By TheDailyNewsHub Reporter
North Korea has rejected allegations by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that it was responsible for the theft of more than $6 billion in cryptocurrency from Binance, describing the accusation as a politically motivated attempt to damage the country’s international reputation.
Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, issued the response on Tuesday, November 3, in a statement carried by the country’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
She described the FBI’s attribution of the attack to a North Korean-linked hacking operation as “absurd rhetoric” and a “grave political provocation”.
Kim accused Washington of misleading international public opinion by portraying North Korea as responsible for cybercrimes occurring in different parts of the world. She also said the allegation was intended to undermine the country’s dignity and national prestige.
The FBI announced on October 31 that North Korea was responsible for the theft of more than $6 billion in virtual assets from Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume.
The agency identified the hacking operation as TraderTraitor, a group it linked to North Korean cyber activities. It also warned cryptocurrency exchanges, blockchain service providers and other industry operators to block transactions involving wallet addresses associated with the stolen funds.
Binance disclosed that its hot wallets were compromised on October 29, resulting in losses estimated at approximately $6.3 billion. The exchange said it had found no evidence that wallet private keys were exposed and pledged to cover the financial impact of the incident rather than pass the losses to customers. Read the full report on Binance’s $6.3bn security breach and the freezing of billions in assets.
Binance also assured customers that they would not bear the financial consequences of the incident, pledging to cover the losses using company resources and its Secure Asset Fund for Users. In a subsequent update, the exchange said it had replenished 90 per cent of the affected funds. Read more: Binance Says Customers Will Not Bear Financial Impact of $6.3bn Crypto Theft
In its subsequent update, Binance said approximately $2.85 billion in affected digital assets had been frozen or intercepted through cooperation with law enforcement agencies, blockchain intelligence firms and industry partners. The investigation remains ongoing.
The FBI’s accusation has also drawn attention because the same hacking group has previously been linked by US authorities to major cryptocurrency thefts, including the $1.5 billion Bybit hack in February 2025.
North Korea’s latest response comes amid longstanding tensions with Washington over allegations of state-sponsored cybercrime. Pyongyang has repeatedly denied involvement in major cryptocurrency thefts.
US President Donald Trump also expressed uncertainty about North Korea’s responsibility when asked about the incident, saying the United States was still learning about the matter.
Kim Yo Jong said the latest allegation confirmed what she described as Washington’s hostile attitude towards North Korea, adding that Pyongyang had issues to reconsider in response.
The dispute adds a diplomatic dimension to one of the largest reported cryptocurrency thefts, as investigators continue efforts to trace the stolen assets and establish the full circumstances surrounding the breach.