NKorea threatens US; world anticipates missile

North Korea threatened Wednesday to wipe the United States off the map as Washington and its allies watched for signs the regime will launch a series of missiles in the coming days.

a U.S. destroyer was tailing a North Korean ship suspected of transporting illicit weapons to Myanmar in what could be the first test of U.N. sanctions passed to punish the nation for an underground nuclear test last month.

The ship, accused of transporting banned goods in the past, is believed bound for Myanmar,

"If the U.S. imperialists start another war, the army and people of Korea will ... wipe out the aggressors on the globe once and for all,"

North Korea has banned ships from the waters off its east coast starting Thursday through July 10 for military exercises,