It comes amid fears the US and North Korea are on the brink of triggering World War 3 as Donald Trump and Kim’s threats continue to escalate tensions.
James Clapper revealed he absolutely believes that North Korea takes Trump’s threats of “fire and fury” and the total destruction of the state at “face value”.
The former director of National Intelligence, who served under Obama, added: “I think in their mind, they can easily construe what he’s been saying as a declaration or at least a threat of war.
“It does increase my concerns… Threats such as what came out of Trump’s United Nations General Assembly speech that we are going to totally destroy North Korea.
“Words like that only heighten the paranoia and cause, I think, the regime to counter with more provocative acts.
“So I wouldn’t be surprised if they have another missile test or something.”
In his address to the 193-member UN, President Trump mocked North Korea’s despotic leader Kim Jong-un by calling him “rocket man” – a reference to the secretive state’s missile tests.
He said: “The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.
”Rocket man is on a suicide mission for himself and his regime.”
Another top intelligence official has warned that North Korea is “ready for provocation” and has a “strategic game plan”.
Yong Suk Lee, the deputy assistant director of the CIA’s Korea Mission Centre, said: “I have a feeling that they are ready for provocation and they are biding their time… for the most adverse impact.”
The North Korean expert also dismissed claims Kim Jong-un simply “throws tantrums” and only tests missiles, warning: “They have a strategic game plan.”
Earlier, Dr Lee cautioned that two days this week mark significant events in North Korean history, which are often used by Kim Jong-un to show the regime’s military might.
October 10 is the anniversary of the Worker’s Party, while October 9 is celebrated as the date of North Korea’s first nuclear test.
Russian officials claim North Korea could be plotting a direct strike on the US west coast with an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
Anton Morozov, after visiting Pyongyang, said: “They are preparing for new tests of a long-range missile.
“They even gave us mathematical calculations that they believe prove that their missile can hit the west coast of the United States.”
According to Nuke Map, if a 150kt hydrogen bomb was dropped right on top of Los Angeles it could create a fireball with a radius of around 1.09 square kilometre.
There would be an estimated 166,990 people killed and a further 249,620 injured, according to its figures.