Report: North Korea Has Launchable Nuclear Weapon

An assessment by the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) claims that North Korea “may have developed a nuclear device small enough to mount on a ballistic missile.”

The DIA, a U.S. military intelligence agency, delivered its findings during an April 11 hearing of the House Armed Services Committee. Prior to this assessment “experts didn’t think Pyongyang had the expertise to build a warhead small enough to affix to a missile.” 

Although the reliability of the device is perceived as “low,” the fact that North Korea may actually “have nuclear weapons [which are] capable of delivery” is important–especially now, when Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and other Pentagon officials are focused on North Korean intermediate-range missiles that could launch at any time. 

After reporting these findings to the House Armed Services Committee, the DIA made no further comment.