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North Korea Warns U.S. Not to Take Sony Action North Korea Warns U.S. Not to Take Sony Action
(about 3 hours later)
TOKYO — Warning of “serious consequences” if the United States retaliates against it over the damaging cyberattack on Sony Pictures, North Korea on Saturday insisted that it was not behind it, and it offered to prove its innocence by taking part in a joint investigation with Washington to identify the hackers. TOKYO — Warning of “serious consequences” if the United States retaliates against it over the damaging cyberattack on Sony Pictures, North Korea insisted on Saturday that it was not behind it, and it offered to prove its innocence by taking part in a joint investigation with Washington to identify the hackers.
The message, attributed to an unnamed Foreign Ministry spokesman and carried by North Korea’s state-run news service, appeared to be the secretive government’s response to President Obama’s statement the day before that the United States would take action in response to the hacking, which has shaken one of Hollywood’s largest studios.The message, attributed to an unnamed Foreign Ministry spokesman and carried by North Korea’s state-run news service, appeared to be the secretive government’s response to President Obama’s statement the day before that the United States would take action in response to the hacking, which has shaken one of Hollywood’s largest studios.
American officials said the hackers’ methods and other clues had led them to conclude that North Korea was behind the attack, which resulted in the posting online of confidential Sony emails and some unreleased movies.American officials said the hackers’ methods and other clues had led them to conclude that North Korea was behind the attack, which resulted in the posting online of confidential Sony emails and some unreleased movies.
The cyberattack and emailed threats of attacks against movie theaters prompted Sony to cancel the Christmas release of “The Interview,” a comedy about a plan to assassinate the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un. North Korea has previously denied responsibility for the hacking, though it called the attacks a “righteous deed” by its “supporters and sympathizers.”The cyberattack and emailed threats of attacks against movie theaters prompted Sony to cancel the Christmas release of “The Interview,” a comedy about a plan to assassinate the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un. North Korea has previously denied responsibility for the hacking, though it called the attacks a “righteous deed” by its “supporters and sympathizers.”
It is unlikely that the Obama administration will take the offer of a joint investigation with the North seriously.
While some computer experts still express doubts that the North was actually behind the attack, American officials said it was similar to what was believed to be a North Korean cyberattack last year on South Korean banks and broadcasters. One key similarity was the fact that the hackers erased data from the computers, something many cyberthieves do not do.
Some American officials have said that North Korea appears to have embraced cyberterrorism as its new weapon of choice for making political points, and that it may be trying to extort new concessions from the United States and its allies.
On Saturday, North Korea described the American claims that it was behind the attacks as slander, and warned the United States not to reject its offer of a joint investigation, the statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency said, according to The Associated Press.On Saturday, North Korea described the American claims that it was behind the attacks as slander, and warned the United States not to reject its offer of a joint investigation, the statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency said, according to The Associated Press.
It quoted the unidentified spokesman as saying that any joint inquiry would prove that the North was not behind the cyberattack.It quoted the unidentified spokesman as saying that any joint inquiry would prove that the North was not behind the cyberattack.
“The U.S. should bear in mind that it will face serious consequences in case it rejects our proposal for joint investigation and presses for what it called countermeasures,” the spokesman said, The A.P. reported.“The U.S. should bear in mind that it will face serious consequences in case it rejects our proposal for joint investigation and presses for what it called countermeasures,” the spokesman said, The A.P. reported.
“We have a way to prove that we have nothing to do with the case without resorting to torture, as what the C.I.A. does,” the statement said.“We have a way to prove that we have nothing to do with the case without resorting to torture, as what the C.I.A. does,” the statement said.
It is unlikely that the Obama administration will take the offer from the North seriously. While some computer experts still express doubts that the North was actually behind the attack, American officials said it was similar to what was believed to be a North Korean cyberattack last year on South Korean banks and broadcasters. One key similarity was the fact that the hackers erased data from the computers, something many cyberthieves do not do. Mark Stroh, a National Security Council spokesman, reiterated on Saturday the administration’s confidence in evidence the F.B.I. said shows that North Korea was behind the attack on Sony.
Some American officials have said that North Korea appears to have embraced cyberterrorism as its new weapon of choice for making political points, and that it may be trying to extort new concessions out of the United States and its allies. “We stand by this conclusion,” Mr. Stroh said. “The government of North Korea has a long history of denying responsibility for destructive and provocative actions.”
Mr. Stroh said, “If the North Korean government wants to help, they can admit their culpability and compensate Sony for the damages this attack caused.”
The hackers did considerable commercial damage to Sony Pictures; some of the emails that were posted were embarrassing to the studio. The hackers also released detailed breakdowns of executive salaries.The hackers did considerable commercial damage to Sony Pictures; some of the emails that were posted were embarrassing to the studio. The hackers also released detailed breakdowns of executive salaries.
Sony said the threats against theaters had left it no choice but to cancel the Dec. 25 release of “The Interview,” in which Seth Rogen and James Franco play the producer and host of a television talk show who get a scoop interview with Mr. Kim, and then find themselves recruited by the C.I.A. to kill him. Sony said the threats against theaters had left it no choice but to cancel the Dec. 25 release of “The Interview,” in which Seth Rogen and James Franco play the producer and host of a television talk show who get an exclusive interview with Mr. Kim, and then find themselves recruited by the C.I.A. to kill him.
On Friday, Mr. Obama faulted Sony’s decision to withhold the movie, saying that it had created a precedent of studios giving into intimidation. On Friday, Mr. Obama faulted Sony’s decision to withhold the movie, saying that it had created a precedent of studios giving in to intimidation.