U.S. calls for coordinated action against N. Korean cyber threats following Binance hack

The United States has called for coordinated international action to tackle North Korea's illicit cyber activities, following a major cryptocurrency heist involving Binance. Speaking on Saturday, a State Department spokesperson urged governments to collaborate in combating the DPRK cyber threat and reducing illicit revenue generated by North Korea.

The comments came in response to queries regarding potential coordination between Washington and Seoul on further sanctions, after the FBI attributed the crypto theft to North Korean actors. The spokesperson stressed the importance of enforcing existing international sanctions and implementing measures to prevent Pyongyang from funding its weapons programs.

The U.S. expects all UN member states to enforce sanctions and take proactive steps to stop the DPRK's financing of WMD and ballistic missile programs. South Korea's unification ministry had not yet begun discussing sanctions, as the details of the heist were not fully established. The foreign ministry separately mentioned reviewing possible unilateral cyber sanctions, but no decision had been made.

The State Department did not reveal whether Washington had shared investigative findings with Seoul or held bilateral talks regarding additional sanctions in connection with the incident.