N.Korea furious over US-South Korea war games

The US and South Korea's plans to hold joint military exercises pose a major threat to the region, North Korea says. Some 20 ships and submarines and 100 aircraft are to take part in four days of manoeuvres in the Sea of Japan from Sunday. North Korea has also said new US sanctions against it would violate a UN statement issued after the sinking of a South Korean warship in March. The North Korean comments came at a regional security conference. The Asean summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, brings together foreign ministers from the US and South-East Asian nations, including China and North and South Korea. It is set to issue a statement on Friday about the sinking of the Cheonan - with the loss of 46 lives - in March. A multinational investigation team found the ship had been torpedoed by North Korea - a conclusion that Pyongyang rejects.