The History of North Korea's Arsenal

Stratfor Worldview Editor's Note:

RCD: This article appeared originally at Stratfor Worldview.

• Nov. 29, 2017: North Korea launches an intercontinental ballistic missile from Sain Ni near Pyongyang. It flew a distance of 960 kilometers for 50 minutes at an altitude of 4,500 kilometers, later landing in the Sea of Japan, 210 kilometers off the west coast of Japan's Aomori prefecture.
• Sept. 15, 2017: North Korea launches another Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile that flies over northern Japan. The missile reached an altitude of 770 kilometers and flew a distance of 3,700 kilometers.
• Sept. 3, 2017: North Korea carries out a sixth nuclear test. Pyongyang claims it was a test of a hydrogen bomb.

• Aug. 28, 2017: North Korea launches a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile that flew over Japan's Hokkaido region. The missile travelled 2,700 kilometers and reached a maximum height of 550 kilometers.
• Aug. 26, 2017: North Korea test-fires three short-range ballistic missiles. Two travel approximately 250 kilometers.
• July 28, 2017: North Korea launches another Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile.
• July 4, 2017: North Korea launches a Hwasong-14, which expert analysis suggests qualified as an intercontinental ballistic missile as Pyongyang claimed.
• June 8, 2017: North Korea test-fires four surface-to-ship cruise missiles.
• May 29, 2017: North Korea tests a ballistic missile, which it claims was a KN-17.
• May 21, 2017: North Korea test-fires a Pukguksong-2 medium-range ballistic missile, reaching an altitude of 2,100 kilometers.
• May 14, 2017: North Korea test-fires a Hwasong-12 missile from Kusong on the country’s west coast.
• April 15, 2017: North Korea's 2017 Day of the Sun military parade showcases a variety of new military hardware, including new missile variants. Tensions rose in the Pacific around speculation of an impending North Korean nuclear test, but this did not materialize.
• April 5, 2017: North Korea launches what is believed to be a Pukguksong-2 missile into the East Sea.
• March 22, 2017: North Korea conducts a failed test from a location near an air base in Wonsan.
• March 6, 2017: North Korea launches four ballistic missiles toward Japan; all plunge into the sea short of land.
• Feb. 11, 2017: North Korea test-fires a Pukguksong-2 medium-range ballistic missile over the East Sea.
• Sept. 9, 2016: North Korea conducts its fifth underground nuclear test.

• April 28, 2016: North Korea test-fires two mid-range Musudan missiles. Both appear to have failed.
• Feb. 7, 2016: A North Korean long-range ballistic missile launches a satellite into orbit.
• Jan. 6, 2016: North Korea claims to have detonated a hydrogen bomb. Observers confirm the country's fourth nuclear detonation, but the type of device cannot be determined.

• Dec. 21, 2015: North Korea successfully tests a submarine-launched ballistic missile test.
• Nov. 28, 2015: North Korea launches a submarine-launched ballistic missile test. It fails.
• March 26, 2014: North Korea launches two ballistic missiles that fly around 650 kilometers and reach Mach 7 before falling into the sea east of the peninsula.
• Feb. 12, 2013: Seismic data indicates that North Korea carries out a third nuclear test. Later monitoring confirms the claim.

• Dec. 12, 2012: North Korea launches another Taepodong/Unha rocket and says it successfully put a satellite into orbit.
• April 13, 2012: North Korea launches a long-range Taepodong/Unha rocket but admits the launch was a failure.
• May 25, 2009: North Korea conducts a second nuclear test detonation.

• April 5, 2009: North Korea launches a three-stage Taepodong/Unha rocket and claims it placed a satellite into orbit, but no satellite is detected.
• Oct. 9, 2006: An initial North Korean nuclear weapons test takes place underground, drawing U.N. sanctions to restrict the sale of ballistic missile technology to the nation.