DPRK confirms test-firing of tactical ballistic missile

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) confirmed on Tuesday that it had test-fired a tactical ballistic missile a day earlier.

The test-launch was designed to verify what it called "the success in the research for the technical upgrading of an important core element," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The KCNA report called Monday's test event part of the regular activities "to put weapon systems on a highly-developed technological basis." The technical upgrading of the core element was a success "heralding an important change in improving the performance and sophistication of all offensive weapon systems," it said.