Monday, October 24, 2022, an unidentified North Korean naval vessel crossed the Northern Limit Line at around 3:40 AM local time. The Northern Limit Line (NLL) is a disputed naval boundary between North and South Korea, it was drawn shortly after the Korean war by the United Nations command. When the vessel crossed this boundary, South Korean navy ships fired naval artillery in its general direction. To which North Korea responded with 10 unguided rockets fired across the border. 

Although on its own this may seem small, these events follow the wake of North Korean missile tests, these tests have been performed at an unprecedented pace over the course of the month of October, once on the 14th it fireOnd missiles into its eastern waters over Japan. The tests are a result of talks between the United States and Japan, with the topic of interest being China and their actions.

Although east Asia has been a potential hotspot for conflict for many years, this marks an interesting development in the region. With the world’s eyes on Eastern Europe, it’s entirely possible that countries like North Korea are testing the waters for what they can and cannot get away with. This has the potential to pose a dangerous precedent for global security.