NORTH KOREAN MISSILES

[Anchor Lead]

South Korea's National Intelligence Service says it is still analyzing whether the projectiles North Korea fired on May fourth, were in fact missiles. The NIS said that judging from the appearance, they seem to be surface-to-surface missiles, but added that the firing does not appear to be provocative in nature.

[Pkg]

North Korea fired projectiles into the East Sea. The question is, were they missiles? South Korea's National Intelligence Service isn't saying much. The agency said it can't give an answer before the Joint Chiefs of Staff completes an analysis on what was fired, and that it was also working with the U.S. The NIS claims it can take a long time because there is much to analyze including the specifications of the projectiles, their travel route and shooting range.

[Soundbite] LEE HYE-HOON(NAT'L ASSEMBLY INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE) : "Officials said there's so much to analyze and it's a complicated process so it will take time, possibly even months."

The intel agency explained that judging from the appearance, the projectiles seemed to be surface-to-surface missiles but it can't definitively say they were attack missiles. It also explained the firing doesn't appear to be provocative in nature as in the past, and while North Korea may be exerting pressure, there doesn't seem to be intent to break off negotiations. In the wake of the incident, North Korean English media deleted provocative writings and stressed the drill was defensive in nature.

[Soundbite] LEE HYE-HOON(NAT'L ASSEMBLY INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE) : "N. Korea's tone was different this time. They argued that other countries also conduct drills and test weapons."

On whether South Korea should have responded and fired back as in the past when the regime launched an intercontinental ballistic missile in 2017, the NIS said at that time, the missile had flown past Japan and that was also before the two Koreas held summits and signed a military agreement. The NIS also noted there have been no further movements related to North Korea's nuclear facilities.