Analysts Say North Korea Faked New Missiles

Two German analysts say ballistic missiles unveiled in a North Korean military parade earlier this month were clumsy fakes.

In a paper titled, "A Dog And Pony Show," Markus Schiller and Robert Schmucker of Germany's Schmucker Technologie wrote that the six intercontinental ballistic missiles carried on mobile launchers in the April 15 parade were all bad mock-ups.

The paper said the missiles appeared to be a mishmash of liquid-fuel and solid-fuel components that could never fly together. In addition, undulating casings on the missiles suggested the metal is too thin to withstand flight. The two analysts said each missile was slightly different from the others, even though all were supposedly the same make, and they did not even fit the launchers that carried them.

Schiller and Schmucker said there is still no evidence that North Korea actually has a functional ICBM.

The large military parade, including nearly 900 pieces of military equipment, took place on April 15 to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of North Korea's first leader, Kim Il Sung.