North Korea slams FBI over allegations of being behind Binance hack

North Korea has rejected FBI allegations linking it to a reported $6 billion theft from cryptocurrency trade Binance, with Kim Yo Jong describing the accusation as a “grave political provocation”.

In a press release carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Tuesday, November 3, the sister of North Korean chief Kim Jong Un dismissed the allegation as “absurd rhetoric and nothing new”. She referred to earlier US accusations connecting North Korea to the key assault on cryptocurrency platform Bybit final 12 months.

“It is a grave political provocation against the DPRK that the US misleads the international public opinion as if all the cyber crimes in different parts of the world are our deeds,” she stated, utilizing the abbreviation for North Korea’s official title. The FBI stated on Saturday that TraderTraitor, a hacking group it associates with North Korea, was accountable for the Binance assault.

The similar group was blamed for the theft of $1.5 billion from Bybit in February final 12 months. That incident had been described as the biggest cryptocurrency theft earlier than the reported Binance breach. Kim accused Washington of looking for to break North Korea’s worldwide standing.

“This is a sinister attempt to damage the international image of the DPRK and undermine its dignity and national prestige and another grave violation of the sovereignty of the DPRK,” she stated. “It is the consistent policy stand of the DPRK government to resolutely oppose all sorts of malicious acts in cyberspace,” she added.

Binance is the world’s largest cryptocurrency trade by each day buying and selling quantity. News of the reported assault was adopted by sharp falls within the costs of most main cryptocurrencies on Friday, October 30.

Despite the FBI’s attribution, US President Donald Trump expressed uncertainty about North Korea’s involvement when questioned on Saturday, October 31. “I’m not concerned. We’re learning about it. We don’t know if it’s North Korea,” he instructed reporters at his residence in Florida. Trump has made a number of overtures to Pyongyang since returning to workplace and has stated he can be keen to satisfy Kim Jong Un this 12 months.

North Korea has not publicly responded to these gestures. Kim Yo Jong stated the newest allegations had “confirmed Washington’s hostile attitude toward the DPRK once again”. “We have issues to reconsider in diverse aspects as regards the very unpleasant US hostile attitude,” she added.