North Korea fired several missiles from its eastern coast into the Sea of Japan on Wednesday, hours after senior official Kim Yo Jong dismissed U.S. accusations linking Pyongyang to a record cryptocurrency theft at Binance.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported the launches from the Sondok area toward eastern waters. South Korean and U.S. authorities are analyzing the details of the tests, which marked Pyongyang’s fourth weapons launch in a month. The South Korean military said it maintains readiness to counter any provocations.

The missile activity followed a statement from Kim Yo Jong rejecting an FBI announcement that North Korean hackers, specifically the group known as TraderTraitor, orchestrated the theft of more than $6 billion in crypto assets from Binance. The FBI has also linked the group to a prior $1.5 billion hack of the Bybit exchange. Kim described the allegations as a “trite provocation” and “an extension of Washington’s invariable hostile policy toward” North Korea. She added that there is “no need to sit face to face with such unreliable and hostile persons.”

Binance announced the hack last Friday, calling it the largest cryptocurrency heist on record. The exchange has since worked to restore withdrawals and replace affected assets. North Korea has long faced accusations of using cyber operations to fund its weapons programs in violation of international sanctions.

Observers noted that the latest tests appear aimed at pressuring the United States ahead of any potential diplomatic engagement under the Trump administration. North Korea has accelerated weapons demonstrations in recent weeks while rejecting dialogue unless Washington abandons what Pyongyang calls its hostile stance.

The developments underscore ongoing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, where North Korea continues to advance its missile and nuclear capabilities alongside cyber activities that experts say generate significant revenue for the regime.