North Korea's official media outlets have defended its development of missiles.

The Korean Central News Agency asserted Tuesday that Pyongyang has a legitimate right to test-fire, produce and deploy its missiles for self-defense.

The North Korean Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, said in an editorial that Pyongyang would feel no need to produce missiles if Washington did not pose a threat to North Korea by deploying nuclear weapons on and around the Korean peninsula.