North Korea leader Kim Jong-un speaking in Pyongyang in March 2020. Photo: API/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
North Korea tested a new anti-aircraft missile Thursday, the country announced Friday, according to AP.
Why it matters: The test was the country's latest weapons firings since it restarted missile launches in September in protest of international sanctions.
- South Korea, Japan and the United States, which typically confirm North Korean weapon tests, did not do so with the anti-aircraft missile firing, potentially indicating that they did not consider it to be a major test.
What they're saying: The Korean Central News Agency said the test is “of very practical significance in studying and developing various prospective anti-aircraft missile system," according to AP.
The big picture: It comes after a flurry of missile launches around the Korean Peninsula last month.
- North Korea tested long-range cruise missiles, a railway-borne missile system, short-range missiles, ballistic missiles and a hypersonic missile last month, while South Korea successfully operated its submarine-launched ballistic missile system for the first time.
Go deeper: North Korea forgoes typical saber-rattling in midnight military parade