Kim Jong-un Oversees North Korea's Test Of A New Type Of Guided Weapon

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (Source: KCNA)

JAKARTA - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the test-firing of a new type of tactical-guided weapon being held to boost the country's nuclear capabilities, the KCNA news agency reported on Sunday.

The report comes amid signs that North Korea may soon resume nuclear tests according to estimates by US and South Korean officials and after Kim violated his self-imposed moratorium on tests of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launched last month.

South Korea's military said on Sunday that it had detected two projectiles fired from North Korea's east coast into the waters traveling about 110 km with an altitude of 25 km and a maximum speed of below Mach 4 (about 4.939.2 km/h).

"The new type of tactical weapons system... is very important to increase the firepower of the front-line long-range artillery units while increasing efficiency in tactical nuclear operations," KCNA said, quoted by Antara, which did not specify when the test was carried out and the type of missile launched.

After carrying out the surveillance, Kim "provided important instructions on establishing the country's next defense capability and nuclear combat force," KCNA said.

Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the US Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the weapons appeared to be short-range ballistic missiles and North Korea's first tactical nuclear weapons launch system.

North Korea gets orders to build and perfect the weapons Kim Jong-un ordered, regardless of whether the US agrees or not, and the test sends a message to the public that North Korea is strong, said Duyeon Kim, a North Korea expert at the Center for a New American Security.

On Saturday the US 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea shared a photo depicting soldiers testing the multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS), although it was not immediately clear when the exercise would take place.

The live-fire drills aim to "ensure that we are always here to support the ROK-US Alliance," the division said on Twitter, using the initials of South Korea's official name.

The United States and South Korea have noted a range of activity at North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear facility that could be prepared for a test-firing, although the timing and details of the test are unknown.

US Special Representative Sung Kim will be in Seoul on Monday to discuss the response to North Korea's recent missile launch with his South Korean counterpart.

The US has said it is open to talks with North Korea at any time and without conditions, but Pyongyang has so far rejected the proposal, accusing Washington of maintaining hostile policies such as sanctions and military exercises.

The KCNA report also comes shortly after North Korea marked the 110th anniversary of the birth of late founder Kim Il Sung on Friday, one of North Korea's biggest annual public holidays, without a military parade.