North Korea threatens war over Kim movie

North Korea has threatened "merciless" retaliation if a forthcoming Hollywood movie about killing their leader Kim Jong Un is released, say agencies.

A North Korean foreign ministry spokesman said in state media that the movie's release would be an "act of war", reported the BBC.

He did not mention the title, but appeared to be referring to action-comedy film called The Interview which stars James Franco and Seth Rogen.

They play a talkshow host and his producer who are invited to interview Kim Jong-un, and are then recruited by the US Central Intelligence Agency to assassinate the leader.

The film's teaser trailer, posted on YouTube, shows a lookalike actor playing Kim Jong Un, as well as fight scenes involving what appear to be North Korean tanks and helicopters, and a nuclear missile launch.

The North Korean spokesman was quoted by the state KCNA news agency as saying: "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."

"If the US administration allows and defends the showing of the film, a merciless counter-measure will be taken," he said.

The threat came on the anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, which started on June 25, 1950. 

Source: BBC