North Korea on Sunday dismissed US allegations that cybercrimes originate from the country, calling the claims “absurd slander” and denying it poses a cyber threat, state media KCNA reported.
A 2024 United Nations panel estimated that North Korea-linked cyberattacks have stolen more than $3 billion (€2.56 billion) in cryptocurrency since 2017, revenue believed to support Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs. Cybersecurity firms have described the country as “the world’s most prolific cyber-thief.”
What did North Korea say about the US accusations?
A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the United States is spreading false claims about a “non-existent cyber threat” to justify hostile policies. “This is nothing but an absurd slander to tarnish the image of our country by spreading false information in pursuit of political purposes,” the statement said. Pyongyang warned it would take necessary steps to defend its interests in cyberspace.
What do we know about the US cyber accusations?
Washington has accused North Korea of using overseas IT-worker networks, hacking and cryptocurrency theft to raise funds for its weapons programs amid sanctions. In April, the US Justice Department sentenced two Americans for helping North Koreans secure remote IT jobs with US firms. Officials said the scheme placed North Korean workers inside US corporate systems and targeted more than 100 companies over years, including Fortune 500 firms and a defense contractor.
Cybersecurity experts and Google analysts said in April that North Korea-linked hackers were suspected in an attack targeting a widely used software package.
Edited by: Rana Taha