North Korea fires missiles after rejecting US claims over $6.3bn Binance hack

North Korea launched multiple missiles off its east coast on Wednesday, hours after Pyongyang rejected US allegations that state-sponsored hackers carried out a record $6.3 billion cryptocurrency heist at Binance.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected several missiles fired towards North Korea's eastern waters. The weapons test followed statements from Kim Yo Jong, senior official and sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who described an FBI announcement linking Pyongyang to the cyberattack as a "trite provocation" and an extension of hostile US policy. She added that North Korea saw no need to resume diplomatic talks with Washington.

How the Binance crypto heist happened

The missile launches coincided with cryptocurrency exchange Binance releasing details of how attackers infiltrated its internal network to execute the largest crypto theft on record on 30 October 2026. Binance co-chief executive officer Richard Teng said the breach was a multi-stage campaign built over several months using social engineering, fake job offers, and malware.

Preparations began in June when a Binance software engineer downloaded a tampered application containing password-stealing malware after searching for a developer tool online. Although Binance identified the suspicious activity and replaced the engineer's device, the attackers exposed the identity of key wallet infrastructure personnel.

In September, hackers posing as recruiters conducted a series of fake job interviews with a second wallet engineer. As part of a coding exercise, the engineer was instructed to download an assignment that contained hidden malware designed to evade security detection.

Once installed, the malware allowed the hackers to access internal artificial intelligence tools and pivot through administrative systems, eventually gaining control of authorization protocols for wallet transactions.

US allegations and rising geopolitical tensions

The FBI attributed the Binance heist to TraderTraitor, a North Korean state-sponsored hacking group previously linked to a $1.5 billion breach at the Bybit exchange. US officials have long stated that Pyongyang relies on cyber theft to generate revenue for its sanctioned weapons programmes.

Binance confirmed it faced at least 57 suspected North Korean cyberattacks prior to the breach. The exchange has suspended withdrawals while independent security experts conduct a review, and stated it is working with law enforcement to trace the stolen funds.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula remain high following border mine explosions in September 2026 that injured three South Korean soldiers. North Korea's state media also published photographs of Kim Jong Un visiting the Nampho Shipyard to inspect a warship under construction, which state media described as larger than the navy's existing 5,000-tonne destroyers.