North Korea’s Test of Rocket Engine Shows ‘Meaningful Progress,’ South Says
Since Mr. Kim took power in 2011, North Korea has launched 46 ballistic missiles, including 24 last year, violating resolutions by the United Nations Security Council
that ban the country from developing or testing such weapons, according to South Korean officials.
The test of the rocket engine took place at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground in Tongchang-ri, in northwestern North Korea, where
the country fired a carrier rocket in February of last year to place its Kwangmyongsong, or Shining Star, satellite into orbit.
By CHOE SANG-HUNMARCH 20, 2017
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea’s latest test of a rocket engine showed
that the country was making "meaningful progress" in trying to build more powerful rockets and missiles, South Korean officials said on Monday.
After that launch, South Korean defense officials said
that the Unha rocket used in the launch, if successfully reconfigured as a missile, could fly more than 7,400 miles with a warhead of 1,100 to 1,300 pounds — far enough to reach most of the United States.
Mr. Kim has called for his country to develop and launch "a variety of more working satellites" using "carrier rockets of bigger capacity." The country has also renovated
and expanded the gantry tower and other facilities at the launch site to accommodate more powerful rockets.
He declined to say whether the engine was for a rocket used to place a satellite into orbit or for an intercontinental
ballistic missile, or ICBM, which the North has been threatening to test-flight any time.
