M'kay...This is probably nothing, really...
North Korea says it ends peace pacts with South
North Korea says it is scrapping all non-aggression pacts with South Korea, closing its hotline with Seoul and closing the crossing point between the two countries.
The announcement follows a fresh round of UN sanctions against Pyongyang over its controversial nuclear programme.
The UN resolution was in response to the North's nuclear test last month.
Earlier, Pyongyang vowed to use its right to a pre-emptive nuclear strike against its "aggressors".
The latest announcement, carried on North Korea's state news agency, says the North is cancelling all non-aggression pacts with the South and closing the main Panmunjom border crossing inside the Demilitarized Zone.
It said it was notifying the South that it was "immediately" cutting off the North-South hotline.
The threatened pre-emptive nuclear strike seems more bluff than reality, since the North's leaders know it would be suicidal”
Will sanctions persuade or provoke?
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is also reported to have visited front-line military units that were involved in the 2010 shelling of a South Korean island.
He is said to have urged the soldiers there to keep themselves ready to "annihilate the enemy" at any time, and reconfirmed so-called "enemy targets" on five islands in the West Sea.
Earlier, the UN Security Council unanimously backed Resolution 2094, imposing the fourth set of sanctions against the North.
The resolution targets North Korean diplomats, cash transfers and access to luxury goods.
It imposes asset freezes and travel bans on three individuals and two firms linked to North Korea's military.
Speaking after the vote, US ambassador to the UN Susan Rice said the document "strongly condemns" Pyongyang's actions.
North Korean TV has been showing images of Kim Jong-un visiting troops at undisclosed locations
She said the sanctions would "further constrain" North Korea's ability to develop its nuclear programme.
Ms Rice also warned that the UN would "take further significant actions" if Pyongyang were to carry out another nuclear test.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang issued a statement supporting the UN resolution and describing it as a "moderate response".
He said China urged "relevant parties" to stay calm and "refrain from taking any action that could escalate tensions".
Before the UN vote, Pyongyang accused the US of pushing to start a war.
"As long as the United States is willing to spark nuclear war, our forces will exercise their right to a pre-emptive nuclear strike," said North Korea's foreign ministry, in a statement carried by the KCNA news agency.
