'Absurd Rhetoric': North Korea Slams FBI's Binance Hack Allegations As 'Grave' Provocation

North Korea on Tuesday rejected allegations by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that it was behind a major theft from cryptocurrency exchange Binance, with Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo Jong calling the claims a “grave political provocation”.

In a statement carried by North Korea’s state-run KCNA news agency, Kim dismissed the FBI’s allegations as “absurd rhetoric and nothing new”. She accused Washington of trying to link Pyongyang to cybercrime incidents around the world.

“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 said, referring to North Korea by its official name.

FBI Accuses North Korea-Linked Group

The FBI said on Saturday that

a North Korea-linked hacking group, known as TraderTraitor, was responsible for the theft. The group has also been blamed for the $1.5 billion hack of cryptocurrency platform Bybit in February last year, which was then the largest cryptocurrency theft on record.

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by daily trading volume, has seen the reported attack add to concerns over security in the digital asset sector.

Kim called the US allegations as an attempt to damage North Korea’s international image and undermine its national reputation.

Pyongyang Accuses Washington Of Hostility

Kim also said North Korea opposed all forms of malicious activity in cyberspace, adding that the latest allegations showed Washington’s continued hostile attitude towards Pyongyang.

“We have issues to reconsider in diverse aspects as regards the very unpleasant US hostile attitude,” she said.

Trump Casts Doubt On North Korea’s Role

US President Donald Trump had earlier expressed uncertainty over Pyongyang’s alleged involvement in the hack.

“I’m not concerned. We’re learning about it. We don’t know if it’s North Korea,” Trump told reporters at his residence in Florida.

Trump has repeatedly indicated that he is open to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un since returning to office. He has also expressed interest in holding talks with the nuclear-armed country’s leader this year, although Pyongyang has yet to respond to those overtures.

(With inputs from AFP)