DHAKA: North Korea has slammed the South’s recent ballistic missile test, calling it a ‘farce’ aimed at showing off Seoul’s military strength in the face of threats from Pyongyang.

Seoul said on Friday it had successfully test-fired a new ballistic missile capable of carrying a one-tonne payload up to 500 kilometers, suggesting it could hit any part of the North.

The launch was carried out on March 23, just three days before the North test-fired two medium-range ballistic missiles capable of striking Japan.

A spokesman for the North’s military heaped derision on Seoul’s rocket test late Saturday, pointing to its range of ‘just 500 kilometers’.

BDST: 1359 HRS, APR 06, 2014