North Korea's crypto hackers; Korean exchange halts withdrawals

· Cybersecurity · North Korea · South Korea

North Korea's 'army of world-class hackers' is a secret weapon that took down Binance, according to reports, with Pyongyang having declared cyber warfare crucial to its strike capability. A separate report said hackers behind the Binance breach are channelling funds through Chinese launderers, moving stolen assets through thousands of digital wallets and multiple blockchains to obscure their origins. In South Korea, crypto exchange GOPAX suspended withdrawals and trading as an emergency measure following hacking threats, transferring most assets held in hot wallets to cold wallets not connected to the internet.

Why it matters：State-linked crypto crime is a growing source of funding and disruption, forcing exchanges worldwide to tighten security.

Key points

  • North Korea has called cyber warfare crucial to its strike capability.
  • Binance hack funds are reportedly moved through Chinese launderers.
  • GOPAX moved most hot-wallet assets to cold wallets.

Sources (original reporting)

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