North Korea says its latest weapons test was a new hypersonic intermediate-range missile designed to strike targets in the Pacific as leader Kim Jong Un vowed to further expand his collection of nuclear-capable weapons to counter rivals.

North Korea has claimed it fired a new intermediate-range ballistic missile tipped with a hypersonic warhead which "will reliably contain any rivals in the Pacific region". The launch on Monday - Pyongyang's first in two months - came as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Seoul for talks with some of South Korea's key leaders.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the nation’s new hypersonic missile will keep any rivals in the Pacific region in check, following a test launch on Monday that coincided with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Seoul.

Kim Jong Un described the missile test as a crucial achievement in his goals to bolster North Korea's nuclear deterrence. Lee Sung Joon, Spokesperson of South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, downplayed the test,

North Korea claims a successful solid-fuel IRBM launch, but South Korea and experts remain skeptical of its performance and hypersonic tech.

North Korea conducted a test launch of its latest medium- and long-range hypersonic ballistic missile, according to information released by the DPRK Central Telegraph Agency.