North Korea: Nuclear Arms Can Be Used as a 'Merciless Offensive Means'

North Korean issued its usual incendiary rhetoric today referring to their nuclear arsenal. But today it came with a twist.

For the first time, North Korea used the term "offensive" in describing how it might use its nuclear arsenal.

"Our nuclear deterrent will be a strong defensive means...as well as a merciless offensive means to deal a just retaliatory strike to those who touch the country's dignity and sovereignty even a bit," said the commentary, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.

Seoul's Yonhap news agency also reported that South Korea had doubled the number of naval ships around the disputed sea border with the North. That was the scene of skirmishes in 1999 and 2002.