US calls for coordinated action against N. Korean cyber threats following Binance hack

The United States on Saturday called for international cooperation to combat North Korea's illicit cyber activities following a massive cryptocurrency theft involving Binance.

"Particularly in light of the recent hack of Binance, it is critical for governments to work together and do their own part to mitigate the DPRK cyber threat and curb illicit DPRK revenue generation," a State Department spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency in a written response.

DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.

The remarks were made in response to an inquiry about potential coordination between Washington and Seoul on additional sanctions following the US Federal Bureau of Investigation's attribution of the cryptocurrency theft to North Korean actors.

The spokesperson also emphasized the importance of enforcing existing international sanctions and taking measures to prevent Pyongyang from financing its weapons programs.

"We expect all UN member states to enforce existing sanctions and take proactive measures to prevent the DPRK from funding its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs," the spokesperson said.

"Coordinated unilateral sanctions continue to be a strong tool to prevent the flow of money that supports the proliferation of weapons," the spokesperson added.

The remarks came after a South Korean unification ministry official said Thursday that Seoul had not yet begun discussing sanctions over the incident because the circumstances surrounding the theft had not been fully established.

South Korea's foreign ministry separately said it was internally reviewing possible additional measures, including unilateral cyber sanctions, but that no decision had been made.

The State Department did not directly address whether Washington had shared investigative findings with Seoul or held bilateral discussions on additional sanctions in connection with the incident. (Yonhap)