North Korea is developing a new long-range missile system, U.S. official says

People watch a TV broadcasting file footage of a news report on North Korea firing what appeared to be a pair of ballistic missiles off its east coast, in Seoul, South Korea, September 15, 2021.

The Biden administration confirmed Thursday that North Korea recently conducted two tests of a relatively new intercontinental missile system, ramping up tensions between leader Kim Jong Un and the U.S. at a precarious time in world politics.

The tests were carried out in February and March, according to a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The last ICBM test by North Korea was in November of last year.

World leaders first learned of this particular ICBM system, which can carry nuclear weapons, during North Korea's Workers' Party parade in October 2020.

The senior administration official said on the call that this is a serious escalation by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The launches are a brazen violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions and risk destabilizing the security situation.

The official said that the Biden administration decided to share this intel widely in order to speak in a united voice against further development of such weapons by the DPRK.

In March of last year, North Korea conducted its first missile test.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects the proposed building site for the Ryonpho Vegetable Greenhouse Farm in the Ryonpho area of Hamju County, North Korea, in this undated photo released January 28, 2022 by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Senior administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity would not say what type of weapon was launched, the location of the test, or its success rate. John Kirby did not comment on the missile launch.

During Biden's presidency, North Korea has carried out nine known missile tests. The senior administration official refused to comment when asked about the potential arsenal of the country.

The door remains open to diplomacy according to a senior Biden administration official.

The negotiations with North Korea broke down after the U.S. refused to grant sanctions relief in exchange for the dismantlement of nuclear weapons and missiles.

The third-generation leader of North Korea, Kim Jung-un, conducted his most powerful nuclear test, launched his first-ever intercontinental missile and threatened to send missiles into the waters near the U.S. territory of Guam.

Kim has launched more missiles than his father and grandfather combined over the course of 27 years.

Only North Korea has tested nuclear weapons this century.