North Korea stole Bitcoin from South Korea? Fact or propaganda?

Rage Commentary : South Korean news reports that domestic cryptocurrency exchanges have suffered bitcoin thefts for three consecutive years, and the cumulative amount has reached several million US dollars. South Korean cybersecurity company Hauri Inc. pointed out that North Korean hackers were involved in the theft. After the news was exposed, some people speculated that North Korea might find other domestic and foreign trading methods, but North Korea's preference for Bitcoin makes people doubt the possibility of giving up Bitcoin.

Translation: Annie_Xu

North Korean hackers have allegedly been stealing millions of dollars in Bitcoin from South Korea for three years.

Bitcoin is the most valuable cryptocurrency. As the first in the field, it is the leader among cryptocurrencies regardless of its price fluctuations. At the same time, Bitcoin's decentralized nature makes it an ideal asset option for people in any region. However, it was this feature that allowed North Korean hackers to steal digital currencies from neighboring countries between 2013 and 2015.

South Korean news reports that domestic cryptocurrency exchanges continue to lose $88,000 in Bitcoin per month, equivalent to 100 million won. Choi Sang-myong, a senior official at cybersecurity company Hauri Inc., revealed to the media that North Korean hackers were involved in the theft.

Choi did not go into detail about how hackers stole millions of dollars in Bitcoin, but it is said to have started after South Korea decided to shut down its businesses in the Joint Industrial Zone in the North Korean border city of Kaesong in 2013.

"After that, they stole more than 100 million won in Bitcoin every month. Cyber ​​criminals use Bitcoin to make money because it is difficult to track. That's why North Korea has been engaging in Bitcoin extortion since 2012."

This is not the first time that North Korea has been in the news for hacking attacks, including the recent theft of accounts from the Central Bank of Bangladesh. As hackers continue to look for new ways to make quick money, their interest in Bitcoin has waned over the past few years.

It is unclear whether these hackers are individuals or state-sponsored. However, with so many arbitration cases currently underway, North Korea may be exploring alternative ways to conduct cross-border transactions.

However, using the latest blockchain analysis tools, it is not difficult to find that North Korea is very fond of using Bitcoin in domestic and international transactions.