North Korea has unveiled a new battle tank to reaffirm its resolve to prepare for warfare against South Korea, as Seoul and Washington wrapped up their annual combined Freedom Shield exercise on Thursday.

According to the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency(KCNA), regime leader Kim Jong-un supervised a so-called "training match" between tank units on Wednesday.

Expressing satisfaction over the striking power and maneuverability of what he called "the world's most powerful tanks," Kim ordered intensive training simulating an actual war so that they can carry out any combat mission promptly and accurately.

The KCNA also showed photos of Kim personally driving the new tank, which local experts assess to have been upgraded after it was first displayed during a military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the ruling Workers' Party in October 2020.