North Korea says its leader Kim Jong Un has overseen anti-air combat and air raid drills by an air force flight group, and underscored the need to bolster war readiness.

Saturday's edition of the ruling Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported that Kim inspected drills on Thursday, including to detect, track and destroy enemy cruise missiles and so-called suicide drones.

The newspaper carried photos of a fighter jet firing a missile toward a target and a helicopter attacking a drone.

Kim was quoted as calling on all units of the military to bring about a "radical turn" in war preparations.

The newspaper said a new type of long-range precision-guided glide bomb was tested. It also reported that demonstrations took place of strategic reconnaissance drones and multi-purpose drones.

South Korean media have expressed the view that the North aims to utilize the combat experience of soldiers dispatched to Russia in relation to its invasion of Ukraine.