North Korea blasts U.S. over fresh sanctions for Sony Hack

North Korea on Sunday lashed out at fresh sanctions imposed by the United States in retaliation for its alleged cyber attack on Sony Pictures, criticising Washington for refusing a proposed joint investigation. President Barack Obama last week authorised a new layer of sanctions on several Pyongyang institutions and officials, in the wake of the crippling hacking attack on the Hollywood movie studio. The North repeatedly denied involvement and demanded a joint investigation into the attack – a proposal the US has ignored. The North’s foreign ministry said Washington’s rejection of the proposal revealed its “guilty conscience”. It said the US was using the attack to further isolate the North in the international community.

The persistent and unilateral action taken by the White House to slap ‘sanctions’… patently proves that it is still not away from inveterate repugnancy and hostility toward the (North).

A ministry spokesman quoted by state-run KCNA news agency

The United States on Friday sanctioned 10 North Korean government officials and three organizations, including Pyongyang’s primary intelligence agency and state-run arms dealer, in what the White House described as an opening move in the response toward the Sony cyberattack. The impoverished but nuclear-armed state is already heavily sanctioned following a series of nuclear and missile tests staged in violation of UN resolutions. The spokesman also said the new sanctions would further push the North to strengthen its military-first policy known as Songgun.

The policy persistently pursued by the U.S. to stifle the DPRK, groundlessly stirring up bad blood toward it, would only harden its will and resolution to defend the sovereignty of the country.

Ministry spokesman

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