North Korea tests new air-defence missile system: state media

North Korea test-fired a newly designed air-defence missile system and held a strategic cruise-missile strike drill, state media reported Thursday, in the latest showcase of its weapons abilities.

Wednesday's test came during a flurry of weapons demonstrations in recent weeks that include cluster munitions, attack drones, a precision-guided torpedo system and an intermediate-range hypersonic missile.

South Korea's military said Wednesday it detected several missiles launched from the North Korea's Sondok area into the Sea of Japan.

Pyongyang has also hardened its stance towards Seoul and Washington, with a landmine dispute plummetting inter-Korean relations and Kim Jong Un's powerful sister this week signalling little appetite for renewed talks with the United States.

The newly designed system was test-fired to confirm its technical specifcations, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Thursday.

"The test-fire proved the technical specifications and reliability of the new material and intelligent multiple guided mode of the projectile," KCNA said, without elaborating on the new material.

It also demonstrated the missile system's ability to identify and track targets, as well as the reliability of its detection data processing device, it added.

KCNA also said a firepower sub-unit of a long-range strategic cruise-missile unit in eastern North Korea also staged a strike drill on Wednesday.

The unit "perfectly performed its mission to strike a virtual airport target with a long-range strategic cruise missile", state media said.

The two exercises were aimed and maintaining weapons systems "on a technically high level and improve the combat reliability of the strategic weapon", KCNA added. 

Unlike ballistic missile launches, North Korean cruise missile tests are not prohibited by UN Security Council sanctions.

North Korea has a history of launching missiles around US elections, widely seen as a show of force, including during the midterms four years ago and the presidential election two years ago.