N.Korea slams US' new nuclear plan, vows to boost its nuclear capabilities

North Korea has slammed the US' revised nuclear strategy plan, warning that it would further strengthen its own nuclear capability.

The country's Foreign Ministry on Saturday accused Washington of developing the structure of alliance with its "satellite countries" in the Asia-Pacific region, including South Korea and Japan, into a nuclear-based military bloc.

North Korea "will as ever bolster its strategic strength in every way to control and eliminate all sorts of security challenges that may result from the US' dangerous nuclear posture readjustment, and resolutely counter any type of nuclear threat," it said in a statement published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

On Tuesday, The New York Times reported that President Joe Biden approved a highly classified nuclear strategy plan this March to focus on China's rapid expansion of its nuclear arsenal and prepare for possible coordinated nuclear challenges from China, Russia, and North Korea.

However, North Korea said it does not matter how Washington exaggerated the nuclear threat from other countries, but they will continue to push forward the building of their nuclear force.

"This is the most essential and legitimate exercise of the right to self-defence, to ensure the regional peace and security and protect itself," it said.

North Korea, Russia and China ties

The United States and Seoul have accused North Korea of providing ammunition and missiles to Russia for its war in Ukraine.

Pyongyang, which has declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear weapons power, has described allegations of supplying weapons to Russia as "absurd".

However, it did thank Russia for using its United Nations veto in March to effectively end monitoring of sanctions violations just as UN experts were starting to probe alleged arms transfers.

China, also a key ally of North Korea, presents itself as a neutral party in Russia's offensive on Ukraine and says it is not sending lethal assistance to either side, unlike the United States and other Western nations.