Kim Jong Un claimed his regime's missile program is a necessary deterrent amid continuing threats from external forces.

The tests were apparent references to the multiple missile launches that neighbouring countries said North Korea performed off its east coast on Wednesday, extending its run of weapons display as confrontations with the US and South Korea escalate.

North Korea has reported that its leader, Kim Jong Un, supervised successful tests of two types of missiles, one capable of carrying a 'super-large conventional warhead' and another likely for a nuclear warhead.