North Korea said Wednesday that the United States and the United Nations Security Council should be held accountable for the possible outbreak of war on the divided peninsula ahead of this week's UN meeting on the North's nuclear issue.

North Korea's foreign ministry said that the US is to blame for pushing the Korean Peninsula to the brink of nuclear war by conducting joint military drills with South Korea and bringing its nuclear strategic assets to the region, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

"In case a war breaks out on the peninsula, the US will be held wholly accountable for causing trouble after bringing lots of strategic assets and special warfare means," an unidentified ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by the KCNA.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will chair a special meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday in New York to discuss North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

Washington is seeking to drum up international support for its move to boost pressure on North Korea amid speculation that Pyongyang may conduct another nuclear test or fire a long-range missile.

Pyongyang also condemned the UNSC for slapping sanctions against the North, claiming that it is developing nuclear weapons as the country has a legitimate right to self-defense in accordance with the UN charter.

"The UNSC that has toed the US line will never be able to evade its responsibility," the spokesman said.

North Korea has claimed that its development of nuclear weapons is a deterrent against what it calls Washington's hostile policy toward it. (Yonhap)