"At the command post, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un learned about a plan of the strike drill of various long-range strike means and gave an order of start of the drill," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Thursday's launch was the North's second weapons test in less than a week, amid tensions with the US over their fitful drive to reach an agreement under which North Korea would give up its nuclear weapons.

The North fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles from Kusong in North Pyongan province, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday.

The new KCNA statement did not say what kind of weapon was fired. It avoided using the words missile, rocket or projectile.

"The successful drill of deployment and strike designed to inspect the ability of rapid reaction of the defense units... fully showed the might of the units which were fully prepared to proficiently carry out any operation and combat," KCNA said.