South Korea's Unification Ministry Discusses Binance Hacking Response

The South Korean Unification Ministry announced on November 5 that discussions regarding the government's response to the Binance hacking incident, which North Korea is suspected of being behind, have not yet begun. The ministry reiterated that any decision on additional sanctions against North Korea would depend on understanding the specifics of the incident and discussions among relevant agencies.

A ministry official, speaking to reporters at the government complex in Seoul, stated, "Discussions on how the government will respond have not even started, so it is difficult to provide a position on this matter."

In response to claims that there is substantial technical evidence linking North Korea to the hacking, the official emphasized the need to differentiate between media reports and the government's response. The official explained, "There are aspects that need to be shared and discussed at the government level, but we have not reached that stage yet."

Previously, Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young expressed caution regarding the imposition of independent sanctions on North Korea for its illegal cyber activities in response to a landmine explosion incident in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) during a parliamentary audit last month. The ministry clarified that its stance on the Binance incident remains unchanged, indicating that the specifics of the incident and the government's response direction have not yet been organized.

Earlier, the FBI identified a hacking group known as 'TraderTraitor,' linked to North Korea's Reconnaissance General Bureau, as responsible for stealing approximately $6.3 billion in virtual assets from Binance at the end of last month. North Korea denied the allegations through a statement attributed to Kim Yo-jong, the deputy director of the Workers' Party of Korea.

Regarding Kim Yo-jong's subsequent statements, the official noted that issues beyond the Binance incident, including sanctions and military exercises that North Korea categorizes as hostile policies, should also be considered. It is assessed that North Korea is pressuring the U.S. to change its stance by emphasizing the withdrawal of hostile policies as a prerequisite for dialogue with the U.S.

Meanwhile, the official commented on the potential for future North Korea-U.S. dialogue, stating that it will depend on President Trump's willingness to engage in talks and the preconditions set by North Korea, adding, "We will monitor the situation without making any assumptions."