North Korea lambasts the US over link to crypto heist

North Korea has reprimanded the United States over claims of the former’s involvement in crypto cybercrime. The spokesperson of North Korea’s foreign ministry criticized the remarks of the U.S on the Asian country, describing it as aggressive.

According to the spokesperson, the labeling of North Korea as a region of cyber criminals illustrates U.S inhospitable policy towards the Asian nation. Reportedly, he affirms the ministry’s commitment to fighting against Washington’s terrible branding of the country.

Recall that the deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies in the U.S, Anne Neuberger, had on Wednesday branded North Korea as a nation enveloped by criminal syndicates. According to Neuberger, the Asian nation usually masses massive income through cyber criminalities.

Over time, a North Korean hacking group identified as Lazarus has been linked to the numerous exploitations endured within the crypto sphere. Recall that a 2022 report by Chainalysis linked the pilfering of over $1 billion worth of cryptos to the hacking team. 

As revealed by the report, the team diverted the funds into a crypto mixer. In early 2022, France24, in a report, said the FBI indicted North Korean hacking teams Lazarus and APT38 of masterminding the exploitation of Axie Infinity. As revealed, these groups’ exploitation of this protocol led to over $620 million in pilfering.

More so, a report by the FBI said the cyber criminalities by the hacking team are not limited to the crypto space. The agency traced the genesis of the attacks by the teams to the 1990s. It alleges that those attacks were made in a bid to foster their country’s security interest.

Additionally, the popular belief is that North Korea has many highly trained hackers who specialize in exploiting crypto protocols. The North Korean authorities were reportedly accused of backing the hacking teams troubling the crypto industry. According to reports, the country hugely relies on the pilfered funds by the hacking teams to sponsor its nuclear weapon agenda. 

North Korea is currently enduring heavy sanctions from the US, a development that was expected to affect its nuclear weapon agenda. However, North Korea seems to be advancing in the journey to actualize its nuclear weapon initiative, raising suspicion about its source of funding for the country’s nuclear ambitions.

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