North Korea threatens 'pre-emptive nuclear strikes' on South Korea and US

North Korea has threatened "indiscriminate" nuclear strikes against South Korea and the US if the two allies go ahead with joint military drills on Monday.

The announcement, described as a "pre-emptive nuclear strike of justice", was made in a statement by the Supreme Command of the Korean People's Army on Sunday, AFP reports.

More than 300,000 South Korean and 15,000 US troops will take part in the drill, understood to be their largest ever joint military exercise, Yonhap news agency reports.

The exercises, which begin on Monday and will last until 30 April, are intended to caution North Korea against nuclear incitements, South Koran defence minister Han Min-koo is reported as saying.
The drills will begin days after the United Nations Security Council passed the toughest sanctions in two decades against North Korea after it carried out a nuclear bomb test and launched a long-range missile, causing security tensions to increase.