PYONGYANG PROTESTS NAVAL EXERCISES BY U.S.

North Korea’s ambassador called on the UN Security Council Wednesday to urgently discuss the recent U.S. joint naval exercise near the Korean peninsula, calling it preparation for a pre-emptive strike and nuclear war against his country.

Ja Song Nam said in a letter that the naval exercise was the largest “waged with general mobilization of the nuclear strategic assets” after U.S. President Donald Trump last month “made the most ferocious declaration of war in history by claiming to ‘totally destroy’ the DPRK.” Those are the initials of the country’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Ja said the naval exercise, which began Oct. 16 and involved the nuclear aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan, three nuclear submarines, Aegis destroyers and more than 40 other battleships and fighter aircraft “of all kinds,” increased tensions on the Korean peninsula.

The five-day naval drills with the South Korean navy came ahead of Trump’s first official visit to Asia next month, which is likely to be overshadowed by tensions with North Korea over its escalating nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The U.S. and South Korea regularly conduct joint military exercises that Pyongyang condemns as invasion rehearsals.