US Intelligence Analysts Rate North Korea's Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Parade Overstated

Illustration of North Korean missiles in a parade. (Source: KCNA)

JAKARTA - United States intelligence analysts believe the recent military parade in North Korea grossly overestimated the threat the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) poses to Washington, according to a leaked classified intelligence document.

Reuters has reviewed more than 50 documents, labeled "Secret" and "Top Secret," which first appeared on social media sites in March and allegedly reveal details of the military capabilities of some of US allies and enemies, although it has not independently verified the authenticity of the documents.

While the Pentagon has not guaranteed the authenticity of any of the documents, it said Monday there appeared to have been an "unauthorized disclosure of classified material."

It said photos appeared to show documents in a similar format to those used to provide daily updates to senior leaders, although some of them appeared to be altered.

A brief one-paragraph observation in one of the documents marked "Secret" and seen by Reuters noted, North Korea had paraded an unprecedented number of ICBM-class launchers at an event on February 8 that were "most likely carrying non-operational systems."

The Pentagon and North Korea missions to the United Nations did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the North Korean portion of the document.

The document said North Korea's goal was "possibly to delineate a growing nuclear threat to the United States."

"North Korea paraded this non-operational system to represent a missile force that is larger and more capable than it already has and to reduce the risk of damage to the original missiles," the document said, citing Reuters, April 12.

North Korea is known to have continued to develop its ballistic missile program, launching dozens of advanced missiles last year, despite UN Security Council resolutions and US-led sanctions. Pyongyang also resumed testing this year.

The document added that, over the next year, "North Korea probably will not be able to equip all its TEL-class ICBMs with operational missiles capable of striking across the US, due to testing hurdles and resource constraints."

TEL stands for transporter erector launcher, mobile missile launch vehicle.

Imagery published by North Korean state media at the event on Feb. 8, shows more ICBMs claimed than Pyongyang has displayed before and hints at a new solid-fuel weapon.

The image shows as many as 11 Hwasong-17s, North Korea's largest ICBM, allegedly capable of striking almost anywhere in the world with a nuclear warhead.

The Hwasong-17 was first tested last year. Alongside them on parade is what some analysts say could be a prototype or mockup of a new solid-fuel ICBM in the canister launcher. North Korea sometimes displays mockups in its parades.

It is known that developing solid-fuel ICBMs has long been seen as a top goal for the country, as it could make its nuclear missiles more difficult to identify and destroy during conflict.