The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) accused the United States yesterday of planning a nuclear attack in a report which came as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Seoul for talks on Pyongyang.

It was the latest in increasingly angry rhetoric by the DPRK, which earlier in the day said it was ready for war with the Republic of Korea.

"The US bellicose quarters are pushing ahead with the moves for rounding off the preparations ... in a bid to make a pre-emptive nuclear strike," the DPRK's official media said.