Kim Yo Jong Denies US Claims of $6.3 Billion Binance Theft
Kim Yo Jong rejected FBI allegations that North Korea stole $6.3 billion from Binance, calling the claims a political provocation and refusing dialogue with Washington.
North Korean official Kim Yo Jong issued a swift denial on Tuesday regarding U.S. allegations that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea orchestrated a $6.3 billion cryptocurrency theft from Binance. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and blockchain firm TRM Labs attributed the October 29 heist, potentially the largest on record, to the North Korean-linked hacking group TraderTraitor.
Kim characterized the FBI's findings as a grave political provocation and absurd rhetoric, claiming the U.S. is attempting to brand the regime as a cybercriminal state. She suggested the U.S. government might be motivated by its own goal of establishing a strategic cryptocurrency reserve using confiscated assets. While South Korea's Unification Ministry noted that Kim's unusually restrained language suggested a desire to protect the country's international reputation, she later hardened her stance.
In statements released via the Korean Central News Agency, Kim rejected the possibility of dialogue with Washington, citing the U.S. refusal to abandon its policy of confrontation. This rejection follows expressions of interest from President Donald Trump, who stated that Washington would discuss the Binance matter with Pyongyang and expressed a desire to meet Kim Jong Un later this year.
