North Korea announces test of new-type weapon

Follow-up - Al-Wasat Iraqi Newspaper

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test of a "new-type" weapons system, saying the experiment reflects ongoing progress in the country's military capabilities, according to state media on Tuesday.

The announcement came two days after both South Korea and Japan said Pyongyang had launched two short-range ballistic missiles toward waters off its east coast, which the two countries condemned as a threat to regional security and stability.

The North Korean Missile Bureau "successfully tested a new-type weapon" in the presence of Kim Jong Un.

Pyongyang did not disclose the nature of the new weapons system, but the agency quoted Kim praising the test, describing it as a "prominent demonstration of ultra-modern defensive technology."

It added that Kim warned these capabilities would inflict on the country's adversaries "an incurable headache and a severe and inevitable blow."

Kim linked the recent test to his country's military readiness, saying that possessing such technology is of great importance for "the state's readiness for war and the future development of the armed forces."

Seoul condemned the launches as a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and called on Pyongyang to halt its ballistic missile activities, while Japan lodged an official protest and described the tests as threatening peace and security in the region.

Source: Agence France-Presse