On 31 January 2022, North Korean state media confirmed the launch of a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) — which is capable of transporting nuclear warheads an estimated range of up to 4,500 km (2,800 mi) — into the Sea of Japan on 30 January. The launch reached an altitude of 2,000 km and traveled a distance of approximately 800 km, according to South Korean and Japanese authorities. The recent launch was the seventh for North Korea since the beginning of 2022. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has threatened to lift a self-imposed moratorium on long-range ballistic missile and nuclear tests.