North Korea denounces U.S. nuclear policy, claims to have "deterrent"

North Korea warned Sunday it had a "powerful deterrent" against a U.S. nuclear attack, criticizing moves in Washington to authorize pre-emptive use of atomic weapons against states or terrorists armed with weapons of mass destruction.

"Our armed forces and people take pride that we've secured a powerful deterrent for self-defense against U.S. nuclear threats," the North's official Minju Joson newspaper said in a commentary.

It did not elaborate on the deterrent, but the North usually uses the term to refer to its nuclear weapons. In February, North Korea declared that it had built nuclear weapons, although the claim could not be verified independently.