UN hits N. Korea with new sanctions amid attack threat

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The United Nations (UN) Security Council on Thursday slammed tough new sanctions on North Korea amid escalating tensions as the isolated regime threatened a pre-emptive nuclear strike against the United States.

Washington said it was "fully capable" of defending itself against any North Korean attack as international powers rallied behind the fourth round of UN punishment of Pyongyang.

After an accord between US and Chinese negotiators, the 15-member Security Council unanimously added new names to the UN sanctions blacklist and tightened restrictions on North Korea's financial dealings, notably its suspect "bulk cash" transfers.

Ahead of the meeting, North Korea bitterly condemned South Korean-US military exercises and said its army would "exercise the right to a pre-emptive nuclear attack to destroy the strongholds of the aggressors".