Seoul (AFP) – North Korea has proposed Saturday in the United States a joint investigation into the massive cyber attack suffered by the end of November the group and Sony Pictures has denied being responsible, following threats President Obama retaliation against Pyongyang.
“Since the United States spread baseless allegations and slander us, we offer a joint investigation,” said the North Korean Foreign Ministry.
“Without going to use torture as did the American CIA, we have the means to prove that we have nothing to do with this incident,” the ministry said, quoted by the official KCNA news agency said.
“We will never tolerate that either insult our highest authority,” the ministry said, referring to the movie “interview that kills,” a comedy a satirical fictional CIA plot to assassinate the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Sony has finally given up the comedy hit theaters after the large-scale cyber attack claimed by the group GOP hackers (“Guardians of Peace”), during which countless information was stolen and some online updates.
Sony has also received threats evoking the attacks of Sept. 11 for rooms that would broadcast comedy.
“If we would have to retaliate, we do not mènerions of terrorist attacks against innocent bystanders in theaters but frontal attacks against those who engage in hostile activities “against North Korea, said the North Korean ministry.
The United States may face” serious consequences if they refuse our proposal (joint investigation) and continue to spread over the supposed retaliation against us, “concludes the ministry.
On Friday, President Barack Obama had promised that the United States” respond “to North Korea, designated as the author of the most serious cyber attack ever conducted in the country.
Speaking to the press after the FBI had blamed the attack on Pyongyang, Obama said that Washington never would sell to “what dictator either. “
” We can confirm that North Korea has engaged in this attack, “he said.
” We will respond to proportionate manner and will respond at a time, at a place and in a manner we choose, “warned the US president at a press conference, excluding any other country acted with Pyongyang.
– South Korea accused the North –
On Saturday, South Korea has accused its northern neighbor of having conducted cyber attacks against Sony Pictures Group
<. p> The South Korean Foreign Ministry has identified effect “similarities between the attacks against Sony Pictures and those taken against South Korean banks and other (entities) in March last year.”
An official investigation had blamed the North Korean intelligence agency of the attacks which led to the complete closure of the KBS TV network, MBC and YTN, and paralyzed the operations of three South Korean banks.
Seoul said to be ready to share with the United States information “relating to cyber attack against Sony” and to strengthen international cooperation to respond to new security threats.
Japan sent the same message. A spokesman for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told AFP that “the Japanese government communicates closely with the United States and supports their approach to this issue.”
Barack Obama said Friday that Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) had made “a mistake” by canceling the theatrical release of “The interview that kills.”
“We can not have a society in which a dictator somewhere can start impose censorship here in the United States, “insisted the US president.
The head of Sony Pictures, Michael Lynton, had meanwhile vigorously defended his group.
” The President, the press and opinion are wrong about what really happened, “he assured, claiming they were forced to give out” interview that kills! ” Christmas for the movie channels had “called one by one” to say they will not be planning the face of threats from hackers.
In addition to the theft of sensitive data and SPE privacy of its employees, piracy has “destroyed” the computer system of the group “making it inoperable thousands of computers,” said the FBI on Friday.
It could cost half a billion dollars to the studio, according to experts.
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