"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 preemptive 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-defense 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 by running a secret uranium-enrichment program.

North Korea denied the claims, but responded by throwing out international inspectors and withdrawing from the nuclear nonproliferation treaty.

In February this year North Korea admitted having built nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile a legislator from South Korea's ruling Uri Party, Choi Sung, on Sunday disclosed what he said was a declassified US military document stating that US troops in the South had once been equipped with nuclear weapons.

The 1987 document set guidelines for "the safety, security, custody, and reliability of nuclear weapons assigned to this unit" at a US army base at Chunchon northeast of Seoul.

The document did not say how long the US military unit was operating. In 1992 South Korea declared itself free of nuclear weapons.

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