Digital currencies: Binance: North Korea rejects accusation of billion-dollar heist
After the largest hacking attack so far on a cryptocurrency exchange, Pyongyang rejects any responsibility. The sister of the North Korean leader considers the accusations absurd.
North Korea has vehemently denied accusations from the United States that it is responsible for stealing several billion dollars from the cryptocurrency trading platform Binance. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, called the allegations "absurd" and a "serious political provocation" in a statement released by the state news agency KCNA.
The alleged theft, reportedly exceeding $6 billion, is the largest cyber attack on a crypto exchange to date. For comparison, South Korea's central bank estimates North Korea's total foreign trade last year at around $3.1 billion, which is only half of the allegedly stolen crypto heist. North Korean hackers are also alleged to finance weapons programs.
Kim accused Washington of repeatedly linking North Korea to international cybercrime without evidence. The US had previously blamed Pyongyang for a cyber attack on the crypto exchange Bybit, which saw around $1.5 billion in cryptocurrency stolen. The repeated accusations aimed to damage North Korea's international standing and violate its sovereignty, Kim explained.
The FBI had previously attributed the Binance theft to a North Korean hacker group supported by Pyongyang, according to US law enforcement. North Korean hackers have been linked to numerous attacks on crypto platforms by international security researchers for years. The stolen funds are said to be used to finance North Korean weapons programs.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
