Seoul (AFP) - North Korea on Tuesday denounced accusations by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that Pyongyang was behind a massive hacking operation in which $6 billion was stolen from the Binance platform, while Kim Jong Un's sister described it as a "dangerous political provocation."
Published on: 02/11/2026 - 23:45
North Korea's Korean Central News Agency quoted a statement by Kim Yo Jong on Tuesday in which he said that the FBI's claim is nothing but "ridiculous rhetoric that does not contain anything new," after Washington had also previously accused it of being behind the major hacking operation that occurred on the "Bybit" platform last year.
The statement added, "The United States misleading international public opinion by suggesting that all cybercrimes (...) in the world are our creation, is a dangerous political provocation against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea."
On Saturday, the FBI accused North Korea of being behind this theft, blaming a group of North Korean hackers known as "Trader Traitor."
This is the same group that the FBI accused of stealing $1.5 billion from the Bybit platform in February 2025, which was considered the largest theft in the field of cryptocurrencies at the time.
Kim Yo Jong added, "This is a malicious attempt to damage the international image of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and undermine its national dignity and prestige, and is another gross violation of the country's sovereignty."
"The consistent political position of the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is to firmly oppose all forms of malicious actions in cyberspace," she continued.
The Binance platform is the first in the world in terms of digital currency trading volume, and it has 335 million users. News of the cyber attack led to a sharp decline in the prices of most major cryptocurrencies on Friday.
US President Donald Trump, who constantly boasts of his good personal relations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, expressed doubts about Pyongyang's involvement in the hacking operation.
He told reporters at his residence in Florida on Saturday evening, "I'm not worried. We're in the process of learning more. We don't know if North Korea is responsible."
Kim Yo Jong said in her statement that the new allegations "reaffirmed Washington's hostile position towards the Democratic People's Republic of Korea... We have issues that require reconsideration from various aspects regarding the hostile and completely unacceptable US position."
© 2026 AFP
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