Local time, Seoul, South Korea: On Friday, the North Korean military reportedly conducted another weapons test by launching two short-range ballistic missiles, despite international condemnation of the country’s actions.This week, North Korea claimed it had developed new capabilities to take images from space, following a year of unprecedented testing, which included the launch of its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile last month and a test of what Pyongyang says was a new rocket engine the week before.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea, “our military saw two short-range ballistic missiles launched by North Korea into the East Sea from the Sunan area of Pyongyang at about 16:32 (0732 GMT) today.” The East Sea is also known as the Sea of Japan.

Our armed forces keep a constant state of readiness, increasing both surveillance and vigilance as they work closely with the United States.

South Korea and the United States have been sounding the alarm for months, claiming that Pyongyang is planning its seventh nuclear test.

According to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Tuesday the two countries conducted an air drill together and the United States sent a B-52H strategic bomber to the Korean peninsula.

The F-22 and F-35 stealth fighters, as well as the long-range heavy bomber, took part in the practise.

The launch on Friday happened just hours after the White House said Pyongyang had supplied the Russian private military company Wagner with weapons.

The White House announced the delivery on a Thursday US time, labelling Wagner a “rival” for power in the Kremlin’s defence and other ministries.

Putin’s cook

Businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, sometimes known as “Putin’s chef” for his years of service cooking for the Russian president, is in charge of the Wagner organisation.

The North Korean foreign ministry said in a statement broadcast by KCNA that the rumour that they had conducted an arms transaction with Russia was “cooked up by some dishonest elements for ulterior motives.”

Pyongyang has amassed an ICBM arsenal despite international pressure to halt its weapons programmes (ICBMs).

State media have described North Korea’s recent test of a “high-thrust solid-fuel motor” as a significant step “for the construction of another new-type strategic missile system.”

However, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has made the development of solid-fuel engines for even more powerful missiles a top strategic goal, despite the fact that all of his country’s known ICBMs use liquid fuel.

Earlier this week, his influential sister also maintained that the North has acquired advanced technology to take photographs from space using a spy satellite.

This year, Kim declared North Korea a “irreversible” nuclear state and stated his desire for the country to have the world’s strongest nuclear force.

Included in his wishlist last year was the ability to fire intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) using solid fuel from either land or underwater.

Analysts say it is unclear how far North Korea has progressed in the creation of such a missile, despite the fact that the most recent engine test was a step in the right direction.