North Korea's New Propaganda Video Is Very Dramatic

A weapon zeroes in on an aircraft carrier just before the vessel explodes into flames. A missile launches into the sky, careening across the ocean before blowing up the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.. No, it's not the climax of the summer's hottest action movie, but rather, scenes from a recently released North Korea propaganda video. In a sign of increasing tensions between the two nations, North Korea released a video depicting a simulated attack on Washington, D.C. on Thursday.

Released by Mearir, North Korea's propaganda outlet, the video features footage of missiles and other weaponry, along with simulated attacks on U.S. aircraft carriers and what appears to be the U.S. Capitol. The video also declares, "the enemy to be destroyed is in our sights," the Washington Post reported. The two-and-a-half-minute propaganda video also includes footage of North Korean artillery and a massive military parade held April 15. "We will show you what a strong country that leads the world in nuclear and missile technology is capable of," a caption in the video reads, according to the Post.

The video comes as tensions continue to mount between Washington and Pyongyang. As the insulated North Korea continues to pursue efforts to develop and test nuclear weapons, President Donald Trump has been urging China to put more pressure on Pyongyang. On April 24, North Korea threatened to sink a American aircraft carrier the Trump administration recently deployed to the region. Three days later, President Trump gathered members of the U.S. Senate at the White House for a classified briefing on North Korea. However, according to reports from senators attending the meeting, the Trump administration did not go into detail about any comprehensive strategy for handling North Korea.

The propaganda video released Thursday comes roughly a week after North Korea celebrated the birthday of its founder, Kim Jong-un's grandfather Kim Il-sung, with a concert and a video depicting a simulated nuclear missile attack on an unidentified American city. In that video, a ballistic missile is shown being fired across the Pacific Ocean before multiple missiles explode over the United States. The video ends dramatically, with flames superimposed over an American flag and what appears to be a cemetery with white crosses.

Earlier this month, Vice President Mike Pence warned that the "era of strategic patience" with North Korea was over, reiterating the White House's message that "all options are on the table" when it comes to persuading North Korea to bring its nuclear missile program to a halt. Evidently, North Korea doesn't seem interested in backing down.