North Korea denies hacking allegations, accuses US of spreading false information
Pyongyang says US is building 'absurd slander' narrative about non-existent cyber threat
Quick Look
- North Korea has dismissed allegations linking it to international hacking incidents, accusing the United States of spreading false information to tarnish its image.
- In a statement to state-run KCNA, a foreign ministry spokesperson called the US claims of a DPRK cyber threat unfounded and politically motivated, adding that the US itself resorts to indiscriminate cyber attacks on other countries.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
North Korea's Lazarus hacking group has been repeatedly accused by international cybersecurity experts and governments of launching sophisticated cyberattacks, including on financial institutions and cryptocurrency platforms. The group was most recently linked to an attack on decentralized finance platform KelpDAO.
SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Sunday dismissed allegations that it had been the mastermind behind a recent international hacking case, accusing the United States of pushing "an absurd slander to tarnish the image of our country" by spreading false information. In a response provided to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a spokesperson for the North's foreign ministry claimed that the U.S. was building a narrative about the unfounded "cyber threat" from Pyongyang. "Recently, the U.S. government organs, reptile media organs and plot-breeding organizations are trying to spread incorrect understanding of the DPRK to the international community, talking about the non-existent 'cyber threat' from the DPRK," the spokesperson said, referring to North Korea by its official name, Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "One common point in their unilateral assertion is that all cyber-related frauds in different parts of the world are related to us and that the U.S. boasting of the world's best cyber technical power is the world's greatest 'victim.' "It is quite unreasonable for the U.S., which resorts to indiscriminate cyber attacks on other countries with the global IT infrastructure under its control, to describe itself as the 'victim,'" the spokesperson added. The spokesperson also contended that the U.S. claims of North Korea's connection to hacking are an extension of its hostile policy toward Pyongyang and are politically motivated. "The DPRK will never tolerate the hostile forces' attempt at confrontation getting more undisguised in various domains including cyber space, but actively take all necessary measures for defending the interests of the state and protecting the rights and interests of its citizens," the official stressed. North Korean hacking group Lazarus has often been accused of launching cyberattacks, most recently last month on the decentralized finance platform KelpDAO.
Open Questions
- What specific evidence does the US have linking North Korea to recent hacking incidents?
- Will the US or its allies impose additional sanctions or take other actions in response?
- How will this diplomatic standoff affect ongoing efforts at engagement?
