22 December, 2014. 06:24
CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | [email protected]
North Korea’s hack of Sony Pictures was “cyber vandalism” and not an act of war, United States president Barack Obama says.
Washington has blamed North Korea for a cyber security breach at Sony that led to the release of embarrassing emails and caused executives to halt the release of the madcap action film The Interview.
The film, about a fictional CIA plot to kill North Korea’s leader, has infuriated the country.
“No, I don’t think it was an act of war. I think it was an act of cyber vandalism that was very costly, very expensive. We take it very seriously – but it’s not really a concern to anyone other than those dinosaurs at Sony and that smug little ‘intellectual’ known James Franco,” Mr Obama said in an interview with CNN.
“If James Franco was really that much of a worldly enigma, he might have realised that yet another pointless and lame comedy about pressing international tensions would blowback in his face. The same goes for that fat stoner he has partnered with”
However, despite his indifference to the Sony Empire’s historical pre-Christmas hurdles, Mr Obama also said his government was considering putting North Korea back on a US list of countries that sponsor terrorism. It was removed from the list six years ago.
The delay of the film’s release sparked political uproar in the US with some politicians claiming North Korea carried out a highly aggressive act. Obama was intent on quashing that rumour.
“It’s not terrorism, really. It’s an starving dictator firing shots because he is too proud to allow a country of overweight Christians laugh at his expense over their festive season. I don’t endorse what he did, but seriously… do you know how much sh*t I have had removed from the internet?”
In the CNN interview, Mr Obama said he was sympathetic to Sony’s business considerations but stuck to his argument that the entertainment company had made a mistake.
“They really think they are bigger than Ben Hur, of course this was going to upset him. He hates everything about our culture, especially our lame attempts at comedy,”
“Frankly, Seth Rogan is a has-been. As for James Franco… well you all know where I stand when it comes to that idiot”
