North Korea warns nuclear response after US submarine docks in South

North Korea on Thursday (July 20) warned that the visit of US nuclear-capable submarine to South Korea could “legally” force Pyongyang to use its nuclear weapons.

Speaking on the arrival of US Ohio-class submarine in Busan port, North Korean defence minister Kang Sun Nam threatened that it "may fall under the conditions of the use of nuclear weapons specified in the DPRK law on thenuclear force policy".

Democratic People's Republic of Korea(DPRK) is the official name of North Korea.

Direct nuclear threat to North Korea

The defence minister warned that the presence of the submarine was an "undisguised and direct nuclear threat to the DPRK", and meant that "strategic nuclear weapons have been deployed on the Korean peninsula for the first time after 40 odd years", reports state media KCNA.

"The armed forces of the DPRK will responsibly carry out their important mission for defending the country's sovereignty, territorial integrity and fundamental interests and preventing a nuclear war on the Korean peninsula," the minister said in a statement.

Last year, North Korea adopted sweeping nuclear law, setting out an array of scenarios in which it could use its nukes, including pre-emptive nuclear strikes if threatened.

South-North ties on downward spiral

The relations between North and the South have nosedived as Kim Jong Un has recently called for increasing weapons development, including tactical nuclear weapons, while Seoul has been growing even more closer to Washington.

The visit of US nuclear-capable submarine to South Korea for the first time since 1981 was in response to North Korea conducting test string of banned weapons test, including nuclear ballistic missiles.

On Wednesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol visited the Ohio-class submarine and its northern neighbour that if it attempts to use nuclear weapons against the South, "it will lead to the demise of its regime".

US, South Korea growing closer

Ohio-class subs can carry up to 20 Trident II ballistic missiles. The US Navy typically does not confirm if a submarine is carrying nuclear weapons before it goes out to sea.

The allies also held their first Nuclear Consultative Group meeting in Seoul Tuesday, to improve their joint response to any nuclear attack by North Korea.

Seoul and Washington have ramped up defence cooperation in response, staging joint military exercises with advanced stealth jets and US strategic assets.

(With inputs from agencies)

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