North Korea rejects US cybercrime claims as 'absurd slander'

North Korea on Sunday rejected US allegations of cybercrimes originating from there, calling them "absurd slander" and denying it poses a cyber threat, state media KCNA reported.

In 2024, a United Nations panel estimated that North Korea-linked cyberattacks have stolen over $3 billion (€2.56 billion) in cryptocurrency since 2017, funds believed to support Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development.

The country has been dubbed "the world's most prolific cyber-thief" by a cybersecurity firm.

What did North Korea say about the US accusations?

A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a statement that the United States was 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 generate revenue 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.

The scheme targeted over 100 companies over years, including Fortune 500 firms, and a defense contractor, placing North Korean workers inside US corporate systems, officials said.

Cybersecurity experts and Google analysts said in April that North Korea-linked hackers were suspected in an attack targeting a widely used software package.

What lessons is North Korea learning from the Iran war?

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Edited by: Rana Taha