North Korea on Sunday rejected recent US allegations that cyberattacks originate from its territory, calling the claims “absurd slander” and insisting it does not constitute a cyber threat, state media KCNA reported.
A 2024 United Nations panel estimated that cyber operations linked to North Korea have stolen more than $3 billion in cryptocurrency since 2017, funds that analysts say may support Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs. Several cybersecurity firms have labeled the country among the world’s most active perpetrators of cyber theft.
In response to the US accusations, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson accused Washington of spreading falsehoods about a “non‑existent cyber threat” to justify what it described as hostile policy. The statement said the claims were politically motivated attempts to damage North Korea’s image and warned Pyongyang would take whatever measures it deems necessary to protect its interests in cyberspace.
US officials and investigators have pointed to a range of activities they attribute to North Korea, including the use of overseas IT-worker networks, hacking operations and cryptocurrency theft to generate revenue despite sanctions. In April, the US Justice Department sentenced two Americans who helped North Koreans obtain remote IT positions with US companies; authorities said the scheme effectively placed North Korean workers inside corporate systems and implicated more than 100 firms over several years, including Fortune 500 companies and a defense contractor.
Cybersecurity researchers and Google analysts also reported in April that hackers suspected of links to North Korea targeted a widely used software package, an incident that raised concerns about supply-chain vulnerabilities.
Edited by: Rana Taha