How it unfolded

1. Today, 8:00 PM Report Japan Times details missile's flight: 690 km, 90 km altitude

   The Japan Times, citing the Defense Ministry, reported the missile flew roughly 690 kilometers and reached a maximum altitude of 90 km after being fired from North Korea's eastern coast.

2. 6:49 PM Analysis Bloomberg frames launch as response to upcoming drills

   Bloomberg reported the launch came as the US and South Korea prepare to begin their annual military drills, framing it within the pattern of North Korean provocations tied to the exercises.

3. 5:40 PM Report Japan's Defense Ministry confirms suspected ballistic missile launch

   Tokyo's Defense Ministry said it detected a suspected ballistic missile but did not confirm it reached Japan's exclusive economic zone, suggesting it fell farther from the Japanese coast; NHK reported it landed outside the EEZ.

   “Japan’s Defense Ministry says North Korea has launched a possible ballistic missile toward the sea.”

4. 2:00 AM Event North Korea launches missile from Wonsan toward eastern waters

   South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff detected a launch from North Korea's eastern coastal Wonsan area around 6 a.m. local time, heading toward the North's eastern waters.

5. Aug 8 Event US and South Korea announce Ulchi Freedom Shield drills

   South Korea and the United States announced their annual large-scale military drills, involving about 18,000 South Korean soldiers, will begin Monday, August 17 for 11 days.

6. Aug 5 Event North Korea tests short-range ballistic missile

   South Korea, the US and Japan detected North Korea's first ballistic weapons test since late June, a day after Pyongyang said it would pursue unspecified 'additional military options' over Japan's defense buildup.

7. 6 weeks quiet
8. Jun 24 Event Kim Jong Un oversees weapons tests in June

   North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw tests of a tactical ballistic missile and new multiple rocket launchers, the last such activity before the recent tests resumed.