Earlier this month, the Kim Jong Un regime tested a long-range cruise missile reportedly capable of striking all of South Korea, along with much of Japan. 

Though North Korean military capabilities remain opaque, analysis suggests that this latest missile is meant to serve as a signaling tool to North Korean domestic and international audiences.

The U.S., South Korea and other parties should avoid sensationalistic alarm as this cruise missile is nowhere close to a game changer. But it still underlines the importance of bolstering South Korean missile defenses to protect against evolving threats from