North Korea raises the specter of nuclear strike over US aircraft carrier’s arrival in South Korea

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea is lashing out at the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group in South Korea, calling it a provocation and again raising the specter of using nuclear weapons to defend itself. The North’s state media issued that threat Friday, citing its escalatory nuclear doctrine. A day earlier, the USS Ronald Reagan and its battle group arrived at South Korea’s southeastern port of Busan, following joint naval exercises with South Korea and Japan in international waters. North Korea has increasingly issued threats to use nuclear weapons preemptively. but it is still outgunned by U.S. and South Korean forces. Experts say it’s unlikely to use its nukes first.