North Korea’s Kim hails ‘new-type weapon’ days after missile launch

SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un witnessed the test of a new-type weapon system, declaring it a testament to the nation's military advancements, according to state media reports on Tuesday. The announcement followed South Korea and Japan's condemnation of Pyongyang's recent short-range ballistic missile launches into waters off its eastern coast, which the countries viewed as threats to regional stability.

North Korea officially recognizes its nuclear arsenal as permanent and irreversible. The missile bureau reportedly carried out a successful test of the new weapon system in the presence of Kim Jong Un on Sunday. While the specifics of the weapon system were not disclosed, Kim praised the launch as a "striking demonstration of ultra-modern defense technology," according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The Sunday launches occurred eight days after North Korea conducted multiple short-range ballistic missile tests towards the East Sea (Sea of Japan), which state media reported hit their targets with 100% accuracy. In the KCNA report, Kim emphasized the significance of the new weapon technology in bolstering the country's military readiness for potential conflicts and future armed forces development.

Seoul denounced the launches as a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and urged North Korea to cease its ballistic missile activities. Japan lodged a stern protest with North Korea over the launches, describing them as a threat to regional peace and security. Last week, North Korea rejected an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) resolution demanding an end to its nuclear activities, asserting that its nuclear weapons status is "irreversibly and permanently fixed" by its laws.