North Korea calls US cyber crime accusations 'absurd slander'
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- North Korea rejected U.S. cybercrime accusations, calling them "absurd slander" in a KCNA statement on May 3.
- U.S. Justice Department sentenced two Americans in April for helping North Korean hackers obtain remote IT work with U.S. firms, a scheme that targeted over 100 companies, including Fortune 500 firms.
- United Nations panel estimated in 2024 that North Korean cyberattacks since 2017 had stolen more than $3 billion in cryptocurrency, funding weapons of mass destruction.
- Google analysts noted in April that North Korean‑linked hackers were suspected of an ambitious attack on a widely used software package.
- John Eisenberg warned that placing North Korean IT workers on U.S. payrolls could harm national security.
Why it matters: US enforcement agencies gain a legal foothold, while North Korea loses credibility; the $3bn illicit crypto fund fuels weapons development, raising proliferation risk and prompting tighter sanctions on Pyongyang.
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