Chronology of North Korea's projectile launches in 2019

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Wednesday it test-fired a super-large multiple rocket launcher a day earlier, the 10th such launch so far this year. The communist country resumed conventional weapons tests in May this year amid stalled nuclear talks with the United States after a 17-month hiatus. The following is a chronology of the North's major projectile launches in 2019.

-- May 4: North Korea fires a barrage of short-range projectiles, including two presumed to be short-range missiles, from Hodo Peninsula near the east coast town of Wonsan in South Hamgyong Province into the East Sea. At least one projectile flew around 240 kilometers at a maximum altitude of 60 km, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). Experts said it seems to have involved its version of Russia's Iskander, codenamed the KN-23.

-- May 9: North Korea fires two projectiles believed to be short-range missiles from its northwestern area of Kusong in North Pyongan Province into the East Sea. They flew about 420 km and 270 km, respectively, at an altitude of around 50 km, according to the JCS. Experts said they appear to be the KN-23.

-- July 25: North Korea fires two short-range ballistic missiles from Hodo Peninsula in South Hamgyong Province into the East Sea. Both flew around 600 km at an altitude of around 50 km, according to the JCS. The following day, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said they were "new tactical guided weapons" fired under the guidance of its leader Kim Jong-un. Experts said they appear to be the KN-23.

-- July 31: North Korea fires what the JCS described as two short-range ballistic missiles from Kalma areas in Wonsan into the East Sea. Both flew about 250 km at an approximate altitude of 30 km. Different from the JCS' assessment, however, the KCNA reported the following day that it test-fired "a newly developed large-caliber multiple launch guided rocket system" under Kim's guidance.

-- Aug. 2: North Korea fires short-range projectiles from Yonghung in South Hamgyong Province into the East Sea. Both flew around 220 km at an approximate altitude of 25 km and the top speed of Mach 6.9, according to the JCS. While the JCS said they presumed to be a new type of short-range ballistic missiles, the KCNA said the following day that it again tested "a newly developed large-caliber multiple launch guided rocket system" under Kim's supervision.

-- Aug. 6: North Korea fires two projectiles believed to be short-range ballistic missiles from its southwestern county of Kwail in South Hwanghae Province into the East Sea. Both flew around 450 km across the peninsula at a maximum altitude of about 37 km and a top speed of around Mach 6.9, according to the JCS. The following day, the KCNA said the launches under Kim's guidance were to test "tactical guided missiles." Experts said they appear to be the KN-23.

-- Aug. 10: North Korea fires two projectiles believed to be short-range ballistic missiles from its eastern coastal city of Hamhung in South Hamgyong Province into the East Sea. Both flew around 400 km at a maximum altitude of 48 km and a top speed of around Mach 6.1, according to the JCS. The following day, the KCNA said they test-fired a "new weapon" under Kim's supervision. Experts said they seem to be the North Korean version of the U.S.' Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).

-- Aug. 16: North Korea fires two short-range projectiles presumed to be ballistic missiles from its eastern coastal county of Tongchon in Kangwon Province into the East Sea. Both flew around 230 km at a maximum altitude of 30 km and a top speed of around Mach 6.1, according to the JCS. The following day, the KCNA said they were "new weapons" tested under the guidance of its leader. Experts said they seem to be its version of the ATACMS.

-- Aug. 24: North Korea fires two projectiles presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles from its eastern town of Sondok in South Hamgyong Province into the East Sea. Both flew around 380 km at a maximum altitude of 97 km and a top speed of around Mach 6.5, according to the JCS. The following day, the KCNA said the launches were to test-fire "newly developed super-large multiple rocket launcher" under Kim's supervision.

-- Sept. 10: North Korea fires two short-range projectiles from its western city of Kaechon in South Pyongan Province, toward the East Sea. One flew around 330 km across the peninsula, and the other flew less than 300 km, reaching a maximum altitude of around 50 to 60 km, according to the JCS. The following day, the KCNA said the North test-fired a "super-large multiple rocket launcher" again under Kim's guidance.
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