North Korea threatens to ‘mercilessly destroy’ those associated with US film

On a day when North Korea raised tensions in the region by firing three short-range missiles into the waters off its east coast, Pyongyang promised to “mercilessly destroy” anyone associated with a Seth Rogen movie that depicts an attempt to assassinate leader Kim Jong-un. North Korea said “a merciless counter-measure will be taken”.

The missiles were fired from the port city of Wonsan, flying about 190km before harmlessly landing in the water.

North Korea said it was responding to an attack by South Korea, and said its forces were “full of the strong will of retaliation to punish the provocateurs to the last one by giving vent to their pent-up grudge . . . What they are waiting for is only the order to be given.”

Father’s son

The Swiss-educated Mr Kim, who is in his early 30s, took over after the death of his father, Kim Jong-il, in 2011.

Since he took over, he has encouraged the opening-up of the economy but retained a tight grip on power like his grandfather, state founder Kim Il-sung, and has been building up a personality cult.

The threat relates to whether the US goes ahead with showing The Interview, which features Rogen and James Franco as two journalists who are recruited by the CIA to assassinate Mr Kim after they are granted an interview. "Making and releasing a movie on a plot to hurt our top-level leadership is the most blatant act of terrorism and war and will absolutely not be tolerated," North Korea's KCNA news agency reported, citing a foreign ministry spokesman.

‘Mercilessly destroy’

Without naming the movie but making it clear it was the Rogen project, North Korea’s spokesman said: “It is their firm determination and stamina to mercilessly destroy anyone who dares hurt or attack the supreme leadership of the country, even a bit.”

North Korea is particularly sensitive to satirical movies. Mr Kim's father was lambasted in the 2004 animated feature Team America: World Police, where he sings a plaintive song condemning United Nations weapons inspector Hans Blix with the words "I'm so lonely".

Rogen responded on Twitter with the lines: “People don’t usually wanna kill me for one of my movies until after they’ve paid 12 bucks for it.”

The Interview is due to be released in US cinemas in the autumn.