North Korea Leadership Watch

Research and Analysis on the DPRK Leadership

2023 Chronology of Missile and Military Events

The following is a rolling chronology of ballistic missile events (drills and test firings), military engagement and external military exercises (US-ROK, US-JP and US-ROK-JP) that occur in and around the the Korean Peninsula during 2023.  Events will be listed (by date) in reverse chronological order.  It will be updated every day around midnight Washington DC time.

As of 19 April, the DPRK has neither reported nor been observed to have conducted its seventh nuclear weapons test.

13 April

Hwasong-18 theater ballistic missile launched from outskirts of Pyongyang

7 April

Unmanned underwater vehicle test concludes near Tanch’o’n, South Hamgyo’ng

4 April

Unmanned underwater vehicle test begins near Ku’mya County, South Hamgyo’ng

27 March

Two SRBMs launched toward East Sea at 7:47 and 8:00 KST from Junghwa County, North Hwanghae

22 March

Cruise missiles launched into the East Sea starting around 10:15 KST from Hamhu’ng

21 March

Underwater drone test in South Hamgyo’ng

19 March

SRBM launched from Tongch’ang-ri (Sohae Center) in North P’yo’ngan toward East Sea

 

16 March

Long-range missile launch from Sunan toward the East Sea

 

14 March

Two medium-range missiles fired around 7:41 KST from Changyo’n County, South Hwanghae, toward the East Sea

 

13 March

US-ROK simulation Freedom Shield and additional ROK and US-ROK joint exercises begin

 

12 March

Two submarine-launched cruise missiles fired near Sinp’o, South Hamgyo’ng in the morning (KST)

 

9 March

Short-range launch from Namp’o at 18:20 KST toward the West Sea which was part of an artillery “fire assault” drill

 

7 March

KPA General Staff accuses ROK military of firing live artillery during exercises in Paju on 7 March and said that around 9:00 KST the II Army Corps mobilized reconnaissance and anti-air assets in response.  ROK JCS deny any live fire exercises took place.

 

6 March

US-ROK joint exercises begin, including deployment of the B-52

 

3 March

US deploys MQ-9 and B-1B to ROK

 

23 February

KPA eastern command zone cruise missile element launches four Arrow-2 [hwasal-2] cruise missiles from Kim Ch’aek City, North Hamgyo’ng into the East Sea

 

22 February

US Navy, Japan Self-Defense Forces and ROK Navy conduct anti-ballistic missile drill in the East Sea (Sea of Japan)

 

20 February

7:00 KST: Two short-range missiles launched from 600mm MLRS in Sukch’o’n, South P’yo’ngan and drop in the East Sea

 

19 February

US and ROK hold joint air drill

 

18 February

DPRK launches Hwasong-15 ICBM from Sunan, Pyongyang toward the East Sea (a.k.a. Sea of Japan) at 17:22 KST

 

1 January

Short-range missile launched from 600mm MLRS

Information

This article was written on 19 Feb 2023, and is filled under 2023 missile events, 2023 Strategic Rhetoric, 2023 Tactical Rhetoric, 2nd Academy of Natural Science, 8th Party Congress, Artillery Corps, Atomic Weapons Institute, Ballistic Missile Guidance Bureau, Central Committee, Central Military Committee, corps command, corps commanders, critical infrastructure, DPRK Cabinet, DPRK Civil Defense Forces, DPRK External Relations, DPRK Intelligence Community, DPRK military engagement, DPRK-Japan Relations, DPRK-Japan rels, DPRK-North America Relations, dprk-unc, DPRK-US Relations, east sea command, General Affairs, gsd, gsob, Hwasong-15, Inter-Korean Relations, Kim Chong-un inspections, KJU Personal Secretariat, KN-08, KN-09, Korean People's Air Force, 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 Logistics Department, KPA General Political Bureau, KPA General Political Department, KPA General Staff, KPA General Staff Nuclear Chemical Bureau, KPA infantry 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, KWP Science and Education Department, Machine Building Industry Department, medium-range ballistic missiles, military security command [msc], Ministry of Atomic Energy and Industry, Ministry of the People's Armed Forces (MPAF), MPAF GPB, National Academy of Defense Sciences, Navy Command, nuclear weapons, Operations Bureau Department 10, Political Bureau, Pyongyang Defense Command, Reconnaissance Bureau, road mobile ballistic missile, Second Economic Committee, Second Economy Commission, Secretariat, short-range ballistic missiles, Sohae Space Launching Station, State Affairs Commission, TEL.

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