SEOUL, Sept 25: North Korea on Sunday denounced draft US military policy on the use of nuclear weapons and vowed “powerful” retaliation if it suffered a nuclear attack. “The US new doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons is of an increasingly belligerent and offensive nature,” Minju Joson newspaper said in reference to a proposed revision to the US Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations.

The modified doctrine, still under review, would allow a pre-emptive nuclear strike on countries which the United States fears could use weapons of mass destruction including nuclear bombs, according to North Korean media reports.

“The army and people of the DPRK (North Korea) are proud of having built such a self-defensive deterrent strong enough to protect the national dignity and security from the US nuclear threat,” the newspaper said.

In case of a nuclear attack by the United States, North Koreans “will exercise their legitimate right to self-defence as a powerful means of retaliation,” the government mouthpiece added.

The comments came six days after the United States gave the Stalinist state a non-aggression pledge following the latest round of six-way talks aimed at securing North Korea’s nuclear disarmament.

Pyongyang agreed to a statement of principles on abandoning its nuclear weapons in return for energy and security guarantees. The United States reaffirmed it had no intention to invade or attack North Korea with nuclear or other conventional weapons.

However, North Korea subsequently demanded that the United States provide light-water reactors to generate electric power as evidence it has ended its “hostile” policy.

Washington says the reactors will be discussed only after Pyongyang abandons its nuclear weapons in a verifiable manner.

The nuclear standoff flared up in October 2002 when the United States accused North Korea of breaking a 1994 nuclear safeguards agreement.—AFP