North Korea slams FBI over Binance hack allegations as missile tests continue
- The FBI accused North Korea-linked hacking group TraderTraitor of stealing more than $6 billion in cryptocurrency from Binance.
- Kim Yo Jong, the sister of leader Kim Jong Un, condemned the allegations as “absurd rhetoric” and a “grave political provocation.”
- North Korea announced a test of a dispersal warhead designed for strategic cruise missiles, claiming it could destroy an area of five to six hectares.
North Korea denounced Monday US allegations linking it to a $6 billion cryptocurrency theft from exchange Binance, calling Washington’s accusations a political provocation, as it steps up missile testing amid heightened regional tensions.
Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, described the FBI’s claims as “absurd rhetoric” and a “grave political provocation” in a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday.
Her remarks came after the FBI publicly attributed the theft of more than $6 billion in cryptocurrency from Binance to North Korean hackers, identifying the operation as the work of a state-linked group known as TraderTraitor.
The rebuke coincided with renewed weapons demonstrations by Pyongyang. On Monday, North Korea tested a dispersal warhead designed for strategic cruise missiles, with state media claiming it could destroy a target area of five to six hectares.
The test was overseen by Gen. Kim Jong-sik, a senior ruling Workers’ Party official, according to KCNA. North Korea said the trial also demonstrated improvements in the missile’s ability to maneuver during its final approach to a target.
The latest test followed a separate trial on Saturday involving a cluster-bomb warhead designed for tactical ballistic missiles. Pyongyang claimed the weapon could devastate an area of 12 to 13 hectares and said it intended to equip military units with four types of cluster warheads by the end of 2026.
The tests came days after North Korea fired around 10 ballistic missiles from its eastern coast toward the sea on Oct. 29, according to South Korean authorities. The launches coincided with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to South Korea.
The FBI announced on Oct. 31 that North Korea was responsible for stealing more than $6 billion in virtual assets from Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. It identified the perpetrators as members of TraderTraitor, a hacking group it linked to the North Korean government, and said the stolen funds were being converted into Ethereum ahead of further laundering attempts.
The allegations come amid longstanding accusations that North Korea uses cybercrime to generate revenue for its economy and weapons programmes while facing extensive international sanctions. Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis estimated that North Korea was linked to 89% of cryptocurrency hacking losses in 2026, compared with 15% in 2021, Reuters reported.
US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, said investigators had not yet established whether North Korea was responsible for the Binance theft, telling reporters: “We don’t know if it’s North Korea.”
The dispute also comes as Trump has expressed interest in resuming summit diplomacy with Kim Jong Un, although Pyongyang has yet to publicly respond to his overtures. Kim Yo Jong’s warning that North Korea has issues to reconsider in light of Washington’s “hostile attitude” has raised further questions about the prospects for renewed engagement.
