What did the United States urge governments to do after the Binance hack attributed to North Korean actors?

A State Department spokesperson called for governments to cooperate to mitigate the North Korean cyber threat and curb illicit revenue generation. The spokesperson also urged U.N. member states to enforce existing sanctions and take proactive steps to prevent funding for North Korea’s weapons programs.

Why did South Korea say it had not started discussing sanctions over the Binance theft?

A South Korean unification ministry official said the circumstances surrounding the theft had not been fully established, so discussions on a response had not begun. The Foreign Ministry separately said it was internally reviewing possible additional measures, including unilateral cyber sanctions, but had not decided on any.

US calls for coordinated action against N. Korean cyber threats following Binance hack

Q: Did the United States confirm sharing Binance hack investigation findings or discussing new sanctions with South Korea?

No. The State Department spokesperson did not directly address whether Washington had shared investigative findings with Seoul or held bilateral discussions about additional sanctions related to the incident.

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Summary

The United States called for international cooperation against North Korean cyber threats following the Binance cryptocurrency theft. A State Department spokesperson urged governments to enforce existing sanctions and prevent North Korea from funding weapons programs. South Korea said it was reviewing possible additional measures, including unilateral cyber sanctions, but had made no decision. Washington did not say whether it had shared investigative findings with Seoul or discussed additional sanctions bilaterally.

Key Facts

The spokesperson said coordinated unilateral sanctions remain a strong tool for preventing money from supporting weapons proliferation.
The spokesperson called on all U.N. member states to enforce existing sanctions and take proactive measures against funding for North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.
A South Korean unification ministry official said Thursday that Seoul had not begun discussing sanctions because the circumstances surrounding the theft had not been fully established.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said it was internally reviewing possible additional measures, including unilateral cyber sanctions, without having made a decision.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 8, 2026 7:50 am KST

A general view of a U.S. State Department sign outside the U.S. State Department building in Washington D.C. / Yonhap

The United States on Saturday called for international cooperation to combat North Korea's illicit cyber activities following a massive cryptocurrency theft involving Binance.

"Particularly in light of the recent hack of Binance, it is critical for governments to work together and do their own part to mitigate the DPRK cyber threat and curb illicit DPRK revenue generation," a State Department spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency in a written response.

DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.

The remarks were made in response to an inquiry about potential coordination between Washington and Seoul on additional sanctions following the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's attribution of the cryptocurrency theft to North Korean actors.

The spokesperson also emphasized the importance of enforcing existing international sanctions and taking measures to prevent Pyongyang from financing its weapons programs.

"We expect all U.N. member states to enforce existing sanctions and take proactive measures to prevent the DPRK from funding its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs," the spokesperson said.

"Coordinated unilateral sanctions continue to be a strong tool to prevent the flow of money that supports the proliferation of weapons," the spokesperson added.

The remarks came after a South Korean unification ministry official said Thursday that Seoul had not yet begun discussing sanctions over the incident because the circumstances surrounding the theft had not been fully established.

South Korea's foreign ministry separately said it was internally reviewing possible additional measures, including unilateral cyber sanctions, but that no decision had been made.

The State Department did not directly address whether Washington had shared investigative findings with Seoul or held bilateral discussions on additional sanctions in connection with the incident.

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