Two U.S. congressmen have claimed that North Korea possesses nuclear warheads capable of being loaded onto missiles.

Republicans Trent Franks and Todd Akin, both members of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, made the claim last Wednesday.

Franks said the North has developed nuclear capabilities much faster than the U.S. anticipated, noting that he believes Pyongyang is already armed with nuclear warheads.

Fellow Republican Akin said the North is busy developing the ability to install nuclear warheads onto missiles.