North Korea announced on Thursday the successful test of a multi-warhead missile, confirming that the test included the separation and successful guidance of warheads to their targets. The official North Korean news agency reported that the military conducted the separation and control test of the individual maneuverable warheads on June 26.

The missile was launched from an area near Pyongyang, and the separated warheads were successfully guided to three designated targets. This test aimed to secure MIRV (Multiple Independently targetable Reentry Vehicle) capabilities, allowing the launch of multiple warheads from a single ballistic missile.

This announcement follows the South Korean military's claim that North Korea launched what appeared to be a hypersonic missile on Wednesday, which reportedly failed when it exploded mid-air. Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff suggested the test failed after a flight of about 250 kilometers, with the missile exhibiting unusual smoke emissions, indicating potential combustion issues.

Tokyo also confirmed the missile launch, with the Japanese coast guard stating that the missile fell into the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea.

The North Korean news agency stated that the test used a solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile's first-stage engine within a radius of 170-200 kilometers. It also verified the effectiveness of a separate anti-aircraft radar decoy.

This missile test occurs amid rising tensions between the Koreas, with North Korea launching balloons loaded with waste into South Korea in response to propaganda balloons sent by the South.