North Korea says its recent missile tests involved a new ballistic missile with a “very large nuclear warhead”

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said Tuesday it has tested a new tactical ballistic missile capable of carrying a massive warhead, as the country moves to modernize its weapons arsenal to confront what it calls U.S.-led threats.

North Korea's official KCNA news agency called the Hwasongpho-11Da-4.5 weapon, which can carry a 4.5-ton nuclear warhead, a “super-heavy nuclear warhead.”

Monday's test firing was aimed at verifying flight stability and strike accuracy at a maximum range of 500 kilometers (310 miles) and a minimum range of 90 kilometers (55 miles).

South Korea's military earlier said North Korea launched two ballistic missiles from one of its cities in the southwest toward the northeast on Monday. The first missile flew 600 kilometers and the second 120 kilometers. The flight distance of the second missile was too short to reach the waters off the North's east coast, a typical landing site for North Korean test missiles.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the second North Korean missile may have traveled abnormally during the initial phase of its flight. If the missile had exploded, its debris would likely have been scattered on the ground, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

The KCNA statement did not specify where the new missile was launched from or where it landed. But the fact that it tested both the missile's maximum and minimum range suggests that North Korea conducted two launches.

KCNA, citing the North's Korea Missile Administration, reported that North Korea would test the missile again later in July to verify the performance of its simulated warhead at an average range of 250 kilometers (155 miles).

Since 2022, North Korea has dramatically accelerated its weapons testing activities to expand its arsenal of nuclear-capable weapons designed to strike key sites in the United States, South Korea and Japan. The range of the recently tested missile suggests it is aimed at South Korea. Experts say North Korea would eventually want to use an expanded nuclear arsenal to increase its leverage in future diplomacy with the United States.

Monday’s missile launch was North Korea’s first weapons test in five days. Last Wednesday, North Korea launched what it called a multiple-warhead missile, the first known test of a weapon in development aimed at penetrating its rivals’ missile defenses. North Korea said the launch was successful, but South Korea dismissed the North’s claims as a hoax to cover up a failed launch.

The latest launches came a day after North Korea vowed “offensive and overwhelming” responses to a new U.S. military exercise with South Korea and Japan.