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 December 2023, the DPRK has neither reported nor been observed to have conducted its seventh nuclear weapons test.

18 December

Hwasong-18 test drill held at 8:24 KST near Sunan

USS Missouri arrives in Pusan, ROK

17 December

SRBM launched at 22:38 KST from Pyongyang

25 November

KJU Visits NATA control center a second time

24 November

KJU visits NATA control center

22 November

Missile launched at 23:05 KST from from Sunan, Pyongyang toward East Sea; speculated to have crashed after launch

21 November

Ch’o’llima carriet rocket and Malligyong satellite launched at 22:42 KST from Sohae Center, Ch’o’lsan County, North P’yo’ngan

15 November

DPRK announces it tested a missile engine for IRBMs on 11 November and 14 November

13 September

Two SRBM’s launched from Sunan toward East Sea

2 September

KPA Strategic Force unit in the western command zone launches cruise missiles around 4:30 KST as part of a tactical nuclear weapons drill

31 August

Closing day of the US-ROK U’lchi Freedom Shield simulation

30 August

Two short-range projectiles launched from Sunan between 23:40-23:50 KST as part of a tactical nuclear weapons drill

US-ROK hold air drills using at least one B-1B bomber linked to Day 10 of U’lchi Freedom Shield

24 August

Second launch of the DPRK reconnaissance satellite Ch’o’llima-1 fails during the rocket’s third stage

21 August

Opening day of US-ROK U’lchi Freedom Shield computer simulation and related drills

20 August

KJU inspects KPA Navy unit in the East Sea Fleet and is reported to observe a cruise missile drill

18 August

US, ROK and Japan hold tripartite leadership summit at Camp David and ink major strategic agreement with security policies focused on the DPRK

11-12 August

KJU inspects ballistic missile and TEL productions units in South Hamgyo’ng

9 August

WPK Central Military Commission holds an expanded plenary meeting; Ri Yong Gil appointed Chief of the KPA General Staff for the third time

3-5 August

KJU inspects defense industry production units in Chagang Province

24 July

Two ballistic missiles launched at 23:54 and 23:59 KST toward to the East Sea

USS Annapolis, a Los Angeles class submarine, arrives at Cheju Island

22 July

Cruise missiles fired toward West (Yellow) Sea starting at 4:00 AM KST

20 July

DPRK Minister of National Defense Kang Sun Nam issues communique on port call of the USS Kentucky

USS Kentucky departs Busan

19 July

Two SRBMs launched 3:30-3:46 AM KST from Sunan toward the East Sea

18 July

USS Kentucky a nuclear-armed sub arrives in Busan, ROK, during the afternoon

A US servicemember crosses into the DPRK during a routine JSA building tour

12 July

Hwasong-18 long-range missile launched from near Ryongsong-kuyo’k, Pyongyang toward East Sea

15 June

Two SRBMs launched between 19:25 and 19:37 KST from Sunan toward the East Sea

31 May

DPRK rocket Ch’o’llima-1 launches at 6:37 AM KST carrying the Malligyo’ng reconnaissance satellite and crashes in the West (Yellow) Sea between its first and second phase

14 April

US and ROK conduct drill involving B-52H Bombers

13 April

Hwasong-18 theater ballistic missile launched from outskirts of Pyongyang

DPRK verifies solid fuel test

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

3 April

US-ROK-JP participate in anti-sub drill

27 March

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

USS Nimitz arrives in Pusan

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