North Korea hails 'super large' launcher test as virus timing condemned...

On Sunday, South Korea said two short-range missiles had been fired, the latest in a flurry of tests this month.

The North generally ramps up missile tests in the spring and the global virus outbreak has not deterred it.

It has reported no virus cases, but experts have cast doubt on this.

Sunday's test was of two short-range ballistic missiles fired from the eastern city of Wonsan. They flew for 410km (255 miles) with a maximum altitude of around 50km before falling into the sea, the South Korean military said.

Then on Monday, North Korean state media outlet KCNA reported that it had successfully tested "super large" multiple rocket launchers

By then the South had already condemned the North's actions In a harshly-worded statement.

"In a situation where the entire world is experiencing difficulties due to Covid-19, this kind of military act by North Korea is very inappropriate and we call for an immediate halt," said South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The latest test marked the eighth and ninth missiles launched in four rounds of tests this month, said news agency Reuters.

This is the most missiles ever fired in a single month by North Korea, according to a senior researcher at the James Martin Centre for Nonproliferation Studies.

"The only time we've seen tests this frequently were in 2016 and 2017," said Shea Cotton, who also posted details of missile tests that have taken place over the years