North Korea's foreign ministry has condemned US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for referring to the country as a "rogue state."

This is the first time Pyongyang has criticized a member of President Donald Trump's new administration by name.

Rubio said in a media interview on January 30 that "you have rogue states like Iran and North Korea you have to deal with."

A spokesperson for North Korea's foreign ministry issued a statement on Monday through state-run media. It condemned Rubio's remarks as a "political provocation."

It said the remarks once again confirm that "the hostile US policy" toward North Korea remains unchanged.

It added that Pyongyang will not overlook any provocations by the United States, but will counteract accordingly.

North Korea's Institute for Disarmament and Peace, which is affiliated with the foreign ministry, also indicated its stance on the United States on Monday.

The organization criticized the Trump administration's policy to reinforce US missile defense systems, and stressed Pyongyang's resolve to continue its nuclear and missile development programs.

The institute said the increasingly severe global security environment demands North Korea's continued development of its self-defense capabilities, centering on nuclear deterrence, to deal with the US.