North Korea's state media, KCNA, announced that the country successfully tested a carbon-fibre bomb, a type of weapon designed to disrupt electrical systems and cause widespread blackouts rather than physical destruction. General Kim Jong Sik, who oversaw the tests, referred to the bomb and an electromagnetic weapon as 'special assets' for the North Korean military. The carbon-fibre bomb, also known as a graphite or blackout bomb, disperses fine carbon-fibre strands that can short-circuit power lines and transformers. The United States previously deployed similar weapons during the Gulf War in 1991 and the 1999 NATO campaign in Yugoslavia. North Korea's claim to have tested this bomb places it among a limited number of militaries with such capabilities. In addition to the carbon-fibre bomb, North Korea tested a cluster-bomb warhead mounted on the Hwasongpho-11 Ka tactical ballistic missile, which is reported to have the capacity to cover up to 7 hectares. The recent tests come at a significant time, coinciding with a visit from Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and speculation about a potential summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.