North Korean President Kim Jong Un laughed and cheered during the test-firing of a short-range missile as the reclusive regime said the demented despot warned of a “bigger gift package” for the US.

Images released by the state-run KCNA news agency on Tuesday show a beaming Kim sitting at a desk apparently supervising Monday’s launch of a rocket that landed in the Sea of Japan, the third missile firing in as many weeks.

Other photos showed him consulting with military officials as a missile sits on a platform in the background.

Kim has ramped up the country’s missile testing as it experiments with developing an intercontinental missile capable of striking the US mainland.

So far in 2017, North Korea has launched 12 missiles during nine tests and Kim is promising more to come.

“He expressed the conviction that it would make a greater leap forward in this spirit to send a bigger ‘gift package’ to the Yankees” in retaliation for American military provocation, KCNA reported, quoting the leader.

South Korea and Japan have condemned the tests and Russia has encouraged a diplomatic solution instead of military action to curb Kim’s military provocations.

The Trump administration has ordered a Navy strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson to the waters off the Korean peninsula and has asked China to exert its influence on North Korea.

And the Pentagon is expected to test its ability to shoot down a rocket using an upgraded interceptor missile during an operation in the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, CNN reported.

While it appears to be a test of whether the US military can counter a North Korean launch, the Pentagon said the exercise is testing the US’ capability to knock down any threatening missiles, including from Iran, CNN reported.