Chronologies

US - Korea

Chronology from May 2023 to Aug 2023

: South Korea, the US, and Japan hold missile defense drills after North Korea’s botched rocket launch.

: Kim Jong Un visits the navy command, calls for bolstering naval forces.

: South Korea and the US work together to search for and salvage sunken parts of North Korea’s space rocket.

: North Korea says its second attempt to launch spy satellite failed.

: South Korea, the US, and Japan weigh more unilateral sanctions over North Korea’s space launch.

: US Army stages first key wartime deployment drills in Korea in 6 years amid growing North Korea threats.

: US charges founders of crypto mixer with enabling North Korean money laundering.

: Kim Jong Un inspects a cruise missile test as South Korea-US military drills begin.

: Yoon and Biden agree to closely cooperate to strengthen credibility of US extended deterrence.

: Yoon, Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio commit to immediately consult in event of common threat.

: South Korea welcomes US sanctions against arms trade between North Korea, Russia.

: North Korea claims US Pvt. Travis King wants refuge in North or third country.

: South Korean Navy to join multinational Indo-Pacific humanitarian exercise.

: Kim Jong Un inspects short-range nuke and rocket factories to arm ‘front lines.’

: SK Telecom says it will invest $100 million in the US artificial intelligence firm Anthropic.

: Hyundai Bioscience, US NIH to co-develop broad-spectrum antiviral drug.

: Kim Jong Un calls for bolstering war preparations in “offensive” way.

: North Korea insists it is “responsible nuclear state,” slamming US nuke policy.

: North Korea criticizes the US over its weapons package for Taiwan.

: US National Security Council official says North Korea is considering providing military support to Russia.

: North Korea slams new US human rights envoy designate Julie Turner as “wicked woman” meddling in state affairs.

: North Korea appears to test rocket engine as it preps for next satellite launch.

: South Korea and the US agree to sign arrangement on bolstering defense supply chains.

: Seoul demands North Korea stop arms sales after its rockets show up in Ukraine.

: South Korea and the US stage joint anti-submarine drills involving nuclear-powered sub.

: North Korea showcases drones and ICBMs at a military parade on armistice anniversary.

: North Korea visit by Russian and Chinese delegates shows support for unlawful weapons programs, the US State Department says.

: South Korea and the US stage joint air drills with F-35A and F-16 jets.

: New drones conduct flyovers as North Korea shows off nukes at military parade.

: North Korea debuts new spy and combat drones that mimic US models.

: Kim Jong Un stresses “anti-US” stance at war anniversary cemetery visits.

: North Korea fires late-night ballistic missiles after US submarine visits South.

: North Korea fires two ballistic missiles into East Sea: JCS.

: BTS member Jungkook’s solo single “Seven” tops Billboard Hot 100.

: North Korea fires “several” cruise missiles toward west coast.

: North Korean hackers break into US software firms in latest supply chain hack.

: US State Department says North Korea remains silent to US calls to verify status of soldier in its custody.

: Top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the US, and Japan denounce North Korea’s latest missile test.

: BTS‘ Beyond the Story becomes first Korean book to top New York Times bestseller lists.

: North Korea warns that US nuke deployment to South could trigger preemptive strike.

: North Korea fires two short-range ballistic missiles into East Sea.

: UN Command says US national Travis King crosses military demarcation line into North Korea.

: A US nuclear-capable submarine makes port call in Busan for first time in decades.

: South Korea-US nuclear consulting group aims to curb North Korea’s nuclear threat.

: South Korea, the US, and Japan hold missile defense drills in East Sea after North Korea’s ICBM launch.

: US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan says the US is concerned about potential additional North Korean missile launches, nuclear test.

: South Korea ramps up diplomatic pressure campaign against North Korea during ASEAN meetings.

: Yoon makes a surprise visit to Ukraine in show of support.

: South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup meets visiting US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark A. Milley on regional security and the bilateral alliance.

: Yoon promises a package of security, humanitarian, and reconstruction aid for Ukraine.

: US calls for UN Security Council action against North Korea’s ICBM test, but permanent members China and Russia oppose it.

: Kim Yo Jong slams UNSC meeting over its ICBM launch, defending it as exercise of self-defense.

: South Korea and the US stage air drills involving s B-52H strategic bomber in response to the North’s launch.

: Yoon warns North Korea will be made to pay price for its illicit missile launch.

: North Korea fires an intercontinental ballistic missile.

: Envoys of South Korea, the US, and Japan strongly denounce North Korea’s ICBM test.

: Kim Yo Jong warns US military will face “very critical flight” in case of “repeated illegal intrusion,” after alleging that a US spy aircraft entered North Korean airspace within its exclusive economic zone. US responds by urging North Korea to halt escalatory actions following the accusation.

: President Yoon arrives in Lithuania for NATO summit. While there, South Korea and NATO establish new partnership for cooperation in 11 areas, and Yoon says South Korea will increase military info-sharing with NATO.

: North Korea slams the US plan to send strategic nuclear submarine to Korean Peninsula.

: New round of US-led IPEF talks kicks off in South Korea.

: US House committee calls for trilateral defense cooperation between South Korea, Japan,  and the US.

: South Korea and the US stage combined air drills involving a B-52H strategic bomber.

: Yoon names Kim Yung-ho, a professor of political science and diplomacy at Sungshin Women’s University, new unification minister.

: South Korea requests that the US expand the list of countries that may supply key critical minerals under the Inflation Reduction Act.

: South Korea and US discuss nuclear security cooperation in their working group meeting.

: North Korea warns that the Korean Peninsula close to the “brink of nuclear war.”

: US intelligence report says North Korea is most likely to use nuclear weapons as a means of coercion.

: North Korea calls Blinken’s visit to China a “disgraceful begging trip.”

: North Korea cites botched satellite launch as its “most serious” failure.

: Blinken says he urged China to encourage North Korea to act responsibly.

: North Korea promises more “powerful nuclear weapons” to counter US “domination.”

: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken holds phone talks with South Korea’s foreign minister ahead of his China trip.

: US imposes sanctions on two North Korean nationals for assisting with the country’s illegal weapons program.

: US nuclear-powered submarine USS Michigan arrives in South Korea after North Korea launch.

: North Korea fires two short-range ballistic missiles toward East Sea.

: President Yoon oversees South Korea-US live-fire drills.

: National security advisers of South Korea, the US, and Japan agree to strengthen cooperation on North Korea and regional security in a sign of deepening trilateral cooperation.

: South Korea and the US agree to additional efforts to cut off funds to North Korea’s weapons programs.

: Indiana’s governor says Samsung SDI and General Motors will build an electric vehicle battery plant in the state.

: US officials say Washington will allow South Korean and Taiwanese chip makers to keep operations in China.

: South Korea and the US stage the Combined Distribution Exercise in Pohang.

: North Korea claims the Kakhovka dam collapse in Ukraine occurred with Washington and Kyiv “in cahoots.”

: South Korea’s foreign ministry summons Chinese envoy Xing Haiming to protest Xing’s comments on Seoul-Washington ties. Xing said, in a meeting with main opposition party leader Lee Jae-myung, that Seoul had wrongly bet on US-China competition and needed to abide by Beijing’s one-China principle.

: Samsung Biologics inks a $411.3 million manufacturing deal with Pfizer.

: South Korea wins a seat on the UN Security Council for 2024-25.

: SK Signet completes construction of its first US plant.

: A survey reveals that South Korean support for nukes drops as public debate ramps up.

: Kim Yo Jong slams the UN Security Council’s meeting on its space rocket launch as “the most unfair and biased act of interfering in internal affairs.”

: President Biden says the US is deepening trilateral cooperation with South Korea and Japan against North Korean threats.

: South Korea slaps sanctions on a North Korean hacking group after Pyongyang’s space launch.

: North Korea slams UN and NATO criticism of its spy satellite launch.

: Kim Yo Jong says North Korea will “correctly” place a spy satellite into orbit soon despite its failed launch.

: North Korea’s attempt to launch its first spy satellite fails after an “abnormal” flight, according to the South Korean military. Nuclear envoys of South Korea, the US, and Japan “strongly condemn” North Korea’s space launch.

: Multinational antiproliferation drills kick off on the day of North Korea’s botched space launch.

: US reveals joint salvage drills with South Korea before the botched North Korea “space vehicle” launch.

: South Korea holds public-private meeting on the US-led IPEF developments and strategies. Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun notes that the IPEF deal on supply chains “lays the foundation for joint responses to any global supply chain disruptions among the member nations.”

: US military in South Korea stages Elephant Walk training with F-16 fighters.

: Seoul’s trade minister holds talks with his US counterpart Katherine Tai over the Inflation Reduction Act and Indo-Pacific Economic Framework; he asks for support for stable supply of key raw materials and parts.

: Hyundai Motors and LG Energy Solution announce that they will invest 5.7 trillion won ($4.3 billion) in a US battery plant.

: South Korea and the US stage massive live-fire drills marking the 70th anniversary of their alliance.

: Wall Street Journal reports that South Korean ammunition is headed to Ukraine via US.

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