BEIJING (Kyodo) -- North Korea said Sunday it test-fired strategic cruise missiles the previous day, with leader Kim Jong Un overseeing Pyongyang's first missile test since the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The examination of the sea-to-surface cruise guided weapons was aimed to "raise the effectiveness of strategic control against potential enemies in conformity with the changing regional safety circumstances," the official Korean Central News Agency said.

The country's Foreign Ministry also criticized the United States and South Korea over their recent joint miliary drills in a statement carried by KCNA on Sunday, warning such moves would be met with "the toughest counteraction from A to Z" as long as Washington refuses to recognize North Korea's sovereignty and security interests.

This is the "best option" for dealing with the United States, the ministry added.

On Saturday, the strategic cruise missiles precisely hit their targets after traveling on 1,500 kilometer-long elliptical and figure of eight-shaped flight orbits for more than two hours, according to KCNA.

Kim noted the test showed Pyongyang's deterrence was "being perfected more thoroughly" and affirmed that North Korea will "perform its important mission and duty for defending sustainable and lasting peace and stability on the basis of more powerfully developed military muscle in the future," the agency said.