Yoo Ho-yeol, emeritus professor of North Korean studies at Korea University, told AFP that Thursday's launch "signals the beginning of Pyongyang putting pressure on Washington for nuclear talks".
Donald Trump has imposed on the Iranian economy to try to force Tehran into a new negotiation on curbing its nuclear program as well as its missile and regional activities.
The missiles would allow Japan to expand a strategy known as anti-access area denial (A2AD), that is meant to stop foreign forces from operating freely in waters close to home territory.