(LEAD) N. Korea warns U.S. nuclear submarine visit to S. Korea may fall under conditions for its nuke use

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with more remarks)

SEOUL, July 20 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's defense chief warned Thursday a U.S. nuclear-capable strategic submarine's port visit to South Korea this week may fall under the legal conditions for his country's use of nuclear weapons.

Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam made the remarks, issuing an anticipated criticism of the visit here by the USS Kentucky, an 18,750-ton Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), and the inaugural meeting of the South Korea-U.S. Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) this week.

"I remind the U.S. military of the fact that the ever-increasing visibility of the deployment of the strategic nuclear submarine and other strategic assets may fall under the conditions of the use of nuclear weapons specified in DPRK law on nuclear force policy," he said in a press statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kang pointed out that the North's nuclear doctrine allows for the execution of necessary procedures in cases where a nuclear attack is launched against it or it is judged that the use of nuclear weapons against it is imminent.

"The U.S. military side should realize that its nuclear assets have entered extremely dangerous waters," he said.

Last year, North Korea enacted the law on nuclear use, raising fears that it would allow for the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in the face of what it views as an imminent threat.

The minister claimed the first SSBN deployment here since 1981 posed "the most undisguised and direct nuclear threat" to the North.

"This shows that the U.S. scenario for a nuclear attack upon the DPRK and its implementation have entered the most critical stage of visualization and systemization and the phase of a military clash on the Korean peninsula has surfaced as a dangerous reality beyond all sorts of imagination and presumption," he said.

Kang also said the U.S. and South Korea have gone beyond the "red line."

"I seriously warn once again the U.S. and the 'ROK' military gangsters' group daringly touting the 'end of regime' in our country," he said. "Any use of their military muscle against the DPRK will be their most miserable choice by which they will have no room to think of their existence again."

ROK stands for the South's official name, the Republic of Korea.

He was referring to the U.S.' warning that any nuclear attack by the North against the South will result in the end of the North Korean regime.

The USS Kentucky arrived in the southeastern port city of Busan on Tuesday. Its arrival coincided with the first NCG session.

The U.S. pledged to enhance the "regular visibility" of its high-profile military assets, including SSBNs, in the Washington Declaration that Presidents Yoon Suk Yeol and Joe Biden issued during their summit in April.

In the declaration, the two sides announced the creation of the NCG aimed at enhancing America's extended deterrence commitment to using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to defend its ally.

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