On Friday, North Korea strongly criticized the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group in South Korea, deeming it a provocative action and once again suggesting the possibility of resorting to nuclear weapons for self-defense.

Empowered by the progression of its nuclear arsenal, North Korea has increasingly issued threats of pre-emptive nuclear use. Nevertheless, North Korea remains outmatched by U.S. and South Korean military capabilities, and experts contend that the country is unlikely to initiate the use of nuclear weapons. Instead, it is expected to continue enhancing its nuclear arsenal while refraining from diplomatic negotiations for the time being.

North Korea's most recent nuclear threat emerged a day after the USS Ronald Reagan and its accompanying battle group arrived at South Korea's southeastern port of Busan, following a joint naval exercise involving the United States, South Korea, and Japan in international waters earlier in the week.

South Korean defense officials noted that the carrier would remain docked in Busan for five days as part of an agreement to augment temporary deployments of robust U.S. military assets in response to North Korea's advancing nuclear program.

On Friday, North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency described the arrival of the aircraft carrier as "a blatantly provocative military move" that indicates the realization of a U.S. plan to attack North Korea. The statement also conveyed the North's intention to respond in accordance with its doctrine that permits the pre-emptive use of nuclear weapons. The KCNA dispatch stated, "The (North Korean) doctrine regarding the use of nuclear weapons, which is now public, outlines the procedures for taking necessary actions if a nuclear attack is launched against it or if a nuclear attack is deemed imminent."

North Korea further stated, "The 'most powerful and rapid first strike will be given to the extended deterrence,' utilized by the U.S. to manipulate its followers and the bases of malevolence in the Korean Peninsula and its vicinity," according to the KCNA.

North Korea has argued that it was compelled to develop nuclear weapons in response to what it perceives as U.S. and South Korean plans for invasion. It has frequently reacted vehemently to the deployment of U.S. strategic assets such as aircraft carriers, long-range bombers, and nuclear-powered submarines, as well as to joint training exercises involving U.S. and South Korean forces.

Many experts suggest that North Korea escalates tensions with its adversaries to create a pretext for expanding its nuclear arsenal, which it then uses as leverage to secure more significant concessions from external parties.

Since last year, North Korea has conducted over 100 missile tests, ostensibly in response to the expanded U.S.-South Korean military exercises. Both Washington and Seoul maintain that their exercises are defensive in nature.

In the previous year, North Korea enacted a law that outlines various scenarios in which it might employ nuclear weapons, including when it determines that its leadership faces an imminent threat from hostile forces or when it needs to prevent an unspecified catastrophic crisis involving its people and government.

The U.S. and South Korean governments have consistently cautioned that any attempt by North Korea to use nuclear weapons would result in the collapse of the North Korean government led by Kim Jong Un.