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One major issue between North Korea and the international community is the communist country's nuclear and missile programs. The United Nations considers those illegal.

North Korea sees developing these weapons as a right. It tested two intercontinental missiles last month. In response, the United Nations approved new sanctions, penalties on the Asian country's economy.

Threatening statements between North Korea and the U.S. have been increasing. North Korean officials have talked about firing missiles toward the area around Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific Ocean. And though U.S. President Donald Trump 1 has expressed hope for a peaceful solution, he's also said that American military options are, quote, locked and loaded for use against North Korea.

Other countries factor in. China, an ally of North Korea, says it won't help the country if North Korea strikes first. But China implied that it would take action if the U.S. attacks North Korea first.

Meantime, South Korea, a U.S. ally, says it would immediately punish any potential attacks by the North. But most of the communist country's threats have been directed at America.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The North Korean regime teaches its citizens to hate America. But why?

SUBTITLE 2: Why does North Korea hate the U.S.?

RIPLEY: It began with a war that's almost forgotten in the United States. After World War II, two superpowers divided the Korean peninsula along the 38th Parallel. The Soviet 3 Union occupied the north and the United States the south. This resulted in the creation of two separate states, the Republic of Korea or South Korea, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea or North Korea.

Most historians say the North invaded the South on June 25th, 1950, when the Korean War began.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is war.

RIPLEY: The North tells its citizens America actually started the war.

Over the next three years, around 1 million North Koreans died in the fighting, including an estimated 600,000 civilians 4. Active hostilities 5 ended in 1953, but technically 6, the war is still ongoing 7, because no peace treaty was ever signed— a fact North Koreans are never allowed to forget.

Since then, the country's founder 8, President Kim Il-sung, his son, General Kim Jong-Il, and grandson, Marshal Kim Jong-un, have all dialed up the anti-U.S. rhetoric 9, including blaming the U.S. for international sanctions they claim have caused North Korea's economic woes 10.

Making America into an ever-present threat has helped the Kims unify 11 the nation behind their regime. Recent escalating 12 tensions between Washington and Pyongyang only helped promote that narrative 13 — keeping the population focused on an external enemy, the United States, and having zero tolerance 14 for political dissent 15.