Timeline of Threat Escalations on the Korean Peninsula, December 2012 to May 2013 Date North Korea United States South Korea Other

The White House condemns the The ROK Foreign Ministry China's Foreign Ministry says that North Korea launches its Unha-3 launch as "yet another example of condemns the launch as a "flagrant it is "regretable that the DPRK 12/12/2012 rocket, placing a satellite into orbit North Korea’s pattern of violation" UN Security Council launched the satellite despite irresponsible behavior" resolutions international concerns"

Shinzo Abe takes office as Prime 12/26/2013 Minister of Japan

A U.S. delegation including Google chairman Eric Schmidt and 1/7/2013 former governor Bill Richardson visits Pyongyang

President Barack Obama is sworn 1/20/2013 in for his second inauguration

Special Representative for North The UN Security Council adopts Korea Policy Glyn Davies travels Resolution 2087, condemning the 1/22/2013 to South Korea, China, and Japan, rocket launch and adding to the January 22-29 sanctions blacklist

Japan launches two spy satellites 1/28/2013 into orbit Date North Korea United States South Korea Other South Korea announces that it has 1/30/2013 successfully launched a satellite into orbit

North Korea threatens to shut 2/7/2013 down the Kaesong Industrial Complex

South Korea calls the test "a direct The U.S. says that "North Korea’s challenge to the whole The PRC Foreign Ministry says North Korea conducts its third threatening activities warrants international community" and 2/12/2013 that China is "firmly opposed to nuclear test further swift and credible action by pledges to accelerate the this act" the international community" deployment of its extended-range missiles

Park Geun-hye sworn in as 2/25/2013 President of South Korea

Deng Yuwen, Deputy Editor of PRC Central Party School's journal, writes in the Financial 2/27/2013 Times that China should "abandon" North Korea; he is later suspended from his post

A U.S. delegation including former 2/28/2013 NBA star Dennis Rodman visits North Korea

A KPA statement threatens to abandon the Armistice Agreement 3/5/2013 when U.S.-South Korean military exercises begin, and hints at a pre- emptive nuclear strike

ROK military official says South Korea will attack the North's 3/6/2013 "command leadership" in response to a provocation Date North Korea United States South Korea Other

The UN Security Council adopts 3/7/2013 Resolution 2094, adding to financial sanctions on North Korea

North Korea declares the Armistice which ended the Korean The U.S. Treasury imposes South Korea and the U.S. begin 3/11/2013 War "completely nullified"; Kim sanctions against North Korea's "Key Resolve/Foal Eagle" joint Jong-un visits border outpost near Foreign Trade Bank military exercises ROK's Baengnyeong Island

Xi Jinping formally takes office as 3/14/2013 China's President

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says the U.S. will bolster missile 3/15/2013 defenses in response to threats by North Korea

Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter visits South Korea to meet 3/18/2013 with Park administration and USFK officials

Nuclear-capable B-52 bombers are 3/19/2013 flown over South Korea

U.S. nuclear-powered submarine South Korean banks and media 3/20/2013 docks at Busan outlets suffer from a cyber attack. Date North Korea United States South Korea Other

UN Human Rights Council votes to North Korea declares that U.S. establish a Commission of Inquiry 3/21/2013 bases in Guam and Okinawa are to investigate human rights abuses within striking range in North Korea

South Korean and U.S. militaries 3/22/2013 sign an agreement on responding to provocations from North Korea

A KPA statement announces that strategic rocket and artillery units are on "highest alert" and poised to 3/26/2013 strike Hawaii, Guam, the U.S. mainland, and South Korea upon an attack on North Korea

North Korea cuts last remaining 3/27/2013 hotlines with South Korea

Two nuclear-capable B-2 stealth 3/28/2013 bombers are sent on a practice sortie over South Korea

North Korea declares a "state of 3/30/2013 war" with South Korea.

DPRK Supreme People's Assembly meets, adopting policy line of 3/31/2013 "carrying out economic construction and building nuclear armed forces simultaneously." Date North Korea United States South Korea Other

The U.S. sends two F-22 stealth fighter jets to South Korea to join 4/1/2013 in military exercises, and moves sea-based X-band radar system near the Korean Peninsula

KCNA announces plans to restart the 5MW reactor at Yongbyon, 4/2/2013 which had been partially disabled in 2007

Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says ROK considering possible South Koreans denied entry into calls North Korea a "clear and military options to ensure safety of 4/3/2013 the North to work at the Kaesong present danger" as the Pentagon workers at Kaesong; Foreign Industrial Zone announces plans to deploy a Minister Yun Byung-se travels to missile defense system to Guam Washington

Pyongyang moves intermediate- 4/4/2013 range Musudan missiles to North Korea's east coast

North Korea asks embassies to consider moving staff out and 4/5/2013 warns it cannot guarantee the safety of diplomats after April 10

The US Air Force delays an ICBM 4/6/2013 test to avoid provoking North Korea Date North Korea United States South Korea Other

Xi Jinping warns at the Boao Forum for Asia that "no one should 4/7/2013 be allowed to throw a region and even the whole world into chaos for selfish gains"

North Korea says it will withdraw all its 53,000 workers and 4/8/2013 “temporarily suspend the operations" at Kaesong

North Korea warns foreigners in Japan deploys missile defense 4/9/2013 South Korea to prepare for batteries around Tokyo evacuation

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel 4/10/2013 warns that North Korea is "skating very close to a dangerous line"

President Obama warns that he will take "all necessary steps" to defend the U.S. from aggression; Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae 4/11/2013 DIA assessment of "moderate calls for North Korea to engage in confidence" in North Korea's dialogue over Kaesong ability to miniaturize a nuclear warhead is made public.

Secretary of State John Kerry 4/12/2013 begins travel to South Korea, Japan, and China Date North Korea United States South Korea Other

Secretary Kerry says that the U.S. is willing to engage in dialogue 4/14/2013 with North Korea if Pyongyang shows "seriousness of purpose" regarding denuclearization

Muted celebrations held for Kim Il- 4/15/2013 sung's 101st birthday

President Obama says North Korean provocations won't be 4/16/2013 rewarded, stating "you don't get to bang your spoon on the table and somehow you get your way"

China's special envoy on North Korea, Wu Dawei, visits 4/21/2013 Washington for consultations with U.S. officials

General Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 4/23/2013 Staff, meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing

South Korea's Unification Ministry Pyongyang marks the 81st 4/25/2013 sets a deadline for talks on the anniversary of the KPA's founding Kaesong Industrial Complex

South Korea announces that it will 4/26/2013 withdraw its 175 workers at Kaesong Date North Korea United States South Korea Other

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel speaks with Japanese Defense 4/29/2013 Minister Itsunori Onodera at the Pentagon

North Korea's Supreme Court sentences Kenneth Bae, an Joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States 4/30/2013 American citizen, to 15 years hard officially end labor

The seven remaining South Korean 5/3/2013 citizens leave Kaesong

Chinese fishing boat seized by 5/5/2013 armed North Koreans

North Korea reportedly withdraws 5/6/2013 Musudan missiles from launch sites

President Park Geun-hye travels to Four major Chinese banks cut ties 5/7/2013 Washington for a summit with with North Korea's Foreign Trade President Barack Obama Bank

Glyn Davies travels to South 5/12/2013 Korea, China, and Japan on May 12-18

South Korea proposes working- level talks with North Korea on 5/14/2013 removing remaining goods and materials from Kaesong Date North Korea United States South Korea Other

Isao Iijima, advisor to Japanese North Korea dismisses South Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, visits 5/15/2013 Korea's offer for Kaesong talks as North Korea for talks with high- a "crafty ploy" level officials.

North Korea begins three days of 5/18/2013 testing short-range missiles

Sixteen abducted Chinese 5/21/2013 fishermen are released

U.S. commences with delayed 5/22/2013 Minuteman 3 ICBM test-launch

Vice Marshall Choe Ryong-hae meets with Chinese President Xi 5/24/2013 Jinping in Beijing to deliver a letter from Kim Jong-un

Pyongyang says it is willing to discuss Kaeseong normalization South Korea dismisses the North's 5/28/2013 with factory owners, bypassing offer of Kaesong talks Seoul