North Korea has criticized a UN aviation agency for adopting a resolution condemning the country's ballistic missile tests.

North Korea issued a statement through its aviation administration spokesperson on Saturday.

In it, the country justifies its missile launches as "regular and self-defense" actions. It claims they are "for defending the country's security and the regional peace from the US direct military threats that have lasted for more than half a century."

The International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO, which sets rules for civilian aircraft, had condemned North Korea for posing a serious safety risk to international civil aviation.

North Korea accused the ICAO of not taking a fair stance. It said the agency is instead going along with "hostile forces" like the United States, which it claimed puts political pressure on member countries.

It went on to categorically condemn and reject the agency's position "as a political provocation of the US and its vassal forces aimed to infringe upon the sovereignty" of North Korea.