North Korea rejects US allegation over Binance crypto heist

North Korea has dismissed as "absurd rhetoric" US allegations that it was behind a $6.3 billion cryptocurrency heist on the Binance platform, as the world's biggest cryptocurrency exchange made more assets available for withdrawals by worried clients.

Binance, whose customers had withdrawn a net $4.72 billion as of Monday after the exchange was hit with what could be the largest-ever financial heist last week, also launched a campaign to stem outflows and woo new users.

The FBI said at the weekend that North Korea was responsible for the theft of more than $6 billion in crypto assets, a crime that sent shockwaves through the industry.

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said the US allegations proved Washington remained hostile towards Pyongyang, according to a report on Tuesday by state news agency KCNA.

Pyongyang has not responded to US President Donald Trump's overtures, made earlier this year, to resume summit diplomacy. In the wake of the US allegations, Kim Yo Jong said North Korea had "issues to reconsider" over what she called US hostility.

"The FBI is trying to brand the DPRK as a 'cyber criminal state,' claiming that it obtained ⁠information that a hacking organization 'supported' by the DPRK was involved in the incident," KCNA quoted Kim Yo Jong as saying.

"But the US assertion is absurd rhetoric and nothing new," said Kim, a ruling party official. DPRK is short for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"It is a grave political provocation against the DPRK that the US misleads international public opinion as if all the cyber crimes in different parts of the world are our deeds."