North Korea has rejected accusations by the US and its allies that Pyongyang's cyber activities are suspicious, Reuters reported, citing a statement from the country's state agency KCNA. Pyongyang described the allegations as politically motivated attempts to smear and pressure sovereign states.
A North Korean Foreign Ministry official also criticized the US-led Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team, as well as US cyber capabilities and joint cyber exercises.
"It is illogical for the US, which owns and operates the world's largest cyber power and monopolizes the main resources of cyberspace, to talk about a "cyber threat" from other countries," the spokesman added, according to KCNA.
The address comes after the United States, South Korea, Japan and eight other countries warned that North Korean IT workers were using fake identities to work remotely and generate revenue for Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
According to the warning, they are using increasingly sophisticated schemes, including artificial intelligence, to conceal their activities, which are related to data theft, cryptocurrencies and sensitive information. The allies also warned that the North Korean "workers" are likely to pose an internal threat to the companies they work for.
Pyongyang has separately criticized the United States, South Korea and Japan for using the RIMPAC naval exercise as preparation for aggression.