A missile is fired from Toyang-ri, Ryongrim County of Jagang Province, Sept. 28. North Korea said Wednesday that it conducted its first test-launch of a newly developed hypersonic missile. Yonhap

North Korea said Wednesday it conducted the first test-launch of a newly developed hypersonic missile a day earlier that has "strategic significance" in bolstering its self-defense capabilities.

The North's Academy of Defence Science test-fired the Hwasong-8 missile from Toyang-ri, Ryongrim County of Jagang Province, and "ascertained the stability of the engine as well as of missile fuel ampoule that has been introduced for the first time," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

The fuel "ampoule" appears to be referring to a container of liquid fuel, which would reduce the preparation time for a missile launch and make the weapon ready for use almost as fast as a solid-fuel missile, compared with conventional missiles that need fuel injection before firing.

The KCNA did not mention whether the weapon is a ballistic missile, but experts said it appears be a ballistic missile using liquid fuel as indicated by its name, Hwasong. North Korea is banned from ballistic technology under U.N. sanctions.

"The development of this weapon system... is of great strategic significance in markedly boosting the independent power of ultra-modern defense science and technology of the country and in increasing the nation's capabilities for self-defense in every way," the KCNA said.

The test-launch also confirmed "the stability of the engine as well as of missile fuel ampoule that has been introduced for the first time," with the KCNA saying the test results showed that all technical specifications satisfied its design requirements.