Russia has expressed its support for North Korea in light of the latter's alleged involvement in the cyber-attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment. The FBI is pinpointing Pyongyang as the one responsible for the cyber-security breach that paralyzed the company's computer system and compromised confidential data, and the U.S. government has vowed to take action.
"We perceive the U.S. threats to take revenge and calls on other nations to condemn the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as absolutely counterproductive and dangerous, as they only would add tensions to the already difficult situation on the Korean Peninsula and could lead to further escalation of conflict," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said, as quoted by Huffington Post.
North Korea has denied the allegations made by the U.S., saying that they had no hand in the security breach, although they did call the act a "righteous deed." The reclusive nation also proposed a joint investigation to find out who the real culprit is.
This issue, which now involves nations, was presumably triggered by "The Interview," a comedy that centers on two journalists assigned to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.
Russia's Lukashevich said, "The concept of the movie is so aggressive and scandalous, that the reaction of the North Korean side, and not just it, is quite understandable."
Back in June, U.N. Ambassador Ja Song Nam wrote to the United Nations about the said film, saying that screening such a movie must be deemed as "the most undisguised sponsoring of terrorism as well as an act of war."
Incidentally, the Guardians of Peace, the hackers that breached Sony's cyber-security, threatened that there would be a "9/11-like" attack on theaters that would show the film. They also gave Sony execs a virtual pat on the back when the company cancelled the film's Christmas screening, calling the decision "very wise." On the other hand, President Barack Obama called it "a mistake."
Sony had since backpedaled and rolled out the movie on theaters Wednesday. It is also now available for rent and for sale on YouTube, Google Play, and Xbox, among others. The movie outfit has also set up a dedicated website where viewers within the U.S. can rent the film for $5.99.
