Nippon:

As of the end of November 2022, North Korea had already fired more than 80 ballistic and cruise missiles, more than in any other year on record. Although the number of launches is disturbing, it is consistent with North Korea’s ongoing policy of continuously ramping up missile development and production, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Moreover, with the country’s borders closed and trade virtually at a standstill since the COVID-19 crisis hit in early 2020, North Korea appears to have relied on internal resources, including its accumulated technological know-how, to develop and produce its latest missiles. (North Korea has a wealth of mineral resources and appears to be making the most of them for this purpose).

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