Obama says US reviewing whether to return North Korea to list of state sponsors of terrorism

Photo: The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Cars drive by the Sony Pictures Plaza building in Culver City, Calif., Friday, Dec. 19, 2014. President Barack Obama declared Friday that Sony "made a mistake" in shelving the satirical film, "The Interview," about a plot to assassinate North Korea's leader. He pledged the U.S. would respond "in a place and manner and time that we choose" to the hacking attack on Sony that led to the withdrawal. The FBI blamed the hack on the communist government. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

HONOLULU, Hawaii - President Barack Obama says the United States is reviewing whether to put North Korea back onto its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Obama says the high-tech attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment isn't an act of war, but is a very expensive example of cybervandalism. The U.S. blames North Korea for the attack.

Obama tells CNN's "State of the Union" that the U.S. will examine the facts to determine whether North Korea qualifies for the terrorism sponsors list. North Korea was removed in 2008.

Sony has cancelled the release of a film that North Korea found offensive. Sony says it had no choice because theatres wouldn't show the film.

But Obama says had Sony spoken to him directly, he might have called the movie theatres to question their decision.