"Try Insulting Kim Jong Un" Interview Surprised Them? North Korea Calls International Hacking Accusations 'US Smear Campaign'

Newsis [The Financial News] North Korean authorities have unusually pushed back against international criticism that they are training 'cyber warriors' to lead global hacking operations, calling the accusations a smear campaign. North Korean IT workers have also been accused of secretly taking overseas jobs online while hiding their nationality.
In response, an unusual idea was even raised for online video interviews: asking applicants to insult Kim Jong Un to verify whether they are North Korean. The United States has also continued to impose tough sanctions on North Korea and coordinate with the international community.
However, North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on the 3rd that being singled out as the main force behind recent international hacking incidents was absurd slander intended to tarnish the country's reputation. It also claimed that the allegations were disinformation driven by US political motives.
In a statement released in response to a question from a KCNA reporter, a ministry spokesperson said, "Recently, the United States has been making a fuss about our nonexistent 'cyber threat' by putting forward government agencies, mouthpiece media outlets and conspiratorial organizations. " North Korea instead claimed that the US is the one carrying out cyberattacks.
It argued, "The United States, which effectively keeps the global information technology infrastructure under its control and repeatedly carries out indiscriminate cyberattacks against other countries, is portraying itself as a victim in a way that is clearly absurd to anyone. " It added, "Our consistent policy position is to firmly oppose and reject any malicious attempt by the United States to use cyber issues as a political tool for violating sovereignty and interfering in internal affairs.
" North Korea has long been accused of being behind a range of major international hacking incidents. Last month, claims emerged that the theft of more than $290 million in cryptocurrency from the decentralized finance (DeFi) platform Kelp DAO may have been carried out by the North Korean hacking organization Lazarus Group.
Lazarus first drew attention with the 2014 hack of Sony Pictures Entertainment in the US. It stole $81 million in the 2016 hack of Bangladesh Bank, and in 2017 it spread the WannaCry ransomware, causing massive damage in more than 150 countries worldwide.
Wanted poster for North Korean hacker Park Jin Hyok, released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).Wanted poster for North Korean hacker Park Jin Hyok, released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter