North Korea threatens 'overwhelming nuclear force' amid U.S. military action in South Korea

The North Korean government on Thursday hinted that it might resort to nuclear options if U.S. military forces in South Korea continue conducting martial exercises there.

"The military and political situation in the Korean peninsula and the region has reached an extremely dangerous phase due to the reckless military confrontations and hostile acts of the U.S. and its vassal forces," the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a Thursday statement. 

"The U.S. is now working hard to 'demonize' the DPRK, spreading again all sorts of rumors," the ministry claimed. "Meanwhile, it, together with its vassal forces, is intensifying the full-scale offensive for putting pressure on the DPRK in all aspects including 'human rights', sanctions and military affairs."

The ministry said the autocratic country "has a clear counteraction strategy capable of coping with any short- and long-term scenarios attempted by the U.S." and that North Korean military forces "will strongly control the present and future potential challenges with the most overwhelming nuclear force."

The dictatorship is estimated to hold as many as nearly four dozen nuclear weapons, with the capability of producing several more every year.