North Korea claims more progress in missile development

A man passes by a TV screen showing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a news program at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 24, 2016. North Korea said Thursday that it had successfully conducted a solid-fuel rocket engine test, which if confirmed would be a major step forward in boosting its missile attack capability against South Korea and the United States. The Korean letters on the screen read: “Kim Jong Un watches a solid-fueled rocket engine test.” AP

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said Thursday that it had successfully conducted a high-powered, solid-fuel rocket engine test, which if confirmed would be a major step forward in boosting its missile attack capability against South Korea and the United States.

North Korea is known to use liquid propellants for its main ballistic missiles that target South Korea, U.S. bases in the Asia-Pacific region and the American mainland.

Liquid-fuel missiles need to be re-fueled each time before they are launched, so it is relatively difficult to use them on short notice. The use of solid propellants, already loaded inside missiles, reduces launch preparation time and increases the mobility of the weapons, making it harder to detect signs before they are launched.

The North’s state media said that leader Kim Jong Un expressed delight after observing the successful testing of a “large-output solid fuel rocket engine,” which made an “earth-shaking” sound as it spit out a large beam of fire.

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Kim said that the test will enhance a missile capability that will “mercilessly” strike enemies, an apparent reference to South Korea and the United States.

It is not possible to independently confirm the North’s statement or other high-profile announcements from the secretive, tightly controlled country.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Thursday it needs to analyze the statement.

The North’s test appears intended to use solid propellants for missiles with a range of 400-500 kilometers (250-310 miles) that can place entire South Korea in its striking range, and Pyongyang will likely try to do the same on medium- and long-range missiles, according to analyst Chae Yeon-seok at South Korea’s state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute. Chae said the North already uses solid propellants for some short-range missiles.

The North’s announcement came as it was angrily responding to ongoing annual South Korea-U.S. military drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal. The drills are the biggest, and come after North Korea conducted its fifth nuclear test and launched a long-range rocket earlier this year.

North Korea fired five short-range projectiles off its east coast on Monday, three days after it launched its first medium-range ballistic missile into the sea since early 2014, according to Seoul officials.

Earlier this week, North Korea said it was ready to launch artillery bombardment to “instantly destroy” South Korea’s presidential palace. In response, South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Thursday ordered a heightened security posture to cope with a potential North Korean provocation.

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In an apparent effort to prove its claims of boosted nuclear capability, North Korea has also disclosed purported mock-up of a nuclear warhead and claimed to have developed a re-entry vehicle for a missile that is needed to return warhead to the atmosphere from space so it could hit its intended target.

The re-entry vehicle is considered one of the last major technologies North Korea must master to develop long-range missiles equipped with nuclear weapons capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.