South Korea spy agency: 'Unclear' if North Korea test is provocation

May 6 (UPI) -- South Korea's spy agency said it is unclear whether North Korea's recent tests of short-range projectiles are a provocation, because they are most likely surface-to-surface vehicles.

The National Intelligence Service told Seoul lawmakers at a parliamentary hearing on Monday the launch of multiple rockets does not appear to be provocations, but rather, a signal to the outside world, local news service Newsis reported.

The NIS told the National Assembly's intelligence committee that "judging by the surface appearance" of the projectiles analyzed, they appear to be "surface-to-surface" vehicles.

"North Korea stressed this is regular defense training," the spy agency said, according to Rep. Lee Hye-hoon, head of the intelligence committee. Pyongyang had launched short-range projectiles into the East Sea early Saturday.

According to Lee, the spy agency also said the launch "did not seem as provocative as it was in the past," and that although the test had elements of "signaling pressure to the outside world," the tests were conducted in a manner that indicated North Korea did not want to break from denuclearization negotiations.

The NIS also told lawmakers North Korea's messages on the provocations were different in Korean and in the English translation.

In the English-language statement, North Korea had left out a sentence that read, "We will attack without further permission, should any power intends to undermine our sovereignty, dignity and right to survival."

The spy agency added it would take "several months" to analyze the specific range of the projectiles.

NIS also briefed the parliamentarians on the recent Russia-North Korea summit, according to Yonhap.

Russian officials who met with their North Korea counterparts said they "understood" why North Korea sought a "step-by-step" process of denuclearization.

On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News the desire to reach a "peaceful resolution" of North Korea issues will prevail, despite North Korea's tests early Saturday.