The test came as North Korea is about to convene the 9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea early next month.

The Congress is expected to outline a new five-year development plan covering national defense, the economy, and other key areas, the first such plan since the 8th Party Congress in 2021.

KCNA quoted leader Kim Jong Un as saying the test was of great importance in enhancing North Korea's strategic deterrence effectiveness, adding that improvements had been made to maximize the system's offensive capabilities, including mobility, intelligence-gathering capacity, and accuracy.