North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un has observed test-flights of hypersonic missiles and underscored the need to bolster the country’s nuclear war deterrent.

Kim Jong Un oversaw hypersonic missile tests as North Korea ramped up weapons displays ahead of a major political conference, state media reported.

North Korea on Sunday launched what it claimed to be hypersonic missiles into the Sea of Japan in a firing drill. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who stated that nuclear deterrence is necessary due to the “recent geopolitical crisis and complicated international events,

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the firing of "cutting-edge" hypersonic missiles to ready Pyongyang's nuclear forces for war, state media reported Monday, saying "geopolitical crisis" made the test even more urgent in a clear nod to this weekend's US attack on Venezuela.

Pyongyang will likely open room for a summit meeting with Washington while excluding dialogue opportunities with Seoul.

Relations with Beijing will also improve considerably. North Korea will seek normalisation of trade relations and economic assistance from China, while China will attempt to manage conflict escalation on the Korean Peninsula. Both China and Russia are likely to show a more tolerant attitude towards North Korea’s nuclear weapons status.