All week, speculation had it that they’d do this. Sure enough…

Seven Scud-type ballistic missiles with a range of about
500km (312 miles) were fired in an apparent act of defiance against the
US, on 4 July.

Russia and China called on Pyongyang to return to talks, while a US official urged it not to aggravate tensions.

Too late. 

North Korea is banned from all ballistic missile-related activities under UN sanctions. 

The sanctions were strengthened after the communist nation carried out a second underground nuclear test in May.

And how’s that working out for the UN? 

North Korea has launched a number of missiles since the test. On Thursday it fired four short-range missiles.

On America’s Independence Day, more ‘in your face’ provocations.
Though….Pyongyang made them fall a little shorter, putting them in
Japan’s face. On an important U.S. holiday.

And our government is responding to these missile launches how?

A spokesman for the US state department called them “not
helpful” and said North Korea should ” refrain from actions that
aggravate tensions and focus on denuclearisation talks”.

And that’s that.