Pyongyang appeared to admit for the first time that it sent a contingent of troops to fight in Ukraine, according to the North Korean media.

North Korea's involvement in the war has sparked fears of global escalation, with Seoul especially concerned of Pyongyang's troops gaining experience.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended a ceremony for the launch of a "new multipurpose destroyer", state media KCNA reported on Saturday. The 5,000-tonne warship was equipped with the "most powerful weapons" and built "within 400-odd days perfectly with our own strength and technology",