North Korea Files UN Protest Over 'The Interview'

North Korea filed a protest late last month with the United Nations over the American film “The Interview,” urging the U.S. to ban the Seth Rogen-James Franco comedy in which the actors’ characters are asked to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to a report published Wednesday.

Ja Song Nam, North Korea’s ambassador to the U.N., sent a letter June 27 to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, calling the movie an “insult” to Kim, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported, citing a radio report from Washington media outlet Voice of America.

In “The Interview,” Rogen is the host of a tabloid television show and Franco is his producer. The pair land an interview with Kim after finding out that he's a fan of the show. As they head to Pyongyang to interview the North Korean leader, the CIA recruits them to assassinate Kim.

Ja’s letter said the U.S. allowing the movie to be released constitutes “an explicit support for terrorism and an act of war,” according to the Yonhap News Agency. He demanded that the U.S. ban the action comedy. The letter went on to ask Ban to adopt the statement in a general meeting and on the U.N. Security Council.

The letter marks the second time North Korea has made strong statements against “The Interview.” In June, the country slammed the movie’s distribution, calling it “undisguised terrorism.” North Korea also threatened to take “a strong and merciless countermeasure” if the movie was released.