by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

WASHINGTON/SEOUL/PYONGYANG (Worthy News) – North Korea fired multiple missiles toward the sea Wednesday while rejecting U.S. accusations that its hackers stole more than $6 billion in cryptocurrency, further straining relations with Washington amid uncertainty over possible peace talks.

South Korea’s military said the missiles were launched from the Sondok area on North Korea’s eastern coast, marking Pyongyang’s fourth such weapons launch in a month.

The launches came hours after Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accused Washington of pursuing hostile policies and questioned the need for renewed negotiations with the United States.

Her comments followed an announcement by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) blaming North Korean hackers for the theft of more than $6 billion in digital assets from Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.

The October 29 attack, attributed by American investigators to a North Korean hacking operation known as TraderTraitor, is believed to be the largest cryptocurrency theft ever recorded.

RECORD CRYPTO THEFT

In comparison, the largest conventional bank robbery recognized by Guinness World Records involved $282 million stolen from the Dar es Salaam Investment Bank in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2007. However, an even larger operation occurred in March 2003, when Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein ordered the removal of approximately $1 billion from the country’s Central Bank shortly before the U.S.-led invasion. The alleged $6.34 billion cryptocurrency theft therefore dwarfs both historic cases.

Binance has pledged to cover the losses rather than pass them on to customers. In a November 4 update, the exchange confirmed that it had replenished approximately 98 percent of the affected cryptocurrency assets and reserved more than enough funds to cover the remainder. The company also reported that approximately $2.85 billion in stolen assets had been frozen or intercepted as investigators continued efforts to recover the money.

In a statement carried by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yo Jong rejected the FBI’s findings and accused Washington of using the cryptocurrency case to discredit her country.

She described the allegations as evidence of what Pyongyang considers longstanding American hostility.

North Korea has also repeatedly criticized joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises and Washington’s demands for the country to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

US-NORTH KOREA TENSIONS

Although Kim Yo Jong did not entirely rule out future negotiations, she indicated that dialogue with Washington, while potentially serving peace, was not necessarily in North Korea’s interests.

Her remarks cast further doubt on prospects for renewed diplomacy between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump said in August that he wanted to meet Kim Jong Un again later this year, but Pyongyang has not publicly accepted the invitation.

Previous negotiations between the two leaders collapsed in 2019 amid disagreements over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and international sanctions.

Wednesday’s missile launches added to concerns about Pyongyang’s expanding military capabilities, following recent tests involving tactical ballistic missiles and other advanced weapons systems.

MISSILE TESTS RAISE CONCERNS

South Korean and American military authorities were analyzing the latest launches, with initial assessments suggesting the missiles traveled less than 300 kilometers (186 miles).

The military tensions unfolded as investigators continued tracing billions of dollars in stolen cryptocurrency, amid longstanding Western concerns that North Korean cyber operations help generate funds for the heavily sanctioned government.

The FBI said hackers had been converting stolen assets primarily into Ether, a major cryptocurrency, and warned that further laundering could involve decentralized financial platforms and services allowing rapid exchanges between digital assets.

American authorities urged cryptocurrency exchanges, blockchain operators and other financial service providers to block transactions linked to digital wallets identified as part of the North Korean operation.

Pyongyang denies involvement in the Binance theft and has repeatedly rejected allegations that it sponsors international cybercrime.

Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.