North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gave operational strategy instructions to improve the military's combat readiness and combat capability during a visit to the air force headquarters on November 30 to mark the North's Pilots' Day, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

"Leader Kim Jong-un highly appreciated the pilots' close combat readiness to carry out combat missions in the air without any trouble, regardless of adverse conditions," KCNA reported.

North Korea last week successfully launched its first spy satellite, which it said was designed to monitor US and South Korean military activities.

The US and its allies have strongly condemned the launch, accusing it of violating multiple UN Security Council resolutions. Pyongyang has vowed to launch more satellites, calling it an exercise of self-defense.

South Korea has suspended part of an inter-Korean military agreement in response to the launch and stepped up surveillance along its heavily fortified border with North Korea. Pyongyang responded by vowing to deploy more powerful forces and place new weapons along the border.