast of the country. According to AFP, a spokesperson for the South Korean Ministry of Defense stated that the missile was launched at 5:55 AM from the Sukchon area and traveled a distance of approximately 800 kilometers before landing in the Sea of Japan. A U.S. Defense official told Reuters that this was likely a medium-range missile. Reuters also reported that the type of missile has not yet been identified, but missiles with a range of 800 kilometers are considered medium-range ballistic missiles. The report added that North Korea last tested a medium-range ballistic missile in 2014. This missile test comes as Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, announced on Tuesday that Pyongyang would soon conduct a missile test capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. The international community had previously responded to North Korea's nuclear and missile tests in January and February of this year with a sanctions resolution. North Korea's defiance of the international community's demands for compliance with international obligations has led to further sanctions against the country. On Wednesday, Barack Obama, the President of the United States, intensified sanctions against North Korea in response to its nuclear and missile tests through an executive order. According to Reuters, under this executive order, all North Korean assets in the U.S. will be seized, and the export of any goods from the United States to North Korea will also be prohibited. This executive order also allows the U.S. government to sanction all individuals, both Americans and non-Americans, who play a role in transactions with key sectors of North Korea's economy. According to Reuters, North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test on January 6 of this year in violation of Security Council resolutions and then tested a long-range ballistic missile on February 7.