2024 Chronology of North Korean Missile and Military Events
The following is a rolling chronology of ballistic missile events (drills and test firings), military engagement and external military exercises and tests (US-ROK, US-JP and US-ROK-JP) that occur in and around the the Korean Peninsula, related open source intelligence issues, and other relevant topics of interest. Events will be listed (by date) in reverse chronological order. This chronology is compiled on a weekly basis by Kaitlyn T. King and Michael Madden.
As of 8 April 2024, the DPRK has neither been observed nor reported to have conducted its seventh nuclear test.
8 April
ROKG launches second reconnaissance satellite using a SpaceX carrier rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 19:17 PM EST on 7 April (8:17 AM KST on 8 April)
South Korea’s second spy satellite awaits liftoff on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 7, 2024, in this photo provided by the defense ministry (Photo: Yonhap)
5 April
ROKG announces the launch of its second spy satellite from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 8:17 AM KST on 8 April (19:17 PM EST on 7 April in the US)
2 April
KJU presides over a test firing of the Hwasong-16B intermediate-range ballistic missile [IRBM] at 6:43 AM KST, guided by DPRK Missile Administration General Director Jang Chang Ha; the missile launched from the Pyongyang metropolitan area before splashing down in the East Sea (a/k/a Sea of Japan)
US-ROK-JP joint aerial drills using the B-52 aircraft following DPRK IRBM test
24 March
KJU visited headquarters element of the 105th Tank Division
19 March
US Marines join large-scale US-ROK combat exercise at the Korea Combat Training Center in Inje County, ROK
KJU guides solid fuel engine test for hypersonic missile
18 March
KJU inspects and guides MLRS artillery drill in “western” area of DPRK
First day of US-ROK five-day urban warfare exercise
15 March
KJU guides and inspects XI CORPS paratrooper exercises
14 March
ROK forces stage live-fire tank drill near MDL supported by joint US-ROK combat engineering unit
Final day of US-ROK Freedom Shield simulation/exercise
13 March
KJU inspects and guides tank unit exercises and competition
ROK Air Force stages anti-missile/TEL exercises
11-15 March
US-ROK air assault and SOF drills
7 March
KJU inspects and guides artillery training exercises
US Army assault helicopters conduct deck landings on USNS Dahl off the coast of Jinhae, South Korea
6 March
KJU inspects and guides combined force training exercises
5 March
USS Higgins Arleigh Burke-class destroyer arrived at a naval base on Jeju Island for a replenishment purpose (Yonhap)
4 March
ROK begin Freedom Shield 24 exercises (PACOM)
US and ROK begin 5-day Buddy Squadron as part of Freedom Shield exercise (Yonhap)
28 February
Cobra Gold 24 between US and Thailand begins, ROK joins along with Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan (US Army) Exercise set to end March 8 (Yonhap)
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- USFK F-16s joined (Yonhap)
26 February
February 26: First day of Cobra Gold exercises, jointly led by the US and Thailand, at U-Tapao International Airport in Rayong province. (Yonhap) (The Nation)
23 February
South Korea and the US stage joint air drills with a focus on enhancing joint operational capabilities (Yonhap)
14 February
Kim Jong Un supervises test-fire of new-type surface-to-sea cruise missile Padasuri-6 (Yonhap) (KCNA)
11 February
US troops from the III Marine Expeditionary Force are deployed to South Korea to join bilateral exercise in Pohang, part of the US Marine Corps’ Korean Marine Exercise Program; US and South Korea begin Korean Marine Exercise Program 24-1 (Yonhap) (PACOM)
7 February
South Korea and US kick off a regular three-week combined exercise in Pohang, part of the US Marine Corps’ Korean Marine Exercise Program (Yonhap)
6 February
US Air Force’s RC-135U Combat Sent flew over South Korea in an apparent mission to monitor North Korea (Yonhap)
6-20 February: US and South Korea stage combined wintertime drills in Pyeongchang, part of the US Marine Corps’ Korean Marine Exercise Program (Yonhap)
5 February:
South Korea joins Elephant Walk for Cope North 2024 (Yonhap) (PACOM)
February 5-16: South Korea participates in the Global Sentinel 2024 hosted by the US Space Command at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California (Yonhap)
2 February
View of a SAM test conducted by the Missile Administration on the morning of 2 February 2024 (Photo: KCNA
DPRK Missile Administration conducts a power test of a “super-large warhead” on a cruise missile and test fire of a new model of surface-to-air missile [SAM] along the West Sea at around 11:00 AM KST. The Missile Administration described the tests as “normal activities of the administration and its affiliated defense science institutes for the rapid development of the technologies in various aspects such as function, performance and operation of new-type weapon systems and had nothing to do with the regional situation.”
Last day of US-ROK Army special operations drills (started January 22) (Yonhap)
KJU inspects the Namp’o Dockyard on or around 1 February 2024 (Photo: KCNA).
1 February
KJU visits Namp’o Dockyard for a field inspection and guidance of shipbuilding and boosting the assets of the KPA Navy
Graphic showing recent North Korean cruise missile events (Photo: Yonhap)
30 January
KPA General Staff leads a drill of Hwasal-2 cruise missiles around 7:00 KST near the West (Yellow) Sea which the GSD says made “a contribution to checking the KPA’s rapid counterattack posture and improving its strategic striking capability”
Kim Jong Un watches a test firing of the Pulhwasal 3-31 cruise missile on the morning of 28 January from Sinp’o, South Hamgyo’ng. Also in attendance are WPK Organizational Affairs Secretary Jo Yong Won, WPK Secretary and Munitions Industry Department Director Jo Chun Ryong, WPK Secretary for Military Affairs Pak Jong Chon, KPA Navy Commander ADM Kim Myong Sik and MID deputy director Kim Jong Sik (Photo: KCNA).
28 January
KJU inspects and guides KPA Navy test firing of the Pulhwasal-3-31 cruise missile at around 8:00 KST from Sinp’o, South Hamgyo’ng
26 January
Final Day of the US-ROK Cyber Alliance Drill held at ROK Cyber Operation Command focused on hacking and cybersecurity
24 January
Several Pulhwasal-3-31 cruise missiles test fired around 7:00 AM KST from Pyongyang toward Yellow (West) Sea
19 January
Underwater Weapon System Institute of the DPRK Academy of Defense Sciences (a/k/a SANS) tests the “Haeil-5-23” UUV in response to US-ROK-JP trilateral exercises
AT SEA (Jan. 16, 2024) From right to left, the Sejong the Great-class guided-missile destroyer ROKS Sejong the Great (DDG-991) from the Republic of Korea Navy, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59), the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100), sail together during a trilateral exercise, Jan. 16. The exercise allowed maritime forces from Japan, Republic of Korea, and U.S. to train together to enhance coordination on maritime domain awareness and other shared security interests. Vinson, flagship of Carrier Strike Group ONE, is deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Isaiah B. Goessl)
17 January
Final Day (Day Three) of trilateral naval exercises off the southwest coast of Cheju Island ROK
16 January
Day Two of US-ROK-JP naval exercises off the southwest coast of Cheju Island ROK
15 January
Day One of trilateral US-ROK-JP naval exercises off the southwest coast of Cheju Island ROK
DPRK 14 January 2024 IRBM test near Pyongyang (Photo: KCNA)
14 January
Intermediate-range ballistic missile [IRBM] launched around 14:55 KST from Pyongyang to East Sea (Sea of Japan) which the DPRK Missile General Bureau announces on 15 January was a solid-fuel hypersonic IRBM test
11 January
ROK Agency for Defense Development tests modified version of Korean Tactical Surface to Surface Missile [KTSSSM-1] in Taean County ROK (publicized on 12 January 2024)
7 January
IV Army Corps fires about 90 shells off the DPRK’s southwest coast from 16:00 tp 17:0 KST
6 January
IV Army Corps continues artillery drill firing about 60 shells for an hour from 16:00 KST into the West Sea which splash down on the DPRK side of the NLL
5 January
IV Army Corps fires nearly 200 artillery shells into the West Sea from 9:00 t0 11:00 KST from Changsan and Tungsan Capes tiggering take shelter orders on ROK islands near the NLL
