[News Today] NK rejects US crypto hacking claims

[LEAD]

U.S. government agencies and cybersecurity firms are stepping up pressure on North Korea over cryptocurrency theft and illegal IT employment. Alongside prosecutions and sanctions, some have even pointed to Pyongyang as a key force behind global crypto hacking. North Korea has strongly denied the claims, calling them groundless and 'absurd slander'.

[REPORT]

A video interview with an IT company.

The interviewer asks the interviewee to make insulting remarks about North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Kim Jong-un is a fat, ugly pig. Could you say that for me?

This video, claimed to be intended to ferret out North Korean IT operatives, spread quickly on social media.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice said two U.S. citizens had received heavy prison sentences for helping North Korean IT workers get jobs at more than 100 U.S. companies.

U.S. analysis company TRM Labs has reported that 76% of cryptocurrency theft funds in the first four months of this year were linked to North Korea, and the total amount of damages reaches USD 577 million, or some KRW 850 billion.

North Korea rebutted by accusing the U.S. of spreading baseless public opinion.

In a reply by a Foreign Ministry spokesperson of the regime to a reporter's questions, the North said it strongly opposes any attempts to use cyber issues as a political tool, calling the accusations absurd slander.

Lee Choong-koo / Korea Inst. for Defense Analyses

N. Korea thinks it’s a public opinion campaign by US to block foreign currency sources and tarnish its reputation by disclosing results and statistics.

The Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team led by the governments of South Korea and the U.S. says North Korea is laundering stolen cryptocurrency for nuclear missile development.