North Korea's submarine-launched ballistic missile test had been an "eye-opening success" that had been guided by the country's leader Kim Jong-un, the country's official KCNA news agency reported.
Mr Kim said the submarine-launched ballistic missiles provided "one more means for powerful nuclear attack" and urged scientists to step up the North's nuclear programme so it could launch attacks on its chief adversaries, the United States and South Korea, whenever it wanted.
“The successful test-fire would help remarkably bolster the underwater operational capability of the KPA (Korean People’s Army) navy,” he said, adding that it was now capable of “hitting the heads of the South Korean puppet forces and the US imperialists any time as it pleases”, KCNA said.
No date was given for the launch. It is the latest display of military firepower by North Korea, beginning with its fourth nuclear test in January and including a long-range missile test in February.
KCNA said the most recent test was aimed at confirming “the stability of the underwater ballistic launching system in the maximum depth of waters”, and also testing a high-power solid fuel engine, which is seen as a significant threat.
China angered
There is speculation that
Pyongyang
is planning a fifth nuclear test soon, despite stronger economic sanctions by the
United Nations
, which have also been supported by the North’s only meaningful ally in the region, China.
The tests have increased tension on the Korean peninsula, and some analysts believe Mr Kim may be trying to boost his position in the run-up to a congress of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea in May.
The congress will be the first in 36 years and Mr Kim is expected to declare North Korea a nuclear power and a strong state.
News that the country might be planning another nuclear test has angered China, which was forced to deny that it was massing troops on the border with North Korea.
China has been more forceful than previously in supporting the UN sanctions, saying it wants a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and calls for a restart of the long-stalled Six-Party Talks, which include both Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the US.
The US Strategic Command said it had detected and tracked the launch and it did not pose a threat to North America.
