Amid rising global scrutiny over cyber threats, North Korea has strongly rejected accusations linking it to hacking and cryptocurrency theft, calling them baseless and politically motivated.
In a statement published by its state news agency, the country’s Foreign Ministry described the allegations as “absurd slander” aimed at damaging its international image. It accused the United States of creating a false narrative around North Korea’s cyber activities.
According to the ministry, Washington has mobilised government bodies, media platforms, and other organisations to highlight what it called a “nonexistent cyber threat.” The goal, it claimed, is to build a “distorted view” of Pyongyang and shift global perception.
The statement further alleged that the US is linking cyber fraud incidents worldwide to North Korea while portraying itself as the “biggest victim.” Pyongyang said this approach is part of a broader, long-standing hostile policy by Washington.
“It is our consistent policy position to thoroughly oppose and reject any impure attempt to use cyber issues as a political tool for violating sovereignty and interfering in internal affairs,” the ministry said.
North Korea also warned that it would not ignore what it described as growing confrontational actions by hostile forces, including in cyberspace. It added that it would take “all necessary measures” to defend its national interests and protect its citizens.
The response comes as multiple reports continue to connect North Korean-linked hacking groups to major cyber thefts. According to foreign media reports, TraderTraitor, a subgroup of the Lazarus Group, allegedly attacked the restaking protocol Kelp DAO on April 20, stealing around $290 million. The incident is said to be the largest single cryptocurrency theft reported so far this year.
North Korea has also been accused of involvement in another major cybercrime, involving the theft of 426.8 billion won ($289.7 million) from cryptocurrency exchange Drift Protocol earlier last month.
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