PYONGYANG -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) would not give up the nuclear counter-attack ability until eliminating the US nuclear threat, the Minju Choson daily said on Thursday.

In a commentary, the newspaper said that the US Defense Secretary Gates providing nuclear umbrella to South Korea proved that the United States attempted to ignite war in the Korean peninsula. So the DPRK should strengthen its nuclear counter-attack ability, or , it would become the victim of US aggression.

It said the DPRK's nuclear counter-attack ability was only "the means of preventing wars and protecting the sovereignty."