North Korea says it conducted 'super-large warhead' test

North Korea conducted a "super-large warhead" power test for a strategic cruise missile and test-fired a new anti-aircraft missile this week, state media reported Saturday, further ratcheting up tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The Missile Administration carried out the test of the warhead designed for the "Hwasal-1 Ra-3" strategic cruise missile, and test-launched its new anti-aircraft missile, the "Pyoljji-1-2," in the Yellow Sea on Friday, KCNA said, noting that a "certain goal" was achieved through the test launch.

It is the first time that Pyongyang has named a missile "Pyoljji," which means "meteor" in Korean.

"Both tests were part of the regular activities of the administration and its affiliated defence science institutes for the rapid development of technologies ... and had nothing to do with the surrounding situation," KCNA said in an English-language dispatch.

On Feb. 3, the North said it had conducted what it called a "cruise missile super-large warhead power test" and test-fired a new type of anti-aircraft missile in the Yellow Sea the previous day.

The North's Missile Administration had not specified the name of the weapons or the result of the test launches.

The South Korean military said it detected several rounds of cruise missiles and anti-craft missiles fired toward the Yellow Sea at around 3:30 p.m. Friday, and that it is now analyzing their detailed specifications.

"Our military has been closely monitoring signs of North Korea's provocations and military activities, while maintaining the robust combined defense posture," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

The latest announcement comes as North Korea has been ramping up weapons tests, including the launches of cruise missiles from sea and land and firing drills involving super-large multiple rocket launchers.

Friday's missile test marked North Korea's sixth cruise missile launch this year.

It also comes as U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield traveled to South Korea and Japan this week in an apparent move to seek an alternative after the UN Security Council failed to extend the mandate of the panel of experts monitoring the enforcement of sanctions against the North's nuclear and missile programs.

During a visit to the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas on Tuesday, Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. is looking at "out of the box" options with South Korea and others to continue the sanctions monitoring on North Korea.

Yonhap