June 27, 2026 10:13 pm (IST)
Follow us:
Sony cyber attack: US imposes new sanctions on North Korea
Washington, Jan 3 (IBNS) Reacting to the cyber attack against US company Sony Pictures Entertainment, the United States imposed fresh sanctions on North Korea, holding that they believed the Asian country was behind it.
An executive order was signed by President Barack Obama on Friday to the effect, allowing sanctions on three North Korean organisations and 10 individuals, said reports.
A statement by the Press Secretary on the Executive Order Entitled “Imposing Additional Sanctions with Respect to North Korea” said: "Today, the President issued an Executive Order (E.O.) authorizing additional sanctions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. This E.O. is a response to the Government of North Korea’s ongoing provocative, destabilizing, and repressive actions and policies, particularly its destructive and coercive cyber attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment."
US sanctions are already imposed over North Korea for its nuclear programme.
"The E.O. authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to impose sanctions on individuals and entities associated with the Government of North Korea. We take seriously North Korea’s attack that aimed to create destructive financial effects on a U.S. company and to threaten artists and other individuals with the goal of restricting their right to free expression," it said.
"As the President has said, our response to North Korea's attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment will be proportional, and will take place at a time and in a manner of our choosing. Today's actions are the first aspect of our response," it said.
US sanctions are already imposed over North Korea for its nuclear programme.
A group that identified itself as Guardians of Peace leaked data from Sony's computers, exposing emails and personal details and also had threatened the cinema chains that were to screen the film The Interview, a satirical comedy on North Korea.
The Interview directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg is the story of two journalists instructed to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after booking an interview with him.
In June 2014, the North Korean government threatened "merciless" action against the United States if the film's distributor, Columbia Pictures, went ahead with the release.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
Iran-US conflict: Cargo vessel hit near Strait of Hormuz, UN agency pauses evacuation operations
Fri, Jun 26 2026
UN study finds AI systems reproduce human bias, including sexism, racism across 133 models
Wed, Jun 24 2026
Night of chaos in France: Arrests, stabbings and panic at nationwide music festival
Tue, Jun 23 2026
‘I have heard the answer of my party’: Keir Starmer quits as UK Prime Minister amid Labour Party turmoil
Mon, Jun 22 2026
Massive explosion rocks Qatar gas hub, 54 injured and 18 missing
Mon, Jun 22 2026