Josh Smith

SEOUL (Reuters, Reuters) – Reports indicate that North Korea may have tested a smaller number of missiles than originally thought. This raises questions about North Korea’s ban on weapons programs.

North Korea claimed that it fired its Hwasong-17 intercontinental missile ballistic missile (ICBM), on Thursday. This was the first missile test this large since 2017.

The launch was hailed by the North Korean government media as an “unprecedented wonder”. South Korean officials and Japanese officials confirmed that it flew longer and higher than ever before.

However, new details have exposed flaws in Pyongyang’s claims.

Colin Zwirko is a Senior Analytical Correspondent with NK Pro. The Seoul-based site monitors North Korea, said that “the biggest question now” was what was launched March 24, 2012.

According to him, discrepancies between commercial satellite imagery and state media footage suggest that the North Korean launch was not on the same day as weather conditions and sun exposure.

“I have been able determine there is some deception, but the question still remains: Did they test another Hwasong-17 that they aren’t showing us or something else?” Zwirko said.

U.S.-based James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies concluded that North Korean footage may have been from the test conducted on March 16. South Korea stated that the test failed within minutes of launch and exploded mid-air in Pyongyang. North Korea did not acknowledge that it was launched or that it failed.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency cited unnamed source who claimed that North Korea tested a Hwasong-15 ICBM (an older type and smaller than it launched last year) on Thursday.

South Korea’s defense minister hasn’t confirmed this conclusion. When asked if the most recent launch of a missile was actually the one, an American defense official spoke under oath.

The official stated that they know it is a test of long-range missiles and the officials try to take what they learn to improve their capabilities. We are still gathering intelligence and will refrain from discussing it.

Zwirko stated that while North Korea is known for reusing or doctoring old footage, it would “a new level” to lie about the Hwasong-17 test. The launch might have been misleading, but North Korea has yet to respond.

Ankit Panda of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, an American senior fellow, stated, “It’s possible that March 16 was supposed to have been the first launch of Hwasong-17.” This left North Koreans with enough video and imagery to make a propaganda narrative following the March 24 launch.

According to him, the missile of March 24, may have carried a small payload (or none) in order to attain a higher altitude, longer flight time, and a shorter duration than that of 2017 Hwasong-15.

“The North Korean state media report included specific numbers on how high and far the missile flew, suggesting that there was an intent to engineer a launch that would look like a larger missile than the Hwasong-15, even if it wasn’t,” Panda said.

Hong Min, the director of North Korean Research Division, Korea Institute for National Unification Seoul said that regardless of which ICBM was tried, North Korea can still launch missiles to strike faraway parts of the earth.

“We will need to check thoroughly if the video was fabricated, but it’s not like the threat is reduced at all,” Hong said.