North Korea denies Binance hack, calls FBI accusation a provocation

North Korea denied involvement in the Binance cryptocurrency heist, calling the FBI's accusation a "trite provocation" in a statement from Kim Yo Jong on Tuesday. The denial follows U.S. claims that North Korean hackers orchestrated the theft of over $6 billion. The FBI attributed the attack to the TraderTraitor hacking group, previously linked to a $1.5 billion Bybit hack. Kim Yo Jong dismissed the announcement as "absurd rhetoric," while experts note North Korea has increasingly relied on cyber theft to fund its economy and nuclear program amid sanctions. North Korea has denied past cyberattacks despite links to major incidents, including the 2014 Sony Pictures hack and 2017 WannaCry attack. The heist coincides with heightened weapons testing, though President Trump said investigators are not yet certain of North Korea's involvement.