North Korean state media remained silent on Wednesday, widely believed to be the birthday of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. This contrasts with recent efforts to cultivate his cult of personality while distancing him from his predecessors.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un said it tested a new hypersonic missile this week aimed at deterring the country's Pacific rivals, state media reported Tuesday, as Washington's top diplomat visited the region.

North Korea says its latest weapons test was a new hypersonic intermediate-range missile designed to strike targets in the Pacific as leader Kim Jong Un vowed to further expand his collection of nuclear-capable weapons to counter rivals.

North Korea said Tuesday it successfully test-fired a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile, claiming the weapon would "reliably contain any rivals in the Pacific region."

Kim Jong Un warned that North Korea ’s rivals could not ignore its new hypersonic ballistic missile, which was tested while US secretary of state Antony Blinken was visiting South Korea on Monday.

North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency claimed a successful test of a new type of intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile.

North Korea has tested a new hypersonic missile, which Kim Jong-un said would help deter its Pacific rivals, state media reported on Tuesday.

The United States on Wednesday condemned North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile earlier this week and reiterated its calls for the recalcitrant regime to stop further "unlawful" and "destabilizing" acts.

North Korea conducted a test launch of its latest medium- and long-range hypersonic ballistic missile, according to information released by the DPRK Central Telegraph Agency.