North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has supervised the test of a new anti-aircraft weapon system and ordered its mass production and deployment throughout the country, after weeks of defiant ballistic missile tests. The North has been pushing to develop a wide range of weapon systems since early last year at an unprecedented pace including a long-range missile capable of striking the mainland United States.

In recent weeks tested its intermediate-range ballistic missile, making some technical advances.

North's KCNA news agency did not report the exact nature of the weapon or the time of the test but said it was organised by the Academy of National Defence Science.

The ANDS is a blacklisted agency that is believed to be developing missiles and nuclear weapons.

The reclusive state rejects U.N. and unilateral sanctions by other states against its weapons programme as an infringement of its right to self defense and says the programme is necessary to counter U.S. aggression.

It last conducted a ballistic missile test a week ago.