North Korea test fires 'tactical guided' weapon

North Korea on Wednesday test-fired a new tactical guided weapon under the supervision of its leader Kim Jong-un, according to reports in state news agency.

Quoting the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Yonhap reported that the North Korean leader called the test an "event of very weighty significance in increasing the combat power of the People's Army".

"After watching the power of the new-type tactical guided weapon, he pointed out that our national defence scientists and workers in the field of the munitions industry performed another great work in increasing the country's defence capabilities," the report in KCNA highlighted.

The North Korean state media had earlier reported that Kim had visited an air force unit on Wednesday, reviewing a flight exercise in his first public inspection of military activities in five months.

The latest test comes after the abrupt ending of the second US-North Korea summit in Hanoi, Vietnam in February this year. The two sides failed to release a joint agreement on the next steps in the denuclearisation process as differences over sanctions waivers could not be resolved.

Even then, the United States has maintained that its relationship with the reclusive state has remained good, with Secretary of State Michael Pompeo indicating that the two nations have kept in constant touch after the Hanoi summit.

Kim had earlier suggested a year-end deadline for denuclearisation talks with the United States, showing his willingness to hold a third summit - a move which was wholly welcomed by US President Donald Trump.