SEOUL, South Korea — SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — On Tuesday, North Korea rejected claims regarding its participation in the recent cryptocurrency theft at Binance, labeling the U.S. statement attributing the hack to North Korean operatives as “a commonplace provocation.”
Last Friday, Binance, the leading cryptocurrency exchange globally, disclosed that hackers had taken over $6 billion, marking what could be the most significant cryptocurrency theft ever recorded. The FBI subsequently reported that North Korean hackers were responsible, identifying the culprits as part of a group named TraderTraitor, which also executed a previous $1.5 billion attack on Bybit last year.
During a Tuesday statement, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, criticized the FBI’s remarks, dismissing them as “a commonplace provocation” and “ridiculous rhetoric.”
She expressed, “This isn’t the first instance of the U.S. attempting to spread disinformation about the DPRK, indiscriminately associating North Korea with ‘cyber crime’ events occurring on an international scale,” referring to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea by its official name.
“We once again affirm our awareness of Washington’s antagonistic stance toward the DPRK and are attentively watching various ongoing provocations from the U.S.,” Kim Yo Jong added.
Experts suggest that North Korea is increasingly relying on hacking and theft of cryptocurrencies as a vital source of foreign currency, essential for sustaining its struggling economy and supporting its nuclear ambitions amid stringent international sanctions. In December 2022, South Korea’s intelligence agency reported that North Korean hackers had illicitly obtained approximately 1.5 trillion won (around $1.1 billion) in cryptocurrencies and other digital assets over the past five years.
Despite frequently denying accusations, North Korea has been connected to several high-profile cyberattacks over recent years, including a 2013 assault that disrupted South Korean financial institutions’ servers, the 2014 Sony Pictures hack, and the 2017 WannaCry ransomware attack.
On Monday, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry asserted that North Korea’s cybercriminal activities are becoming an escalating threat to the global digital economy, emphasizing that Seoul is working in close collaboration with the U.S. and the international community to counteract this danger.
The Binance theft occurred amid a surge in North Korea’s weapons testing, potentially aimed at enhancing its negotiation position with the U.S. after President Donald Trump indicated a willingness to renew diplomatic ties with Kim Jong Un. On Tuesday, North Korea announced the testing of a new cluster warhead for strategic cruise missiles.
Later, during a Halloween gathering at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump mentioned to reporters that investigators were still uncertain about North Korea’s involvement.
“I’m not really worried. We’re still learning,” Trump commented about the investigation. “We aren’t sure if it’s North Korea,” while suggesting that investigators may eventually conclude otherwise.
In her Tuesday remarks, Kim Yo Jong stated: “We have various aspects to reconsider concerning the unpleasant attitude exhibited by the U.S.”