North Korea slams US sanctions, denies involvement in Sony cyber-attack

Asia-Pacific, News January 5, 2015 , by IRIA No Comments

North Korea has slammed as “hostile” fresh US sanctions against Pyongyang and has denied any involvement in a cyber-attack on Sony. “The persistent and unilateral action taken by the White House to slap ‘sanctions’ against the DPRK [North Korea] patently proves that it is still not away from inveterate repugnancy and hostility toward the DPRK,” Reuters cites the North Korean Foreign Ministry as saying Sunday in a statement, reported by KCNA news agency.

US President Barack Obama signed an executive order Friday authorizing the imposition of new sanctions against three North Korean businesses and 10 individuals, after the FBI said North Korea was behind last month’s computer hack at Sony.

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The FBI has maintained North Korea was behind the broad computer breach at Sony, though some technology experts say others could be involved — such as former employees of the studio.

On Friday, officials said the new set of sanctions was further indication of their confidence in North Korea’s culpability, and said that private tech firms aren’t privy to the intelligence proving Pyongyang’s guilt.

Obama signed the executive order putting the new sanctions in place on the second-to-last day of his winter vacation in Hawaii. Before his vacation began in mid-December Obama said North Korea was responsible for the attack and the United States was preparing a response. The White House said Friday’s announcement reflected the beginning of that response