U.S. State Department Responds to North Korea's Denial of Binance Hack: "Cybercrime Is a Global Problem"

"Relies on cybercrime to evade sanctions and fund WMD programs"

The U.S. State Department has rebutted claims by Kim Yo Jong, director of the Workers' Party's General Affairs Department, who denied allegations that North Korea was involved in the hacking of Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange. The department said North Korea relies on cybercrime, including cryptocurrency theft, to evade international sanctions and secure funding for its nuclear and missile development programs.

A State Department official, responding on November 3 local time to a question about Kim's statement, said, "North Korea's cybercrime is a global problem that affects businesses and numerous countries and jurisdictions around the world, including the United States."

The official added, "In recent years, North Korea has increasingly relied on cybercrime to evade international sanctions and fund its illicit weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs. Cryptocurrency theft and money laundering are important parts of this strategy."

The official emphasized, "The United States is working closely with like-minded countries to deter and condemn disruptive and destabilizing behavior in cyberspace."

The official also said that governments, network security personnel, and the general public in each country should remain vigilant and cooperate to address North Korea's cyber threats.

On October 31, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identified North Korea as being behind the theft of $6.3 billion (approximately 8.4 trillion won) in cryptocurrency from Binance. In response, Kim issued a statement on November 2 categorically denying the U.S. claims.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.