South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) does not believe that North Korea has developed re-entry technology for an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), newly-appointed director Suh Hoon said on Tuesday.

Speaking to the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee, Suh said that Pyongyang was yet to fully master the technology needed to strike the mainland U.S., Yi Wan-young, a lawmaker from the opposition Liberty Party of Korea, told media.

Journalists are not permitted to attend hearings of the committee, and any comments made must be relayed by lawmakers.

Suh made his first report to the Intelligence Committee seven days after Pyongyang announced it had