North Korea released a video Saturday threatening a nuclear attack on Washington, D.C., and also warned that its military is ready to attack Seoul’s presidential palace unless South Korean President Park Geun-hye apologizes for “treason” and executes officials responsible for what Pyongyang says are plans to attack its leadership.
A four-minute video, titled “Last Chance,” shows an animated scene in which a submarine fires a missile through clouds, before it crashes near the Lincoln Memorial, triggering an explosion that destroys the city.
“If the American imperialists provoke us a bit, we will not hesitate to slap them with a pre-emptive nuclear strike,” the message says.
Military experts do not believe North Korea has the capability to hit the continental United States with nuclear-armed missile. Nor does it possess nuclear-armed submarines. The United States does, however.
The video is the latest verbal salvo by North Korea at Washington and Seoul over ongoing joint military drills that the North sees as rehearsal for invasion.
The exercises are held annually, but tensions are higher this year because the drills are the largest ever. They also follow North Korea’s recent nuclear test and rocket launch. Pyongyang has also reacted to South Korean press reports that this year’s exercises include training for a “decapitation strike” targeting North Korea’s top leaders, according to the Associated Press.
North Korea also recently imprisoned an American college student for allegedly tearing down a political banner during a visit to the country.
The video threat is the latest threat by North Korea, which also recently threatened a nuclear strike against Washington in retaliation for United Nations sanctions imposed to punish North Korea for testing a nuclear device and long-range rocket. In 2013, North Korea released a video showing a nuclear attack on Manhattan and followed with another showing President Obama and U.S. troops in flames.
“The United States must choose! It’s up to you whether the nation called the United States exists on this planet or not,” the newest video states, according to a New York Times translation.
