Kim Yo Jong denies FBI claims of North Korea's $6.3 billion Binance hack

North Korea has denied FBI accusations that it orchestrated a record $6.3 billion cyberattack on cryptocurrency exchange Binance, with Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, calling the claims a "sinister" US attempt to damage Pyongyang's image. Kim Yo Jong, a senior official, stated Tuesday that the US is engaging in a "banal provocation" by linking North Korea to global cybercrimes, calling it a serious political challenge. The FBI, Secret Service, and cyber analysts identified the state-backed hacking group TraderTraitor as responsible for the attack. North Korea has repeatedly denied involvement in major cyberattacks, including a $1.5 billion theft from Bybit in 2025 attributed to the same group, known as Lazarus. The country is accused of using cybercrime to fund its sanctions-hit economy.