North Korean officials had previously expressed concerns about the film to the United Nations, stating that "to allow the production and distribution of such a film on the assassination of an incumbent head of a sovereign state should be regarded as the most undisguised sponsoring of terrorism as well as an act of war."
朝鲜官员此前曾就影片对美国表示关注，指出“允许制作和分销暗杀主权国家现任领导人的电影，应被视为恐怖主义最为露骨的赞助，是战争行为”。