North Korea fired several missiles into the Sea of Japan after denying FBI allegations that North Korean hackers orchestrated a $6bn cryptocurrency heist at Binance.
North Korea launched multiple missiles toward the sea on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, according to South Korea’s military. The launches occurred hours after Pyongyang denied allegations that it was responsible for the theft of more than $6bn in crypto assets from the cryptocurrency exchange Binance.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff stated it detected the launch of several missiles from the Sondok area on North Korea’s eastern coast, directed toward the Sea of Japan. Authorities in South Korea and the United States are currently analyzing the details of these launches. This event marks North Korea's fourth weapons launch within a single month.
In a separate report from North Korean state media, KCNA, Kim Jong Un visited a naval shipyard building a destroyer. During the visit, he stressed the importance of a powerful navy. KCNA also released a photo of warship parts under construction, stating the vessel "is incomparably huge" relative to North Korea's 5,000-ton destroyers. This follows previous North Korean claims that the country planned to build a 10,000-ton strategic guided missile cruiser.
The missile activity follows a dispute regarding a massive cryptocurrency heist. Binance, which the company describes as the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange, stated on Friday that hackers stole more than $6bn in what appears to be the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
The FBI later attributed the theft to North Korean hackers, identifying the perpetrator as a hacking group known as TraderTraitor. According to the FBI, this group was also responsible for a $1.5bn hack of the Bybit exchange last year.
North Korea has dismissed the FBI's findings. In a statement, North Korean senior official Kim Yo Jong, the sister of leader Kim Jong Un, described the FBI announcement as "a trite provocation" and "an extension of Washington’s invariable hostile policy toward" North Korea.
Kim Yo Jong ruled out dialogue with Washington until the United States abandons its current policy. "It is our clear stand that we have no need to sit face to face with such unreliable and hostile persons," Kim Yo Jong said. She added, "The choice for peace includes dialogue, of course, but this is not surely equated with national interests for us."
Observers suggest the missile tests may be a bid to increase leverage in future diplomacy. This comes as US President Donald Trump has expressed interest in meeting Kim Jong Un later this year to revive ties. Trump previously stated that Pyongyang possesses 57 "very powerful" nuclear weapons.
Regional tensions remain high due to several factors:
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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