North Korean media confirms multiple rocket launcher test
North Korea's official news agency confirmed on Friday that the country successfully tested a super-large multiple rocket launcher the previous day, adding that it verified the "perfection" of the weapons system.
On Thursday, South Korea's military said that the North fired two short-range projectiles from a western region toward the East Sea, saying that both flew about 370 km with a maximum altitude of around 90 km, reports Yonhap News Agency.
"The Academy of Defence Science of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea succeeded in another test-fire of super-large multiple rocket launchers on Thursday afternoon," Pyongyang's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
"The perfection of the continuous fire system was verified through the test-fire to totally destroy with super-power the group target of the enemy and designated target area by surprise strike of the weapon system of super-large multiple rocket launchers," it added.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed "satisfaction" over the test-firing and sent congratulations to the national defence scientists developing the "self-defensive military muscle of the country", KCNA added.
Kim however, did not supervise the weapons test.
Thursday's launch marked the 12th weapons test North Korea has conducted this year. It came about a month after the North said that it successfully test-fired a new-type of sea-based ballistic missile, saying the success "ushered in a new phase" in its self-defence capabilities, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The North tested the weapon twice before, once in August and again in September. The September test was considered a failure because state media did not mention the firing was a success.
Thursday's weapons test also came a day after Kim sent a condolence message over the death of President Moon Jae-in's mother, a surprise move that had briefly raised hope for the possibility of Pyongyang softening its stance on Seoul.
Inter-Korean ties have been at an impasse amid little progress in denuclearization negotiations.
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