North Korea Leadership Watch

Research and Analysis on the DPRK Leadership

Chronology of military events since mid-September

The following is a rolling chronology of ballistic missile events (drills and test firings), artillery shelling incidents and external military exercises (US-ROK, US-JP and US-ROK-JP) that have occurred in and around the Korean Peninsula since the DPRK conducted a ballistic missile launch in T’aech’o’n, North P’yo’ngan, on 25 September 2022.  Events are listed (by day) in reve rse chronological order.  It will be updated every day around midnight Washington, DC, time.

As of 31 December, the DPRK has neither reported nor been observed to have conducted its seventh nuclear test.

 

31 December

8:01-8:15 KST Three short-range ballistic missiles launched from a TEL in Chunghwa County, North Hwanghae, toward the East Sea (Sea of Japan)

 

30 December

ROK Agency for Defense Development conducts test of solid propellant space launch vehicle

 

26 December

10:25-15:30 [ca.] KST Five (5) Korean People’s Army [KPA] drones cross the inter-Korean border and military demarcation lines [MDL] into ROK; one returned to the DPRK and the others were lost on radar.  The ROK scrambled air assets to the ROK west coast and some 100 shots were fired at the drones.  ROK then fired its own reconnaissance drones over the MDL and into he DPRK

 

23 December

16:32 KST Two short-range ballistic missiles fired from Sunan toward the East Sea

20 December

US-ROK fighter jets participate in a joint exercise near Cheju Island

18 December

DPRK National Aerospace Development Administration announces it conducted an “important final stage test” of a reconnaissance satellite at the Sohae Center, Tongch’ang-ri, Ch’o’lsan County, North P’yo’ngan

11:13-12:05 KST Two medium-range missiles fired from Sohae Center, Tongch’ang-ri, Ch’o’lsan County, North P’yo’ngan, and land in East Sea (Sea of Japan)

15 December

Solid-fuel rocket (missile) engine tested at the Sohae Center in Ch’o’lsan County, North P’yo’ngan (KJU in attendance)

6 December

10:00 KST KPA unit fires 90 rounds from MLRS in Koso’ng County, Kangwo’n (DPRK), into the East Sea which land in the North’s buffer zone on the NLL

18:00 KST KPA unit fires 10 rounds from MLRS in Ku’mgang County, Kangwo’n (DPRK), into the East Sea which land in the North’s buffer zone on the NLL

Second and final day of US-ROK joint MLRS and artillery exercise in Cheorwon County, Kangwo’n (ROK)

 

5 December

KPA General Staff issues a spox statement

14:59 KST KPA units in Changsan Cape, South Hwanghae and Ku’mgang County, Kangwo’n (DPRK), launch a total of 130 artillery shells which land within the North’s “buffer zone” on the NLL

8:00 KST ROK and US forces begin a two-day exercise involving MLRS and Howitzers in Cheorwon County, Kangwo’n (ROK)

 

18 November

10:14 KST A long-range ballistic missile (ICBM) is launched from Sunan and lands 210 km (130 miles) off the coast of Hokkaido (later identified as a Hwasong-17)

 

17 November

9:08 KST DPRK Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui issues statement responding to US-ROK-JP summit on G-20 sidelines in Bali

10:48 KST One SRBM launched from vicinity of Wo’nsan

 

9 November

15:31 KST One SRBM launched from Sukch’o’n, South P’yo’ngan

 

5 November

11:32-11:59 KST Four SRBM’s fired from Tongrim County, North P’yo’ngan toward the East Sea (Sea of Japan)

Sixth and final day of US-ROK joint exercise Vigilant Storm

 

4 November

11:00-15:00 KST KPA Air Force fighter jets and bombers participate in air-to-ground exercises across the DRPK

ROK scrambles about 80 fighter jets in response

Fifth Day of US-ROK joint air exercise Vigilant Storm

 

3 November

7:40 KST Long-range missile from Sunan, lands in the East Sea (Sea of Japan)

[identified as Hwasong-17 which exploded during its second stage]

8:39 KST Two SRBMs launched from Kaech’o’n, South P’yo’ngan

US-ROK extend Vigilant Storm joint air exercises (originally slated to late through 4 November)

20:38 KST WPK Secretary for Military Affairs Pak Jong Chon issues brief communique

21:35-21:49 KST Three SRBMs fired from Koksan County, North Hwanghae toward East Sea

23:28 KST 80 rounds of artillery fired from Ku’mgang County, Kangwo’n toward NLL “buffer” zone

Fourth Day of US-ROK joint air exercise Vigilant Storm

 

2 November

6:51 KST Four SRBMs fired from Cho’ngju and P’ihyo’n County, North P’yo’ngan, toward Yellow (West) Sea

8:51 KST Three SRBMs from the vicinity of Wo’nsan fired toward the East Sea (one lands south of the NLL)

9:12 KST 10 SAMs (surface-to-air missiles) and SRBMS launched from Sinp’o, and Ragwo’n and Cho’ngp’yo’ng Counties, South Hamgyo’ng, Onch’o’n and P’yo’ngwo’n (Hwajin-ri) Counties, South P’yo’ngan, and Kwail County, North Hwanghae toward the East (Sea of Japan) and Yellow (West) Seas

11:10 KST ROK Air Force fires three ASMs (air-to-surface missiles) north of the NLL

13:27 KST 100 artillery shells fired from Kosong County, Kangwo’n, with some landing in the inter-Korea “buffer” zone near the NLL

16:30-17:10 KST SAMs launched from Sinp’o and Cho’ngp’yo’ng County, South Hamgyo’ng toward the East Sea (Sea of Japan) and from Onch’o’n, South P’yo’ngan toward the West (Yellow) Sea

Third day of US-ROK joint air exercise Vigilant Storm

 

31 October

US-ROK joint air exercise Vigiliant Storm begins (lasts through 4 November)

 

28 October

11:59/12:19 KST  Two SRBMs from Kangwo’n Province; missiles land within inter-Korea “buffer zone”; this was the first significant ballistic missile event since 14 October

Final day of ROK Hoguk exercises

 

24 October

3:42 KST DPRK commercial vessel crosses the NLL 27 km (16.7 miles) north of Baengnyeong Island and ROK Navy units fires 20 shots chasing vessel back North

3:50 KST ROK naval ship cross the NLL north

5:15 KST KPA coastal defense units in Ryongyo’n County fire ten artillery shells

ROK Hoguk exercises Day 8

 

19 October 

12:30 KST Artillery fired from Yonan County, South Hwanghae (100 rounds)

ROK Hoguk exercises Day 3

 

18 October 

22:00 KST Artillery fired from Changsan Cape, South Hwanghae

23:00 KST Artillery fired from Changjon, Kangwo’n (150 rounds)

ROK Hoguk exercises Day 2

 

17 October 

ROK Hoguk exercises commence (through 28 October)

 

14 October  

scrambles 10 KPA AF planes near recon line 

short range launch from Sunan 

ROK exercise off the coast of Kangwo’n Province near V Corps (alleged by KPA GSD) 

1:20-1:25 KST Artillery fired from South Hwanghae
257-307 KST Artillery fired from Kangwo’n Province

17:30-18:30 KST Artillery fired from Changjon, Kangwo’n (90 rounds) 

Artillery fired from Haeju Bay, South Hwanghae (90 rounds) 

Artillery fired from Changsan Cape (210 rounds)

 

12 October 

long-range cruise missile test from Kaech’o’n

 

10 October  

US-JP HIMARS and MLRS Drill in Hokkaido

 

9 October 

short range from Munch’o’n

MLRS and artillery drill in DPRK 

 

8 October 

KPA Air Force strike drill 

 

6 October 

short range from Samso’k

MLRS and artillery drill in DPRK 

KPA Air Force strike drill 

US-ROK-JP anti-missile Exercise 

 

5 October 

US-JP anti-sub and carrier exercise in Okinawa

South Korea and the United States fired four ground-to-ground missiles into the East Sea (one additional ROK missile failed and crashed 1km away from launch site)

 

4 October 

ROK Hosts Annual Minesweeping Exercises w/ 10 nations 

In response to IRBM, 2 ROK fighters fire two JADAM precision bombs at Jikdo firing range, 4 US + 4 ROK fighters fly “strike package” as show of force

 

3 October  

IRBM from Chagang

 

1 October 

short range from Sunan (2)

 

30 September 

US-ROK-JP anti-submarine drill

 

29 September 

short range from Sunch’o’n (2)

US-ROK Joint Exercises 

 

28 September 

short-range from Sunan (2)

US “Teak Knife” drills conducted, publicized on 30 Sept

 

26 September 

US-ROK Joint Exercises

 

25 September 

Missile launch from T’aech’o’n, North P’yo’ngan (reservoir) (DPRK claims SLBM, outside analysis claims short-range)

Information

This article was written on 20 Oct 2022, and is filled under 2022 ballistic missile tests, 2022 defense industry events, 2022 NLL engagement, 2022 strategic rhetoric, 2022 tactical rhetoric, 2nd Academy of Natural Science, 8th Party Congress, armored division, Ballistic Missile Guidance Bureau, Central Committee, Central Military Committee, coastal defense units, Col. Gen. Pak Jong Chon, contingencies in DPRK, corps command, corps commanders, DPRK External Relations, DPRK military engagement, east sea command, Events Management Section, Five Year Plan (2021), Gen. Ri Yong Gil, General Affairs, gsd, gsob, Guard Command, ideological slogans, Information Section, Inter-Korean Relations, Jang Chang Ha (MID), Jo Chun Ryong, Jo Yong Won, Kim Chong-un inspections, Kim Jong Sik, Kim Jong Sik (missile expert; Strategic Command; MBID), Kim Jong Un Visits, Kim Jong-un, Kim Yo Jong, Kim Yo-chong, KJU Personal Secretariat, Korean People's Air Force [KPAF], Korean People's Army Air Force, Korean People's Army Supreme Command, Korean People's Army (KPA), Korean Workers' Party (KWP), KPA East Command Zone, KPA External Relations, KPA General Propaganda Department, KPA General Staff, KPA infantry corps, kpa IV army corps, KPA Large Combined Units, KPA multiple-launch rocket systems, KPA Southwestern Front Command, KPA Strategic Rocket Force Command, KPA supernumerary organizations, KPA Supreme Command, KPA V Army Corps, KPA West Sea Command, KWP Science and Education Department, Lt. Gen. Jang Chang Ha, Lt. Gen. Jon Il Ho, Machine Building Industry Department, Mechanized Command, medium-range ballistic missiles, military economy, military security command [msc], Ministry of the People's Armed Forces (MPAF), National Academy of Defense Sciences, nuclear weapons, Office of Military Officers, Operations Bureau Department 10, Political Bureau, Publication Guidance Bureau, Pyongyang Defense Command, Reconnaissance Bureau, Ri Pyong Chol, Ri Thae Sop (MPS/corps), road mobile ballistic missile, Second Economic Committee, Second Economy Commission, Secretariat, short-range ballistic missiles, State Affairs Commission, TEL, tunnel construction.

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