North Korea says it test-fired a new tactical guided weapon

ED JONES / AFP

North Korea has test-fired a new type of tactical guided weapon.

That's according to the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency, which said leader Kim Jong-un observed the firing by the Academy of Defence Science on Wednesday.

It's the first public weapons test since talks between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ended without agreement in February. 

Last week, Kim said Trump needed to have the "right attitude" for talks to continue after the US President rejected a call for confidence-building joint economic projects between Seoul and Pyongyang.

The state media report didn’t refer to the weapon as a ballistic missile or nuclear, so it's likely to be interpreted as a bid to gain US attention.