North Korea has ramped up rhetoric ahead of a UN vote on sanctions in response to its nuclear test.

Accusing the US of pushing to start a war, it vowed to exercise its right to launch a pre-emptive nuclear attack against its aggressors.

The Security Council meets on Thursday to approve fresh sanctions against Pyongyang over the 12 February test.

North Korea's foreign ministry issued a statement carried by the KCNA news agency, without giving further details.