--- title: "North Korea threatens nuclear use over US-South Korea defense talks" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/north-korea-threatens-nuclear-use-over-us-south-korea-defense-talks" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/north-korea-threatens-nuclear-use-over-us-south-korea-defense-talks" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/north-korea-threatens-nuclear-use-over-us-south-korea-defense-talks.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/north-korea-threatens-nuclear-use-over-us-south-korea-defense-talks" category: "Conflict & Security" area: "Russia" published: "2026-09-16T14:45:50.397Z" source_reported: "2026-09-16T13:53:26.000Z" updated: "2026-09-16T14:45:50.397Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 61 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-16T16:30:36.609645+00:00" --- # North Korea threatens nuclear use over US-South Korea defense talks *Pyongyang condemns agreement to share information and enhance joint capabilities against WMD threats.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Central claim attributed to a named body, but relies on anonymous sourcing in digests. - Craft 61 of 100, higher is better. Reports quote or give right of reply to those affected, responsible or opposed. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. Headlines promise nuclear threats, but the body details a conditional response based on law. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - North Korea's Ministry of Defense has warned that nuclear weapons could be deployed in response to US and South Korean actions. - The warning came after the US and South Korea held talks on September 10 to establish a system for information sharing and joint capabilities against potential WMD attacks from North Korea. - North Korea's 2022 law on nuclear forces policy outlines conditions for nuclear weapon use when a nuclear or WMD attack is judged to be imminent. - Pyongyang accused the US and South Korea of using accusations as a cover for their own development and spread of weapons of mass destruction. North Korea's Ministry of Defense has stated that nuclear weapons could be used in response to actions by the US and South Korea. The ministry condemned an agreement between the two nations, reached on September 10, to establish a system for sharing information and enhancing joint capabilities to counter potential weapons of mass destruction (WMD) attacks from North Korea. A spokesperson for the ministry described the agreement as an "open declaration of confrontation" and a serious warning. The North Korean ministry also accused the US and South Korea of using accusations as a cover for their own actions in developing and spreading weapons of mass destruction. North Korea's law on nuclear forces policy, adopted in 2022, outlines conditions for nuclear weapon use, including when a nuclear or WMD attack is judged to be imminent. ## Disagreement on accusations North Korea's Ministry of Defense claimed that accusations from the US and South Korea are a cover for their own development and spread of WMD. The reports do not contain any statements from the US or South Korea addressing this specific accusation. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated reports mention the specific date of September 10 for the US-South Korea defense talks. The left-rated report from The Korea Times and the centre-rated report from ZN.UA Зеркало недели do mention this date. ## Who covered it Shares of the 8 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 13% (1) - Centre: 12% (1) - Right: 75% (6) 11 of 19 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-16T16:30:36.609645+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 4 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-16T17:15:37.567Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The Korea Times, rated left, led with North Korea blasting defense talks between South Korea and the United States on ways to counter Pyongyang's weapons of mass destruction. The report stated that a spokesperson for North Korea's defense ministry called the talks an "open declaration of confrontation to make the use of nuclear and biochemical weapons against the DPRK in case of contingency on the Korean peninsula a fait accompli." The report also noted that North Korea's law on nuclear forces policy, adopted in 2022, outlines conditions for nuclear weapon use, including when a nuclear or WMD attack is judged to be imminent. ### Centre - ZN.UA Зеркало недели, rated centre, reported that North Korea may apply "the relevant provision of the law on state nuclear forces policy" in response to alleged threats from the US and South Korea. The report stated that a ministry representative advised the US to "correctly interpret the meaning of the invoking of the relevant provision and accept it as a grave warning." The centre-rated report also noted that North Korea's 2022 law on nuclear forces policy outlines conditions for nuclear weapon use when a nuclear or WMD attack is judged to be imminent. It also mentioned that North Korea's Ministry of Defense accused the US and South Korea of using accusations as a cover for their own actions in developing and spreading WMD. ### Right - Five reports rated right emphasised North Korea's threat to use nuclear weapons in response to US and South Korean policies or actions. Topwar.ru stated that the North Korean Ministry of Defense threatened Washington and Seoul with nuclear weapons in response to their aggressive policy, accusing them of strengthening military cooperation and increasing US military presence in the region. News-pravda.com reported that North Korea's Defense Ministry announced the possibility of using nuclear weapons in the event of a threat to the country's security. Mehr News Agency and Globo reported that North Korea's Defense Ministry condemned the agreement between the US and South Korea to strengthen cooperation in countering possible WMD attacks. Yonhap News Agency reported that North Korea reacted against recent discussions between South Korea and the US on countermeasures against WMD threats, stating it demands the invocation of the National Nuclear Forces Policy Act. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - veryLow: 1 - mixed: 3 - high: 4 - unknown: 11 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [snn.ir](https://snn.ir/fa/news/1456116/%D9%87%D8%B4%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AD%D9%85%D9%84%D9%87-%D9%87%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%A7%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7-%D9%88-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%AC%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A8%DB%8C) — North Korea Warns of Nuclear Attack on US and South Korea - [asriran.com](https://asriran.com/fa/news/1192129/%D9%87%D8%B4%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%87%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%A7%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7-%D9%88-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%AC%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A8%DB%8C) — North Korea's Nuclear Warning to the US and South Korea - [fararu.com](https://fararu.com/fa/news/1002685/%D9%87%D8%B4%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%87%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%A7%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%AC%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A8%DB%8C) — North Korea Issues Nuclear Warning to US and South Korea - [vz.ru](https://vz.ru/news/2026/9/16/1452035.html) — The DPRK Accused the US and South Korea of Preparing a Military Conflict with the Republic - [tgrthaber.com](https://tgrthaber.com/dunya/kuzey-koreden-abd-ve-guney-koreye-nukleerli-tehditkar-uyari-yasa-kapsaminda-kullanabi-3359721) — North Korea Issues a Nuclear Threat Warning to the US and South Korea: We Can Use Them Under the Law! - [Life.ru](https://life.ru/p/kndr-predupredila-yuzhnuyu-koreyu-i-ssha-o-vozmozhnom-primenenii-yadernogo) — The DPRK Warned South Korea and the US About the Possible Use of Nuclear Weapons - [Unknown](https://obozrevatel.com/novosti-mir/kriticheskij-vyizov-nashej-bezopasnosti-kndr-prigrozila-ssha-i-yuzhnoj-koree-yadernyim-oruzhiem.htm) — "Critical Challenge to Our Security": the DPRK Threatened the US and South Korea with Nuclear Weapons - [haberglobal.com](https://haberglobal.com/dunya/kuzey-koreden-gerilimi-artiran-aciklama-nukleer-silah-kullanma-ihtimali-dogabilir-544470) — North Korea Issues Statement that Escalates Tensions: "The Possibility of Using Nuclear Weapons May arise." - [topwar.ru](https://topwar.ru/289856-kndr-prigrozila-primenit-jadernoe-oruzhie-v-otvet-na-politiku-ssha-i-juzhnoj-korei.html) — North Korea Has Threatened to Use Nuclear Weapons in Response to US and South Korean Policies - [1news.com.ua](https://1news.com.ua/svit/kndr-vyslovyla-pogrozy-ssha-shhodo-vykorystannya-yadernoyi-zbroyi.html) — North Korea Threatens US to Use Nuclear Weapons - [ZN.UA Зеркало недели](https://zn.ua/WORLD/pkhenjan-nazval-sotrudnichestvo-ssha-i-juzhnoj-korei-deklaratsiej-konfrontatsii-i-prihrozil-jadernym-oruzhiem.html) — Pyongyang Called US and South Korea's Cooperation a Declaration of Confrontation and Threatened Nuclear Weapons - [news-pravda.com](https://news-pravda.com/world/2026/09/16/2596138.html) — North Korea threatens the United States and South Korea with the use of nuclear weapons - [Fakty.ua ФАКТЫ](https://fakty.ua/478771-kndr-prigrozila-ssha-yadernym-oruzhiem) — North Korea Threatens US with Nuclear Weapons - [The Korea Times](https://koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/northkorea/20260916/n-korea-blasts-s-korea-us-defense-talks-on-wmd-response) — N. Korea blasts S. Korea-US defense talks on WMD response - [Unknown](https://khabaronline.ir/news/2275548/%DA%A9%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%81%D9%82-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7-%D9%88-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%AC%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A8%DB%8C-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%85%D8%AD%DA%A9%D9%88%D9%85-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF) — North Korea Condemns US-South Korea Agreement - [Unknown](https://glavcom.ua/world/world-politics/sojuznik-rosiji-prihroziv-jadernoju-vidpoviddju-ssha-ta-pivdennij-koreji-1143277.html) — Russia's Ally Has Threatened a Nuclear Response From the US and South Korea - [Mehr News Agency](https://mehrnews.com/news/6949159/%DA%A9%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%81%D9%82-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7-%D9%88-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%AC%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A8%DB%8C-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%85%D8%AD%DA%A9%D9%88%D9%85-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF) — North Korea Condemns US-South Korea Agreement - [연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency](https://yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260916182100504) — North Korea Backlashes on South Korea-U.S. WMD Response Meeting… "Could Be Conditions for Invoking Nuclear Forces Act" - [Globo](https://g1.globo.com/mundo/noticia/2026/09/16/coreia-do-norte-condena-acordo-de-cooperacao-de-defesa-entre-eua-e-coreia-do-sul-declaracao-de-confronto.ghtml) — North Korea Condemns US-South Korea Defense Agreement ## Questions **What prompted North Korea's nuclear threat?** North Korea issued a nuclear threat in response to defense talks held between the United States and South Korea on September 10. These talks focused on establishing a system for sharing information and enhancing joint capabilities to counter potential weapons of mass destruction attacks from North Korea. Pyongyang condemned this agreement as a "declaration of confrontation." **Under what conditions can North Korea use nuclear weapons?** North Korea's law on nuclear forces policy, adopted in 2022, outlines the conditions for nuclear weapon use. These conditions include situations where a nuclear or weapons of mass destruction (WMD) attack is judged to be imminent. A spokesperson for North Korea's Ministry of Defense indicated that the recent US-South Korea agreement could necessitate invoking this law. **What accusations did North Korea make against the US and South Korea?** North Korea's Ministry of Defense accused the United States and South Korea of using accusations as a cover for their own actions in developing and spreading weapons of mass destruction. Pyongyang also described the US-South Korea agreement to strengthen cooperation against WMD as an "open declaration of confrontation." --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/conflict/north-korea-threatens-nuclear-use-over-us-south-korea-defense-talks. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "North Korea threatens nuclear use over US-South Korea defense talks", https://mediabias.news/conflict/north-korea-threatens-nuclear-use-over-us-south-korea-defense-talks