Seoul — North Korea said on Monday it had completed an "important" final-stage test ahead of the launch of a military observation satellite next year.

The test conducted on Sunday used a "satellite test body" and was aimed at verifying the operational capabilities of the photography, data transmission and ground control systems, state media reported, citing the National Aerospace Development Administration.

The launch was successful and paves the way for the military reconnaissance satellite to be sent up by April, state media said.

The report comes a day after South Korea accused the North of firing a pair of medium-range ballistic missiles off the peninsula's east coast. The missiles flew eastward about 500 kilometres toward the open sea.

UN resolutions prohibit North Korea from testing ballistic missiles of any range. Depending on their design, they can also be equipped with a nuclear warhead. North Korea has ratcheted up tensions in the region by conducting a string of missile tests during the past several months. Observers fear that Pyongyang's first nuclear test in years is imminent.

North Korea declared several months ago that it had undertaken tests for a reconnaissance satellite. The US and South Korea had assessed that the test launches were related to Pyongyang's work on a new intercontinental ballistic missile system.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un had called for the introduction of spy satellites and reconnaissance drones, among other arms projects, at a congress of the ruling Workers' Party in early 2021.

©2022 dpa GmbH. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.