US insists NKorea must take Sony hack blame
The US has rejected North Korea's claim that it was not responsible for a cyber-attack on Sony Pictures.
North Korea strongly denies carrying out the attack and invited the US to take part in a joint investigation.
The National Security Council said North Korea should instead "admit culpability and compensate Sony".
After the attack and threats, Sony cancelled the release of a satirical film, The Interview, which depicts the fictional killing of Kim Jong-un.
The Interview had been due to open on Christmas Day. However, after anonymous threats against cinemas, Sony said it was considering releasing it "on a different platform".
The FBI said on Friday that North Korea had carried out last month's cyber-attack, in which script details and private emails were leaked.
The US defended its findings on Saturday, with US National Security spokesman Mark Stroh saying: "We are confident the North Korean government is responsible for this destructive attack."
"If the North Korean government wants to help, they can admit their culpability and compensate Sony for the damages this attack caused," he said.
On Saturday, the North Korean foreign ministry said: "As the United States is spreading groundless allegations and slandering us, we propose a joint investigation with it into this incident.
"Without resorting to such tortures as were used by the US CIA, we have means to prove that this incident has nothing to do with us."
The statement said there would be "grave consequences" if the Americans rejected their inquiry proposal.
On Friday US President Barack Obama criticised the cancellation, saying he wished Sony executives had spoken to him before cancelling the release.
"We cannot have a society in which some dictator some place can start imposing censorship," he said, vowing to "respond" to the cyber-attack in a "manner that we choose".
THE INTERVIEW SAGA
22 November: Sony computer systems hacked, exposing embarrassing emails and personal details about stars
7 December: North Korea denies accusations that it is behind the cyber-attack, but praises it as a "righteous deed"
16 December: "Guardians of Peace" hacker group threatens 9/11-type attack on cinemas showing film; New York premiere cancelled
17 December: Leading US cinema groups say they will not screen film; Sony cancels Christmas-day release
19 December: FBI concludes North Korea orchestrated hack; President Obama calls Sony cancellation "a mistake".
A Sony statement said the decision had been based on "the majority of the nation's theatre owners choosing not to screen the film".
"Without theatres, we could not release it in the theatres on Christmas Day," the statement added.
"We had no choice. It is still our hope that anyone who wants to see this movie will get the opportunity to do so."
The movie features James Franco and Seth Rogen as two journalists who are granted an audience with Kim.
The CIA then enlists the pair to assassinate him.
The film's cancelled release drew criticism in Hollywood, with some calling it an attack on the freedom of expression.
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