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Kim Jong-un has urged the North Korean army to prepare for war with the US and its allies, state media said on February 28, ahead of US-South Korea military drills.
The North Korean leader’s comments came after South Korea and the US on February 27 conducted a joint naval drill involving 10 South Korean warships and a US Aegis destroyer, ahead of the launch of large-scale military exercises that have enraged the North.
“The prevailing situation where a great war for national reunification is at hand requires all the KPA (Korean People’s Army) units to become (elite) Guard Units fully prepared for war politically and ideologically, in military technique and materially,” Kim Jong-un was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as saying.
North Korea regularly ratchets up hostile rhetoric at times of joint US-South Korea military exercises that spark a sharp surge in tensions on the divided peninsula.
Kim Jong-un called on the military to train hard in order “to tear to pieces the Stars and Stripes”, in comments made while opening a new hall at the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum in Pyongyang, KCNA said.
The drill on February 27 was a prelude to an eight-week exercise, Foal Eagle, involving air, ground and naval field training, with around 200,000 Korean and 3,700 US troops that begins on March 2.
A week-long, largely computer-simulated joint drill, Key Resolve, will also get under way.
Seoul and Washington insist the exercises are defense-based in nature, but they are condemned by Pyongyang as provocative rehearsals for invasion.
The communist country had offered a moratorium on carrying out nuclear tests if this year’s joint drills were cancelled – a proposal rejected by Washington as an “implicit threat” to carry out a fourth atomic drill.
North Korea claims it won the 1950-1953 Korean War, which ended in an armistice instead of a peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas still technically at war.
The North Korean propaganda has released 310 slogans to mark the 70th anniversary of the country’s founding.
The new slogans covered a wide range of subjects. Workers were urged to “make fruits cascade down” and create a “socialist fairyland”.
Wives were told to be dependable, while “sports games [are] to be played in an offensive way”, the slogans said.
North Korea widely uses propaganda to maintain the power of its leader Kim Jong-un.
Several slogans made threats against what North Korea called its enemies. Slogans described the US as “warmongers” and said North Korea would “annihilate them to the last man” if they invaded.
Food production also featured extensively in the slogans. Workers were encouraged to fill the country “with the fragrant smell of fish” and told that “fertilizer means rice and socialism”.
Another slogan read: “Grow vegetables extensively in greenhouses! Let us turn ours into a country of mushrooms by making mushroom cultivation scientific, intensive and industrialized!”
North Korea, which is still under nominally communist rule, has suffered from severe famines in the past. Over three million people are believed to have died in the 1996 famine.
Despite being one of the most isolated nations in the world, some “management speak” appeared to creep into the slogans.
North Koreans were told to adopt the philosophy of “Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism” – a reference to former leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, who are revered in state propaganda.
The slogans also shed light on Kim Jong-un’s leadership style, with the military urged to establish his “monolithic command system more firmly throughout the army”.
Music seems to be a component of the authoritarian system with workers encouraged to sing the song We are the Happiest People in the World.
The North Korean state media has released on February 7 new images showing that the secretive state has test-fired a new anti-ship cruise missile.
The images were released in the lead-up to US-South Korean military exercises this spring. North Korea routinely seeks to raise tensions ahead of the annual drills, although this year Pyongyang has also offered to suspend nuclear testing if Washington calls off the exercises.
Photo KCNA
The images, which were shown on the front page of the ruling Workers’ Party Rodong Sinmun newspaper, showed leader Kim Jong-un observing the missile being fired from a small naval vessel.
State media described it as a “new type of cutting-edge anti-ship rocket” developed by North Korean scientists that will “bring a great change in the navy’s defense of territorial waters”.
The missile appeared identical in design to a Russian anti-ship missile, the KH-35, which is capable of flying at high speeds meters above the sea.
North Korea has increased the number of air and naval military drills in recent weeks, ahead of the annual US-South Korean military exercises on the Korean peninsula.
Pyongyang regularly protests over the drills, which it says are a rehearsal for war.
North Korean officials have made frequent trips to Russia over the past year, where Kim Jong-un is scheduled to make his first official state visit this May.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has accepted an invitation to Moscow in May, South Korea’s Yonhap reports.
The news agency cites a written response from the Kremlin, but says it does not mention Kim Jong-un by name.
Yonhap quotes a Unification Ministry official as saying the reference to the leader could be ambiguous, as Kim Yong-un is the nominal head of state.
Kim Jong-un has not made any overseas visits since taking power in North Korea in late 2011.
His first destination will been keenly watched for what it might indicate about his policies and strategy.
Earlier this month, reports emerged suggesting Russia could be the recipient of Kim Jong-un’s first official visit.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told journalists on January 21 that Russia had invited Kim Jong-un to the May 9 celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two.
He said that the “first signal was positive” from the North Korean government.
Yonhap news agency said the response from the Russian presidential office confirmed that North Korea’s leader was among heads of state from 20 nations who had confirmed plans to attend.
However, the response did not specify Kim Jong-un by name and said: “The list of attendees has not been finalized yet, as we continue a process of confirming the attendance of those invited,” Yonhap reported.
There has been no statement from North Korea. Kim Yong-un, whose official title is president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, has more traditionally represented North Korea at overseas events.
Visits by Kim Jong-un’s late father, Kim Jong-il, were never announced ahead of his departure.
The late Kim Jong-il visited Russia in August 2011, shortly before his death. But he paid more regular visits to China which, under his leadership, was seen as Pyongyang’s closest ally.
If Kim Jong-un did choose to visit Moscow ahead of Beijing, the decision would be seen as significant – and as a snub to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In recent years, China has come under pressure from Japan, South Korea and the US to exert more pressure on Pyongyang over its nuclear program.
Beijing has, on some occasions, expressed exasperation with its northern neighbor via official media channels.
It also backed UN resolutions strengthening sanctions on Pyongyang after its recent missile and nuclear tests in 2013.
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According to the New York Times and Der Spiegel, the US knew North Korea was behind the Sony Pictures hack because it had secretly infiltrated the country’s computer networks in 2010.
The newspapers cited US officials and leaked documents from the National Security Agency (NSA).
The New York Times said hidden software had alerted US intelligence services to North Korean hacking activity.
North Korea has consistently denied involvement in the security breach.
American investigators believe the hackers spent two months building up a map of Sony’s systems before the hack took place, the papers say.
November’s attack on the company saw the leak of sensitive documents including salary details and confidential emails between executives.
It also resulted in Sony film The Interview, a comedy about an assassination attempt on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, being briefly shelved and then released online.
The US Office of the Director of National Intelligence said the intelligence community was fully aware of North Korean attempts to infiltrate US commercial networks, tracking them routinely.
“While no two situations are the same, it is our shared goal to prevent bad actors from exploiting, disrupting or damaging US commercial networks and cyber infrastructure,” said spokesman Brian Hale.
“When it becomes clear that cyber criminals have the ability and intent to do damage, we work cooperatively to defend networks.”
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South Korean President Park Geun-hye has announced she is prepared to hold talks with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un without setting pre-conditions.
In a nationally televised press conference, Park Geun-hye said she would “meet with anyone if necessary to open the path of a peaceful unification”.
Kim Jong-un offered talks with South Korea if the conditions were right in his New Year address.
Leaders of South Korea and North Korea have only met twice, in 2000 and 2007, since the Korean War which divided the peninsula.
Kim Jong-un had said on January 1 that “depending on the mood and circumstances”, there would be “no reason” not to hold a high-level summit on the reunification of the two Koreas.
On January 12, Park Geun-hye delivered her own New Year message saying she would set no conditions to the talks, but added that North Korea should take “sincere” steps towards denuclearization.
North Korea has conducted three nuclear tests in recent years, aggravating relations with the South.
It has offered to put a moratorium on testing nuclear weapons if South Korea halts military exercises it holds with American forces. That offer was rejected and the two allies plan to hold a joint naval drill this week, reported South Korean news agency Yonhap.
Park Geun-hye also called on North Korea to “come forward for dialogue without hesitation” on efforts to reunite families separated since the end of 1950-53 Korean War.
The last formal high-level talks were in February 2014, leading to rare reunions for Korean families separated for over 60 years.
However, further talks planned in October were dropped after North Korea accused South Korea of not doing enough to stop activists sending anti-Northern leaflets across the border on balloons.
The two Koreas have technically been at war since the Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
Park Geun-hye also addressed the use of a controversial law to deport Korean-American Shin Eun-mi on January 10.
South Korea has put in place a National Security Law which states that anyone who praises North Korea can be jailed for up to seven years.
The law was used to deport Shin Eun-mi for speaking positively about life in North Korea in speeches and in online posts. Shin Eun-mi has denied she praised North Korea.
Critics say the controversial law suppresses freedom of speech.
Park Geun-hye defended the law’s use, saying it was needed to “ensure security in this country as we remain in a standoff with the North”.
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North Korea has rejected South Korea’s call for resuming bilateral talks, after Kim Jong-un made a surprise New Year call for a summit.
South Korea’s parliament called last month for a resumption of negotiations on various issues including North Korea’s human rights, and families still separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.
An official at South Korea’s Ministry of Unification, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said North Korea had rejected the proposal, without giving a reason.
South Korea has also proposed inter-Korean talks be held this month, but North Korea has not yet responded to that specific offer.
The rejection of the South Korean parliament’s call comes during a period of heightened tension between North Korea and the US, which is South Korea’s main ally.
On January 8, North Korea warned the US of a “war disaster” if it did not withdraw sanctions imposed by Washington following a crippling hacking attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment.
North Korea has denied it had any involvement in the attack.
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FBI director James Comey says the bureau is confident that North Korea was behind the Sony Pictures cyber-attack last year because the hackers “got sloppy”.
James Comey said the group posted material from servers used exclusively by the North Koreans.
November’s attack on Sony Pictures saw the leak of sensitive documents, and film The Interview briefly shelved.
Cyber security experts have been skeptical about the FBI’s assertion North Korea was to blame.
Sony’s decision to temporarily cancel The Interview‘s release was described by President Barack Obama as “a mistake”. Sony later released the film in independent cinemas and also distributed it online.
The Interview‘s plot revolves around a plan to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Pyongyang has denied being behind the cyber-attack, but described it as a “righteous deed”.
In retaliation, the US has placed sanctions on three North Korean organizations and 10 individuals.
The sanctions are believed to be the first time the US has moved to punish any country for cyber-attacks on a US company.
James Comey had been addressing delegates at the International Conference on Cyber Security in New York.
He said there was evidence the hackers had used proxy servers in an attempt to disguise the attack’s origins, but sometimes neglected to do so, revealing, the FBI believes, the true location.
However, experts remain unconvinced that the US has proved its case.
“To be frank, director Comey has not revealed anything new,” said Brian Honan, a security researcher.
“Various IP addresses have been associated with this attack, from a hotel in Taiwan to IP addresses in Japan.
“Any IP address connected to the internet can be compromised and used by attackers.”
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North Korea has made progress in creating deliverable nuclear weapons, South Korea’s defense ministry has speculated.
In a white paper, the ministry said enough time had passed since North Korea’s first nuclear test for it to have acquired the technology.
A ministry official, however, told the Yonhap News agency that there was no intelligence to support the assessment.
Meanwhile North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he was open to talks with South Korea.
“North Korea’s capabilities of miniaturizing nuclear weapons appear to have reached a significant level,” the paper said.
Miniaturizing a nuclear device would allow it to be fitted on the tip of a long-range missile which could, in theory, reach South Korea or even the US.
An unnamed defense ministry official told Yonhap: “We don’t have any intelligence that North Korea completed the miniaturization.”
The official said acquiring such technology took between two and seven years, and it had been eight years since North Korea conducted its first nuclear test.
Pyongyang has conducted three nuclear tests with the most recent in February 2013.
Expert opinion is split on how much progress North Korea’s ballistic missile development program has made.
The white paper also said that North Korea was “presumed to have [missiles] capabilities that could threaten the US mainland, having fired off long-range missiles five times”.
However, the official said no signs had been seen yet that Pyongyang had put long range missiles into service.
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In his New Year address, Kim Jong-un has offered to hold talks at the highest level with South Korea.
The North Korean leader was giving his New Year message broadcast on state television.
Kim Jong-un said if Pyongyang’s conditions were met, he would even be prepared to hold a summit meeting with South Korean President Park Geun-hye.
South Korea said the move was “meaningful”, and talks should include “practical and frank discussions on all issues of mutual concern”.
“Our government hopes for dialogue between the South and North Korean authorities in the near future without limits on format,” said Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae, quoted by the South’s Yonhap news agency.
On December 29, Ryoo Kihl-jae had called for dialogue to resume on issues including reunions for families separated by the Korean War, adding that he hoped North Korea would respond positively.
Ryoo Kihl-jae offered to meet in Seoul, Pyongyang or any other South or North Korean city agreed with North Korean officials.
In his address, Kim Jong-un said the “tragic” division of Korea could no longer be tolerable and acceptable.
“Depending on the mood and circumstances, there is no reason not to hold a high-level summit,” he said.
Later in his speech, Kim Jong-un condemned joint US-South Korean defense drills for deepening tensions on the peninsula.
“In a tense mood of such war-preparatory exercises, trust-based dialogue can’t be possible, and North-South relations can’t move forward,” he said.
North Korea has previously seen South Korea’s unification plans as an attempt to take it over.
The last formal high-level talks were in February 2014, leading to rare reunions for Korean families separated for over 60 years since the end of 1950-1953 Korean War.
More talks planned in October were dropped after North Korea accused South Korea of not doing enough to stop activists sending anti-Northern leaflets across the border on balloons.
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Sony’s controversial comedy The Interview has become the company’s most-downloaded title of all time, just 4 days after its release on December 24.
The Interview was downloaded more than 2 million times as of December 27, making back $15 million, a third of its $44 million budget.
The movie, about a fictional American plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, had previously been pulled from release over security fears.
It angered North Korea and may have triggered a cyber attack on Sony.
The hack, from a group calling itself the Guardians of Peace, led to the leaking of confidential information including upcoming movie scripts, confidential emails and actors’ salaries.
Sony halted the release after unspecified threats of attacks against theaters.
The FBI later said its investigation into the hacking attack pointed the finger at North Korea. The country denied involvement, but described the hack as a “righteous deed”.
Sony said in a statement on December 28 that The Interview was made available in the US and Canada through Google services YouTube and Play, Microsoft’s Xbox Video and its dedicated website in HD versions for 48-hour rental at $5.99 and for purchase at $14.99.
The Interview made $15 million in its first three days on sale.
There was also a “strong turnout” for the movie’s limited theater release, after major US chains backed out of screening it.
Sony’s move to cancel The Interview‘s release had garnered criticism in the US including from President Barack Obama, who said it meant freedom of expression was under threat.
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Yoon Mi-rae has threatened to sue Sony Pictures Entertainment for using one of her songs in the controversial movie The Interview without permission, according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap.
The Interview is a comedy about the assassination attempt of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
The South Korean singer’s song, Pay Day, is said to have been used in a scene in which the actor playing the North Korean leader drinks and plays billiards with women who are wearing underwear.
The Interview had its launch cancelled after a major cyber attack at the hands of a group calling itself the Guardians of Peace.
The hackers threatened to carry out a terrorist attack on cinemas that showed the film on its scheduled release date of Christmas Day.
The US accused the North Koreans of being behind the hack, something the country denies.
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The Interview has opened in some US theaters and online, after a cyber-attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment and threats to moviegoers over its release.
Sony Pictures had originally pulled The Interview, a movie about a fictional plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, but it reconsidered after critics – including President Barack Obama.
The studio said freedom of expression was under threat.
Some movie theaters organized midnight showings for Americans determined to see The Interview on the big screen.
Several hundred independent theaters across the US have come forward offering to show the title after larger cinemas decided not to screen it following threats.
Lee Peterson, manager of Cinema Village in New York, told Reuters news agency it was a matter of principle to show the film.
“Obviously we would like to make money from the movie, as we would with any movie, but it’s important to take a stand about freedom, freedom of speech, freedom to see movies.”
Photo Canadian Press
The film is also being offered through a dedicated website and via Google services YouTube and Play, and Microsoft’s Xbox Video platform, but only in the US.
Sony Pictures initially pulled the film after suffering an unprecedented hacking attack at the hands of a group calling itself the Guardians of Peace.
Last week, the FBI said its analysis pointed the finger at North Korea. However, many cybersecurity experts have come forward to dispute this assertion.
North Korea denied being behind the attack but described it as a “righteous deed”.
The hackers threatened to carry out a terrorist attack on theaters showed the film on its scheduled release date of Christmas Day. After many cinemas pulled out, Sony cancelled the release.
That move was described by President Barack Obama as a mistake.
Sony Chairman Michael Lynton said digital distribution had now been chosen to reverse some of that damage.
“It was essential for our studio to release this movie, especially given the assault upon our business and our employees by those who wanted to stop free speech.
“We chose the path of digital distribution first so as to reach as many people as possible on opening day, and we continue to seek other partners and platforms to further expand the release.”
The Interview features James Franco and Seth Rogen as two journalists granted an audience with Kim Jong-un. The CIA then enlists the pair to assassinate the North Korean leader.
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North Korea satire The Interview will be screened by a limited number of movie theaters on Christmas Day, Sony Pictures Entertainment has announced.
The move comes just a week after Sony cancelled its release after suffering a devastating cyber attack.
Sony Chairman Michael Lynton said he was “excited” that The Interview, about a plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, would now be seen.
Two movie theaters in Atlanta and Austin have already revealed screenings.
They said via social media that Sony Pictures had authorized them to show the film, which has caused escalating tension between the US and North Korea.
The US has blamed North Korea for the Sony hack, which has led to sensitive data and unreleased film material being leaked.
Photo Getty Images
In the wake of threats against cinema chains that had planned to screen The Interview, Sony announced that the film’s release would be pulled completely.
Major movie chains in the US are thought unlikely to take part in the release at this stage.
Michael Lynton said: “We are continuing our efforts to secure more platforms and more theatres so this movie can reach the largest possible audience.”
He also said he “hoped it would be the first step of the film’s release”.
Sony has yet to reveal further details of its release plans, but there is also speculation that video on-demand (VOD) will be offered as part of the package.
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Part of North Korea’s internet services have been restored after an almost unprecedented outage, amid a cyber security row with the US.
Though there has been no comment from the authorities in Pyongyang, US experts reported the restoration.
Some analysts say North Korea’s web access was cut entirely for a time.
Washington said it would launch a proportional response to a cyber-attack on Sony Pictures, which made The Interview comedy about North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Officials would not comment on any US involvement in the current outages.
Meanwhile, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations has called for all sides to avoid an escalation of tension on the Korean Peninsula after the UN Security Council put the North’s human rights record on its agenda.
Internet services were partially restored after nine hours and 31 minutes of disruption, cyber security company Dyn Research says.
The website for the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and Rodong Sinmun newspaper were back online on December 23.
However, the recovery looked to be partial and potentially unstable with other websites still inaccessible.
Analysts had said technical problems or a cyber-attack could be to blame.
Doug Madory of Dyn Research said they had seen a progressive degradation of North Korea’s connectivity to the outside world until the point at which they were totally offline.
Arbor Networks, an internet technology service, said it had detected denial-of-service attacks against North Korea’s infrastructure beginning on December 20.
Only a small proportion of people have access to the internet in North Korea, one of the world’s most secretive countries.
North Korea’s internet is handled by state-run company Star Joint Ventures, which in turn is routed through Chinese telecommunications firm China Unicom.
Last week, the US government said an FBI investigation had shown that North Korea was behind a hacking attack on Sony, which led to unreleased films and private emails being leaked online. North Korea denied being responsible.
The internet disruption came as the UN Security Council discussed North Korea’s human rights for the first time, despite opposition from China and Russia.
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The US insists to reject North Korea’s claim that it was not responsible for Sony Pictures cyber-attack.
North Korea strongly denies carrying out the attack and invited the US to take part in a joint investigation.
A senior US security official said North Korea should instead “admit culpability and compensate Sony”.
North Korea strongly objects to Sony Pictures’ satirical film, The Interview, which portrays the fictional killing of Kim Jong-Un.
After the attack and threats, Sony cancelled the Christmas Day release of The Interview.
Responding to anonymous threats against cinemas, Sony Pictures Entertainment said it was considering releasing it “on a different platform”.
The FBI said on December 19 that North Korea had carried out last month’s cyber-attack, in which script details and private emails were leaked.
The US defended its findings on December 20, with US National Security spokesman Mark Stroh saying: “We are confident the North Korean government is responsible for this destructive attack.”
“If the North Korean government wants to help, they can admit their culpability and compensate Sony for the damages this attack caused,” he said.
On December 20, the North Korean foreign ministry said: “As the United States is spreading groundless allegations and slandering us, we propose a joint investigation with it into this incident.”
“We have means to prove that this incident has nothing to do with us.”
The statement said there would be “grave consequences” if the Americans rejected their inquiry proposal.
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Sony Pictures Entertainment is looking at different channels to release The Interview after scrapping its opening following a cyber-attack blamed on North Korea.
The studio said it had only canceled the film’s Christmas Day release after cinemas pulled out.
Sony said it was considering releasing it “on a different platform”.
President Barack Obama called the cancelation “a mistake”.
North Korea denied involvement and has now urged a joint inquiry with the US.
The FBI said on December 19 that the Pyongyang government was responsible.
The Interview depicts the fictional assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Responding to the president’s comments, Sony Pictures chief executive and chairman Michael Lynton said the studio had not made an error in canceling the release.
“We have not given in, we have persevered,” he told CNN.
A Sony statement said the decision had been based on “the majority of the nation’s theatre owners choosing not to screen the film”.
“Without theatres, we could not release it in the theatres on Christmas Day. We had no choice,” the statement added.
“It is still our hope that anyone who wants to see this movie will get the opportunity to do so.”
Script details, salary data and private email correspondence were leaked in the wake of November’s huge cyber attack.
Hackers then issued a warning referring to the 9/11 terror attacks, saying “the world will be full of fear” if The Interview was screened.
North Korea earlier this month denied allegations that it was responsible for the hack. An article in the state-run KCNA news agency, quoting the country’s top military body, called the suggestions “wild rumor”.
The Interview features James Franco and Seth Rogen as two journalists who are granted an audience with Kim Jong-un.
The CIA then enlists the pair to assassinate him.
The Interview‘s canceled release drew criticism in Hollywood, with some calling it an attack on the freedom of expression.
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President Barack Obama has promised a strong response after North Korea’s alleged cyber-attack on Sony Pictures.
The president also said the studio “made a mistake” in refusing to release The Interview, a controversial satire depicting the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
On December 19 US authorities linked North Korea to the hack, which saw sensitive studio information publicly released.
Sony withdrew The Interview following continued threats.
“We will respond,” Barack Obama told reporters on December 19, declining to offer specifics.
“We will respond proportionately and in a space, time and manner that we choose.”
He added: “We cannot have a society in which some dictator someplace can start imposing censorship in the United States.”
Barack Obama said it was important to protect both public and private cyber-systems from attack which could have significant economic and social impacts.
He also noted he believed Sony Pictures was mistaken in failing to go ahead with the release.
“Americans cannot change their patterns of behavior due to the possibility of a terrorist attack,” he said.
“That’s not who we are, that’s not what America is about.”
Earlier on Friday, FBI officially tied North Korea to the cyber-attack, linking the country to malware used in the incident.
Sony cancelled the holiday release of The Interview after national theatre chains refused to show it.
Hackers had earlier issued a warning referring to the 9/11 terror attacks, saying “the world will be full of fear” if the film was screened.
The movie features James Franco and Seth Rogen as two journalists who are granted an audience with Kim Jong-un.
The CIA then enlists the pair to assassinate him. The film was due to have been released over Christmas.
The film’s canceled release drew criticism in Hollywood, with some calling it an attack on the freedom of expression.
In November, a cyber-attack crippled computers at Sony and led to upcoming films and workers’ personal data being leaked online.
The hackers also released salary details and social security numbers for thousands of Sony employees – including celebrities.
North Korea earlier this month denied involvement in the hack – but praised the attack itself as a “righteous deed”.
However, the communist country warned the US that “there are a great number of supporters and sympathizers” of North Korea “all over the world” who may have carried out the attack.
In the article, Sony Pictures was accused of “abetting a terrorist act” and “hurting the dignity of the supreme leadership” of North Korea by producing the movie.
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The cyber attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment that forced the cancellation of The Interview movie release is being seen as a serious national security matter, the White House says.
A White House spokesman said the US believed the hacking was the work of a “sophisticated actor” – but refused to confirm if North Korea was responsible.
Sony Pictures withdrew The Interview, a new comedy film about North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, after threats from hackers.
Hackers have already released sensitive information stored on Sony computers.
They later issued a warning to members of the public planning to see The Interview.
Referring to the 9/11 terror attacks, they said “the world will be full of fear” if the film was screened.
Many cinemas scrapped plans to show the film, and Sony then cancelled the release of the film altogether – moves criticized in Hollywood as an attack on the freedom of expression.
At a White House briefing on December 18, spokesman Josh Earnest said US officials had held daily discussions about the Sony cyber attack and were considering an “appropriate response”.
However, he refused to comment on who was responsible, saying he did not wish to pre-empt an investigation by the Department of Justice and the FBI.
The Interview, made by Sony Pictures, features James Franco and Seth Rogen as two journalists who are granted an audience with Kim Jong-un.
The CIA then enlists the pair to assassinate him.
The Interview was due to have been released over Christmas.
In November, a cyber attack crippled computers at Sony and led to upcoming films and workers’ personal data being leaked online.
The hackers also released salary details and social security numbers for thousands of Sony employees – including celebrities.
Earlier this month, North Korea denied hacking into Sony’s computers – but praised the attack itself as a “righteous deed”.
An article on North Korea’s state-run KCNA news agency, quoting the country’s top military body, said suggestions that Pyongyang was behind the attack were “wild rumor”.
However, it warned the US that “there are a great number of supporters and sympathizers” of North Korea “all over the world” who may have carried out the attack.
In the article, Sony Pictures was accused of “abetting a terrorist act” and “hurting the dignity of the supreme leadership” of North Korea by producing the movie.
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Sony Pictures Entertainment has confirmed it has no plans to release The Interview movie internationally, in any form, following threats from hackers.
Cinemas in the US canceled screenings of the film, about a plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-un prompting Sony to shelve it altogether.
There has been dismay in Hollywood, with Ben Stiller calling the move “a threat to freedom of expression”.
Hackers had issued a warming to cinema-goers who planned to watch the movie.
President Barack Obama recommended that “people go to the movies”, but stressed that the hack was “very serious”.
Speaking to ABC, the president added: “We’ll be vigilant – if we see something that we think is serious and credible, then we’ll alert the public.”
Several other famous names have criticized the decision to shelve the movie, accusing the studio of caving in to the hackers’ threats.
On December 17, it emerged that Steve Carell’s planned film project, a thriller called Pyongyang about a Westerner working in North Korea, was scrapped ahead of Sony’s announcement.
Sony said it was “deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie”.
“We respect and understand our partners’ decision and, of course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety of employees and theatre-goers,” the studio said.
It added: “We stand by our film-makers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome.”
The cancellation comes after hackers calling themselves Guardians of Peace released emails and data stolen from Sony in late November.
In a later warning to cinemas screening The Interview, they referred to the 9/11 attacks, claiming “the world will be full of fear”.
“Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time,” the hacker group wrote, in a message on December 16.
“Whatever comes in the coming days is called by the greed of Sony Pictures Entertainment.”
Sony had given theaters in the US and Canada the option to bow out of showing The Interview in the wake of the threats.
Regal Cinemas, AMC Entertainment and Cinemark Theatres – the top three theatre chains in North America – subsequently announced they were postponing screenings, and Canada’s biggest theatre firms also pulled out, leaving Sony seemingly no choice but to postpone the film.
However, the Alamo Drafthouse cinema in Texas has decided to replace The Interview with a screening of Team America, a film featuring a marionette of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, the father of Kim Jong-un.
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Sony Pictures Entertainment has decided to cancel The Interview movie release on December 25, after major cinema chains decided not to screen it.
The Interview is about a fictional plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Hackers have already carried out a cyber attack on Sony and warned the public to stay away from cinemas screening the film.
The US government said it was considering a “range of options” on how to respond to the attack.
“We know that criminals and foreign countries regularly seek to gain access to government and private sector networks – both in the United States and elsewhere,” a National Security Council statement said, adding that the FBI was leading the investigation.
“We take very seriously any attempt to threaten or limit artists’ freedom of speech or of expression.”
The statement came after US media quoted anonymous officials as saying that the FBI had linked North Korea to the attacks.
On December 17, the New York premiere of The Interview was canceled.
Sony says it understands its partners’ decision.
However, in a statement it said it was “deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie”.
“In light of the decision by the majority of our exhibitors not to show the film The Interview, we have decided not to move forward with the planned December 25 theatrical release,” it said.
“We respect and understand our partners’ decision and, of course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety of employees and theatre-goers.”
The statement added: “We stand by our film makers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome.”
Hackers calling themselves Guardians of Peace have released emails and data stolen from Sony in late November.
In a recent warning they mentioned the 9/11 attacks, claiming “the world will be full of fear”.
“Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time,” the hacker group wrote in a message on December 16.
“Whatever comes in the coming days is called by the greed of Sony Pictures Entertainment.”
Earlier, Sony had given theatres in the US and Canada the option to bow out of showing The Interview in the wake of the threats.
Regal Cinemas, AMC Entertainment and Cinemark Theatres – the top three theatre chains in North America – subsequently announced they were postponing screenings, and Canada’s biggest theatre firms also pulled out, leaving Sony seemingly no choice but to postpone the film.
Jimmy Kimmel tweeted that the decision by theatres to refuse to show the film was “an un-American act of cowardice that validates terrorist actions and sets a terrifying precedent.”
The Interview cost Sony an estimated $42 million to produce – not nearly as much as action films like The Hunger Games or the X-Men films – but still a significant amount for a comedy film.
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The NYC premiere of The Interview movie, a comedy about the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has been cancelled amid threats from hackers.
A spokesman for the cinema chain due to host the screening said it had been shelved.
Hackers targeting Sony Pictures had threatened to attack US cinemas showing the studio’s film.
They belong to the same group which has released emails and data stolen from Sony.
Calling themselves Guardians of Peace, the hackers mentioned the 9/11 attacks in a recent warning, claiming “the world will be full of fear”.
“Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time,” the hacker group wrote in a message on .
“If your house is nearby, you’d better leave,” they add.
“Whatever comes in the coming days is called by the greed of Sony Pictures Entertainment.”
A spokesman for Landmark, the cinema chain due to host the New York premiere, confirmed the showing had been cancelled but gave no reason, Reuters news agency reported.
Executives from Sony had previously said they would not object if cinemas chose not to show The Interview.
Carmike Cinemas, which operates 278 venues across the US, has cancelled planned screenings, according to several news outlets.
The company has not yet commented publicly on the reports.
Guardians of Peace have also released a new trove of Sony company data, calling it a “Christmas gift”.
A cache of company emails, social security numbers and salary details had already been released.
On December 16, two former Sony Pictures employees sued the California company for not providing adequate security to prevent the computer breach.
The studio earlier attempted to limit the damage by contacting some news outlets to block the publication of the emails.
North Korea has denied involvement in the attack, but has described it as a “righteous deed” that may have been carried out by its “supporters and sympathizers”.
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Seth Rogen objected to re-editing The Interview movie, about an assassination attempt on Kim Jong-un, just “to make North Koreans happy”.
Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairman Amy Pascal wrote to Seth Rogen to ask him to tone down a scene in which the North Korean leader is blown up.
Amy Pascal said the request came from Kazuo Hirai, chairman of Sony Corporation.
The exchange was revealed in leaked emails in the wake of a massive cyber attack on Sony Pictures.
Seth Rogen – who wrote and directed The Interview – refused to meet all of the demands made by Kazuo Hirai.
“This is now a story of Americans changing their movie to make North Koreans happy,” he wrote, in an email dated August 15.
“That is a very damning story.”
The Interview – due to be released on Christmas Day in the US – sees Seth Rogen and James Franco play two reporters who are granted an audience with Kim Jong-un. The CIA then enlists the pair to assassinate him.
In June this year, North Korea described the film as an act of war and an “undisguised sponsoring of terrorism”, and called on the US and the UN to block it.
Amy Pascal wrote to Seth Rogen relaying concerns raised by Kazuo Hirai about a key shot in the film which depicts Kim Jong-un struck by a tank shell, causing his head to explode.
“As embarrassing as this has been from my point of view,” wrote Amy Pascal to the film-maker, “you have to appreciate the fact that we haven’t just dictated to you what it had to be.”
“This isn’t some flunky. It’s the chairman of the entire Sony Corporation who I am dealing (with),” she said, referring to Kazuo Hirai’s position as the head of the studio’s parent company.
She stressed she was keen to ensure that the Japanese company would not be placed “in a bad situation”, in terms of its political relations with North Korea.
In a later response, Seth Rogen agrees to remove some of the ghoulish detail, including reducing the “flaming hair”, but added: “The head explosion can’t be more obscured than it is because we honestly feel that if it’s any more obscured, you won’t be able to tell it’s exploding and the joke won’t work.”
In an email to Kazuo Hirai, Amy Pascal notes that she has encountered considerable “resistance from the filmmakers”.
A final email in October, from Seth Rogen, confirms that his latest edit had “removed the fire from the hair and the entire secondary wave of head chunks”.
“Please tell us this is over now,” he adds.
Details of the emails were reported by Bloomberg News. Representatives for Seth Rogen declined to comment.
Sony Pictures announced this week that the stars will be giving no interviews at the Hollywood premiere of The Interview.
The California-based studio’s computer system went down last week and hackers then published a number of as-yet unreleased films on online download sites. The Interview was not among them.
A slew of emails, including embarrassing exchanges about some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, have also been leaked.
North Korea has denied it was directly involved in the hacking but praised the attack itself as a “righteous deed”.
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North Korea has denied Sony Pictures hack attack in retaliation for The Interview movie depicting Kim Jong-un.
However, the attack itself has been praised as a “righteous deed”.
The attack crippled computers at Sony and led to upcoming films and workers’ personal data being leaked online.
North Korea said its “supporters and sympathizers” may have carried out the hack – but said it was not involved.
It has described The Interview as an “act of terrorism”.
The comedy, made by Sony Pictures, features James Franco and Seth Rogen as two reporters who are granted an audience with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
The CIA then enlists the pair to assassinate the North Korean leader. The film is due to be released over Christmas.
An article on North Korea’s state-run KCNA news agency, quoting the country’s top military body, said suggestions that Pyongyang was behind the attack were “wild rumor”.
However, it warned the US that “there are a great number of supporters and sympathizers” of North Korea “all over the world” who may have carried out the attack.
In the article, Sony Pictures was accused of “abetting a terrorist act” and “hurting the dignity of the supreme leadership” of North Korea by producing the movie.
Last week a North Korean diplomat had responded to questions over whether his country had conducted the attack by saying, “wait and see”.
Sony Pictures’ computer system went down last week and hackers then published a number of as-yet unreleased films on online download sites.
They also released salary and Social Security numbers for thousands of Sony employees – including celebrities. The film about North Korea does not appear to have been leaked.
On Monday, Sony Pictures said it had restored a number of important services that had to be shut down after the attack.
It said it was working closely with law enforcement officials to investigate the matter but made no mention of North Korea.
The FBI has confirmed that it is investigating. It has also warned other US businesses that unknown hackers have launched a cyber-attack with destructive malware.
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Kim Jong-un’s younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, has been referred to as senior party official for the first time in the North Korean state media.
Kim Yo-jong, who is in her mid to late twenties, was identified as a vice-director of a department within the powerful Central Committee, KCNA said.
Kim Jong-un is the third generation of the Kim family to rule North Korea.
His aunt also had a prominent role in the party but disappeared after her husband was executed for treason.
Observers say could end up also playing a significant supportive leadership role.
She was first seen publically at the funeral of her father, Kim Jong-il, in 2011.
Since then Kim Yo-jong has on occasion been seen in political events and “field guidance trips” accompanying her brother but without any official title in the party.
Kim Jong-un, 31, and his sister are both children of Kim Jong-il and his late wife, Ko Yong-hui.
They are believed to have gone to the same boarding school in Switzerland as their older brother Kim Jong-chol.
Kim Jong-chol does not have any publicly defined role in the government.
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