Seth Rogan comedy 'an act of war'

North Korea irate over The Interview

A new Seth Rogan comedy movie has been declared an act of war by North Korea.

The regime has branded The Interview as 'terrorism' and said: 'If the US Government condones the screening of the film, they will have their consequences.'

Their anger comes from a plot in which two journalists – Rogan and James Franco – are recruited by the CIA to assassinate Kim Jong Un after being granted a TV interview.

A statement issued by North Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: 'We can never forgive their explicit terrorist, provocative deed of producing a film whereby they publicly mirrored the aspiration to assassinate our highest political leader in order to decimate the key philosophy of our military and people and to get rid of our system.'

In comments reported by the official Korean Central News Agency, a spokesman called those involved in the making of the film 'gangster-like scoundrels'.

He added: 'The international community cannot disguise disturbance after watching the movie trailer that portrays Americans, the best example of terrorists, mocking and assassinating our Highest Dignity [Kim Jong Un] in broad daylight of the United States.

'If the U.S. Government condones the screening of the film, they will have their consequences. Those criminals who mocked our leader and committed hostile crimes against our People’s Republic will be punished according to the law—wherever they hide on this globe.'

The stance is in contrast to North Korea's position in 2004, when the dictatorship issued no statement about Team America: World Police, which repeatedly mocked Kim Jong Il.

Rogan has responded to the reaction on Twitter saying: 'Apparently Kim Jon Un Plans on watching #TheInterview. I hope he likes it!'