North Korea announced it had successfully test-fired a missile capable of carries several warheads, state media reported today, but these claims were rejected by South Korea as fraudulent and exaggerated, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
North Korea's official KCTA news agency reported a successful test of a "important new technology".
However, a spokesman for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters in Seoul that the test missile launched by North Korea yesterday exploded in the early phase of the flight.
Deeply isolated North Korea, ruled by Kim Jong-un, is subject to international sanctions over its nuclear weapons and missile program.
The latest missile test was detected by the South Korean military. They said the initially unidentified missile flew about 250 km east towards the open sea before exploding.
The North Korean statement said the test used the engine of the first stage of a solid-propellant intermediate-range ballistic missile. Several mobile warheads were separated and "properly aimed at the three coordinated targets", KCTA wrote.
The purpose of the test was to ensure the so-called MIRV (Multiple Independently-targetable Reentry Vehicles) capability, which means the missile can be equipped with multiple warheads that can be directed at different targets.
Few countries possess such missiles, including nuclear powers the US, China, Russia, Britain and France. India claims to have tested an intercontinental ballistic missile with MIRV technology in March.
Despite sanctions, North Korea has been making progress for years in the development of missiles, especially nuclear-capable ones.
At the request of several countries - including the United States, Great Britain, France, Japan and South Korea - North Korea will also be a topic of discussion at the UN Security Council tomorrow. Several diplomats told DPA that the issue will focus on arms exports to Russia.