The launch was the latest in a string of ever more sophisticated tests by North Korea, which has fired off cruise missiles, tactical rockets and hypersonic weapons in recent months, in what the nuclear-armed country says is a drive to upgrade its defences.
Seoul and Washington have accused North Korea of sending arms to Russia, which would violate rafts of UN sanctions on both countries, with experts saying the recent spate of testing may be of weapons destined for use on battlefields in Ukraine.
The launches came hours after Kim’s sister Kim Yo Jong accused Seoul and Washington of “misleading the public opinion” on the issue with their repeated accusations that Pyongyang is sending weapons to Moscow for use in Ukraine.
The same day Kim visited a military production facility and called for “more rapidly bolstering the nuclear force … without halt and hesitation”, the KCNA report said Saturday.
“The enemies would be afraid of and dare not to play with fire only when they witness the nuclear combat posture of our state,” KCNA reported Kim as saying.
