A new intercontinental ballistic missile on a 22-wheeler transporter erector launcher was introduced during a large-scale military parade in Pyongyang on Oct. 10 which North Korean leader Kim Jong-un orchestrated to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the state's Worker's Party foundation. Yonhap

North Korea's new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that was showcased during a military parade marking the ruling Workers' Party's 75th founding anniversary appeared to be an integration of the communist country's latest missile technologies, experts said Sunday.

In a parade held in Pyongyang on Saturday, North Korea unveiled the new ICBM that was carried on a transporter erector launcher (TEL) with 22 wheels, compared with the Hwasong-15, which is moved by an 18-wheel TEL.

Experts said an increase in the number of wheels and a longer body indicates that the missile's weight is heavier than the previous model.

"The nine axles on Hwasong-15's TEL were arranged with spaces in between, while the 11 axles in the new ICBM were built close to one another," said professor Chang Young-keun at Korea Aerospace University. "The TEL's design indicates that the overall weight of the missile has increased."

Chang said while the number of axles has risen to 11, the total length is unlikely to have increased substantially as the axles were arranged close to one another.

"While a thorough analysis is needed, the TV footage showed that the length increased by 1-2 meters and the diameter by 30-40 centimeters," Chang explained.

Considering that the Hwasong-15 is 21 meters long, the new ICBM, which military officials called an upgraded version of the Hwasong-15 or Hwasong-16, is likely to measure 22-23 m or 23-24 m in length.

Chang, meanwhile, attributed the bigger diameter to an update in the missile's engines.