NK dismisses claims linking it to Sony hack
Print Edition
NORTH Korea said US accusations that it was involved in a cyber attack on Sony Pictures were “groundless slander” and that it wanted a joint investigation into the incident with the United States.
An unnamed spokesman of the North’s foreign ministry said there would be “grave consequences” if Washington refused to agree to the joint probe and continued to accuse Pyongyang, the official KCNA news agency reported yesterday.
On Friday, President Barack Obama blamed North Korea for the devastating cyber attack, which led to the Hollywood studio cancelling “The Interview,” a comedy on the fictional assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
In its first substantive response to the accusation, North Korea said it could prove it had nothing to do with the massive hacking attack.
“We propose to conduct a joint investigation with the US in response to groundless slander being perpetrated by the US by mobilizing public opinion,” the North Korean spokesman said.
“If the US refuses to accept our proposal for a joint investigation and continues to talk about some kind of response by dragging us into the case, it must remember there will be grave consequences,” the spokesman said.
Earlier, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation announced it had determined that North Korea was behind the hacking of Sony, saying Pyongyang’s actions fell “outside the bounds of acceptable state behavior.”
Obama said North Korea appeared to have acted alone. Washington began consultations with Japan, China, South Korea and Russia seeking their help in reining in North Korea.
Japan and South Korea said they would cooperate. China has yet to respond, but the Chinese language newspaper Global Times said “The Interview” was not a movie for Hollywood and US society to be proud of.
“The vicious mocking of Kim is only a result of senseless cultural arrogance,” the newspaper said.
It was the first time the US had directly accused another country of a cyber attack of such magnitude on American soil and sets up a possible new confrontation between Washington and Pyongyang.
Obama said he wished that Sony had spoken to him first before yanking the movie, suggesting it could set a bad precedent. “I think they made a mistake,” he said.
Sony Pictures Entertainment Chief Executive Michael Lynton insisted the company did not capitulate to hackers and said it is still looking for alternative platforms to release “The Interview.” This week, a spokeswoman for Sony had said the company did not have further release plans for the US$44 million film starring Seth Rogen and James Franco.
Despite Obama’s warning to North Korea, his options for responding appeared limited. He declined to be specific about actions under consideration.
The FBI said technical analysis of malicious software used in the Sony attack found links to malware that “North Korean actors” had developed and found a “significant overlap” with “other malicious cyber activity” previously tied to Pyongyang.
But it gave scant details on how it concluded that North Korea was behind the attack.
US experts say Obama’s options could include cyber retaliation, financial sanctions, criminal indictments against individuals implicated in the attack or even a boost in US military support to South Korea.
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