North Korea to US: Join our Sony probe

The North Korean government wants to investigate the Sony Pictures hack — with the United States. 

The Associated Press reported Saturday that Pyongyang is warning of “serious” consequences if the U.S. does not participate in a joint investigation into the crippling cyberattack on Sony that caused the studio to pull its controversial comedy, “The Interview,” which depicts the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. 

{mosads}North Korea believes the investigation would show it had no involvement in the cyber assault. On Friday, the FBI accused Pyongyang of sponsoring the hit, which has rattled many Americans and could cost Sony well over $100 million. 

“We have a way to prove that we have nothing to do with the case without resorting to torture, as the CIA does,” an unnamed spokesman said Saturday in a message carried by Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency. The statement referred to the recent Senate report detailing extensive brutal interrogation methods formerly used by the CIA.

Pyongyang has consistently denied its involvement in the Sony assault, but described the act as “a righteous deed.” 

The Sony hackers not only exposed troves of Sony’s sensitive data — including Social Security numbers, unreleased films, and executives’ emails — but made Sept. 11-style threats on any theater that screened “The Interview.”

“The U.S. should bear in mind that it will face serious consequences in case it rejects our proposal for joint investigation and presses for what it called countermeasures while finding fault with” North Korea, the statement said. 

The White House has pledged it will “proportionally” respond to the attack. CNN reported Friday night that the administration was considering economic and banking sanctions against North Korea, but had ruled out adding it to the U.S. list of states sponsoring terrorism. 

Koh Yu-hwan, a professor at Seoul’s Dongguk University, told the AP that North Korea’s proposed investigation is a “typical” ploy for Pyongyang when it is involved in international disputes.

“But the U.S. won’t accede to a joint investigation for the crime,” Koh said.

South Korea also rejected a similar offer after blaming North Korea for a 2010 torpedo attack that killed 46 South Korean sailors.