Seoul, July 4: North Korea has strongly criticized the recent indictment by the United States against four of its nationals, labeling it as "an absurd smear campaign." This statement comes after the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia charged these individuals with wire fraud and money laundering, alleging they stole and laundered over $900,000 in virtual currency.

According to reports, the four North Koreans were placed on a wanted list following the charges. A spokesperson from North Korea's foreign ministry stated that this incident represents a serious violation of their sovereignty and is intended to damage the country's reputation.

The indictment claims that the accused operated from the United Arab Emirates, where they allegedly impersonated remote IT workers to secure jobs at a blockchain development firm in Atlanta and a Serbian virtual token company between late 2020 and early 2021.

Once they gained the trust of their employers, they reportedly accessed digital assets and stole cryptocurrency valued at $915,000, which was then transferred to various accounts.

The North Korean spokesperson expressed deep concern over the indictment, calling it a provocation that infringes on the rights of North Korean citizens by fabricating a false narrative about cyber threats.

They further asserted that the real danger to international cybersecurity does not stem from North Korea but rather from the United States, which they accuse of weaponizing cyber issues for political gain.

"We will not accept any hostile actions from the U.S. that infringe upon our sovereignty through unfounded accusations and unlawful judicial practices," the official stated, emphasizing that North Korea reserves the right to respond appropriately to safeguard its citizens' security and rights.