North Korea is reportedly preparing a massive parade of missiles intended to 'scare the hell out of' the US
- North Korea is reportedly preparing hundreds of rockets to parade through Pyongyang before the Olympics in an attempt to "scare the hell" out of the US.
- North Korea will reportedly show off dozens of the missile it most recently tested, which experts say could carry a nuclear warhead to any location in the US.
- But North Korea has faked images before, and their preparation for the upcoming parade may look to increase the fear factor by faking images or missiles.
North Korea is reportedly preparing missiles and rockets by the hundreds to parade around Pyongyang the day before the South Korean Winter Olympics kicks off in an attempt "to scare the hell out of the Americans."
"Hundreds of missiles and rockets" will be on display, according to CNN's Will Ripley. Ripley reports this will include "many dozens" of Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missiles, the type North Korea most recently tested that experts assess could hit the entire continental US with a large nuclear warhead.
South Korean media reports that launchers that stretch 250 meters and 50 meters have already been spotted at Mirim Airport in Pyongyang.
Ripley, who frequently travels to North Korea, cited diplomatic sources "with deep knowledge of North Korea's intentions" as saying they would show off the missiles to "scare the hell out of" US citizens as the two countries' leaders exchange nuclear threats.
But as is often the case with North Korea, the bark may be worse than the bite. Ripley notes that foreign media has been banned from the parade, meaning only North Korean imagery will come out of the event.
This gives North Korea ample opportunity to doctor the images, as they often do. North Korea's dozens of ICBMs may be faked, made of different materials, and almost certainly not coupled with actual nuclear warheads.
North Korea has made considerable efforts to capitalize on the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics as a propaganda coup, going as far as to rewrite their own history as the pretense for moving its usual military parade from April to February, when Pyongyang is bitterly cold.
Ripley reports that North Korea may conduct additional missile tests in the near future. If they do, the country runs a higher-than-ever-before risk of incurring the US's military wrath, as talk of strikes on North Korea has reportedly reached a fever pitch in Trump's inner circle.