Hamhung
\nNorth Korea has test-fired a new weapons system, under the supervision of leader Kim Jong-un, that it claims will boost the efficiency of its tactical nuclear weapons, state media reported.
\nThe \u201cnew-type tactical guided weapon … is of great significance in drastically improving the firepower of the frontline long-range artillery units and enhancing the efficiency in the operation of tactical nukes,\u201d the official Korean Central News Agency said early on Sunday, without specifying when the test took place. It said the test was successful.
\nSouth Korea\u2019s military said on Sunday that North Korea had fired two projectiles off its east coast towards the sea on Saturday. The projectiles, launched from the Hamhung region at around 6pm flew 110km (68 miles) at a maximum altitude of 25km with maximum speed under Mach 4, South Korea\u2019s joint chiefs of staff said.
\nPhotos carried by the Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed a grinning Kim \u2013 surrounded by uniformed officials \u2013 applauding as he watched what it said was the test-firing of the weapon.
\nNorth Korean stated Kim gave a military research team \u201cimportant instructions on further building up the defence capabilities and nuclear combat forces\u201d.
\nOn Friday, North Korea marked the birthday of North Korea\u2019s founding leader, Kim\u2019s grandfather Kim Il-sung, with a huge public procession, fireworks and synchronised dancing \u2013 but no military parade as many observers had predicted.
\nAnalysts and South Korean and US officials also had thought a nuclear test was possible on the important anniversary.
\nThe anniversary celebrations came three weeks after North Korea staged its largest intercontinental ballistic missile test ever \u2013 the first time Kim\u2019s most powerful weapon had been fired at full range since 2017.
\nThat test was the culmination of a record-breaking blitz of sanctions-busting launches this year and signalled an end to a self-imposed moratorium on long-range and nuclear tests.
\nLong-range and nuclear tests have been paused since Kim met then-US president Donald Trump for a bout of doomed diplomacy, which collapsed in 2019.
\nOfficials and analysts say North Korea may carry out its seventh nuclear test in the coming weeks.
\nSatellite imagery has shown signs of new activity at a tunnel at the Punggye-ri nuclear testing site, which North Korea said was demolished in 2018 ahead of the first Trump-Kim summit.<\/p>\n
North Korea has tested nuclear weapons six times since 2006 and touted the success of its last and most powerful one in 2017 \u2013 a hydrogen bomb with an estimated yield of 250 kilotons.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hamhung North Korea has test-fired a new weapons system, under the supervision of leader Kim Jong-un, that it claims will boost the efficiency of its tactical nuclear weapons, state media reported. The \u201cnew-type tactical guided weapon … is of great significance in drastically improving the firepower of the frontline long-range artillery units and enhancing the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-255653","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n