N Korea urges UN to discuss US naval exercise as threat

North Korea's ambassador is calling on the UN Security Council to urgently discuss the recent joint US naval exercise near the Korean peninsula, calling it part of preparations for a pre-emptive strike and "nuclear war" against his country. 

Ja Song Nam said in a letter circulated Wednesday that the Oct. 16 exercise was the largest "waged with general mobilisation of the nuclear strategic assets" after US President Donald Trump last month "made the most ferocious declaration of war in history by claiming to 'totally destroy'" North Korea. 

He said the naval exercise, which involved the nuclear aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan, three nuclear submarines, Aegis destroyers and more than 40 other battleships, increased tensions on the Korean peninsula. 

Ja said the Security Council must discuss the "nuclear threat from the US."