SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea asserted on Thursday that it had successfully conducted a significant missile test aimed at advancing its capabilities with multiple warheads, a claim promptly refuted by South Korea as an attempt to mask a failed launch.

According to North Korea's state news agency KCNA, the test carried out on Wednesday utilized the first-stage solid-fuel engine of an intermediate-range ballistic missile. KCNA reported that the missile effectively deployed multiple warheads, each precisely guided to three predetermined targets, as part of its development of multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) technology.

"Our objective was to enhance our ability to target specific locations with multiple warheads," KCNA stated.

However, South Korea’s military dismissed North Korea's assertions, stating that a joint analysis with the U.S. military determined the missile exploded during its initial flight phase.

"North Korea disclosed certain information today, but we view it as a tactic of deception and exaggeration," said Lee Sung-joon, spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff during a press briefing.

Lee also expressed skepticism regarding the authenticity of the photos released by North Korea purportedly showing Wednesday’s test, suggesting they were likely fabricated or reused images from a previous launch.

In response to the purported missile test, South Korea, the United States, and Japan collectively condemned it as a blatant violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and a significant threat to regional stability. They cautioned against further provocations following the recent summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

To demonstrate readiness and solidarity, the three nations launched large-scale joint military exercises on Thursday under the banner of "Freedom Edge." These drills, initiated following discussions at a three-way summit in Camp David last year, involve navy destroyers, fighter jets, and the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt. The exercises aim to bolster defense capabilities against missile threats, submarine activities, and aerial assaults.

North Korea responded with criticism to the military maneuvers, labeling the presence of the U.S. aircraft carrier as a "highly dangerous" display of military force.

During Putin’s recent visit to North Korea, the two leaders signed a mutual defense pact that Kim Jong Un hailed as an alliance. However, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol criticized it as outdated and out of sync with current international norms.

In a separate statement, North Korean Defense Minister Kang Sun Nam condemned Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles in its recent attack on Crimea. Russia reported casualties from the attack, describing it as a brutal act against humanity. Kang Sun Nam accused the United States of being a leading state sponsor of terrorism for providing weapons to Ukraine, a charge Washington refuted by stating it supports Ukraine in defending its sovereign territory, including Crimea.

The situation underscores escalating tensions in the region amid ongoing missile tests by North Korea and the consequential geopolitical responses from neighboring countries and international allies alike.