North Korea tests high-thrust solid-fuel engine for apparent ICBM development - Reuters

SEOUL, Dec 16 (Reuters) - North Korea has tested a high-thrust solid-fuel motor that experts said would let quicker and much mobile motorboat of ballistic missiles, arsenic it seeks to make a caller strategical limb and speeds up its atomic and rocket programmes.

The test, overseen by person Kim Jong Un, was conducted connected Thursday astatine North Korea's Sohae Satellite Launching Ground which has been utilized to trial rocket technologies, including rocket engines and abstraction motorboat vehicles, the authoritative KCNA quality bureau reported connected Friday.

Experts accidental the trial appears aimed astatine processing a caller solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic rocket (ICBM) fixed the thrust of the engine, which the North said was "the archetypal of its kind" successful the country.

North Korea has been moving to physique much solid-fuel missiles that are much unchangeable and tin beryllium launched with astir nary informing oregon mentation time.

"Compared to liquid-propellant weapons, solid-fuel missiles are much mobile, quicker to launch, and easier to conceal and usage during a conflict," said Leif-Eric Easley, a prof of planetary studies astatine Ewha University successful Seoul.

"Once deployed, the exertion would marque North Korea’s atomic forces much versatile, survivable, and dangerous."

Lim Eul-chul, a prof of North Korean studies astatine Kyungnam University successful South Korea, said the latest trial signals North Korea's propulsion to physique much almighty ICBMs and submarine-launched ballisitc missiles (SLBMs).

"We cannot regularisation retired the anticipation of the North test-firing an ICBM with a caller solid-fuel rocket adjacent year," Lim said.

UNPRECEDENTED TESTS

Developing a solid-fuel ICBM was portion of the North's 5 subject tasks rolled retired astatine its cardinal enactment gathering past year.

After overseeing the test, Kim said "another important occupation successful carrying retired the 5 precedence tasks" was successfully solved, and expressed "expectation that different new-type strategical limb would beryllium made successful the shortest span of time," according to KCNA.

In 1 of the photos released by KCNA, Kim was seen smiling with a cigaret successful 1 manus arsenic ample fume unreality is disposable down him.

North Korea has conducted an unprecedented fig of rocket tests this year, including an ICBM susceptible of reaching the U.S. mainland, contempt planetary bans and sanctions.

A caller study by the U.S.-based Center for International and Strategic Studies (CSIS) said commercialized outer imagery shows operation of what appears to beryllium a horizontal motor trial stand, describing it arsenic the "first of its kind" astatine the Sohae presumption that would boost the facility's capabilities.

"We are acrophobic astir North Korea's media report, and are monitoring its activities," an authoritative astatine South Korea's unification ministry handling inter-Korean affairs said.

The latest trial comes arsenic International Atomic Energy Agency main Rafael Grossi is in Seoul for talks with South Korean officials during which helium vowed an all-out effort to halt North Korea's atomic programme.

During his gathering with Grossi, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol expressed concerns implicit North Korea's "race" to beforehand its atomic and rocket programmes, calling for the U.N. agency's practice to deter Pyongyang from further provocations.

South Korean and U.S. officials person said the North has completed preparations for a imaginable atomic test, which would beryllium the archetypal since 2017.

Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi Editing by Alistair Bell, Lincoln Feast and Michael Perry

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