N. Korea conducted one more rock-engine test for ICBM

North Korea conducted the ground jet test of its new type high-power engine of Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) that can reach parts of the U.S. for second time within a week. It appears that North Korea is speeding up the process to complete the development of engine, the heart of ICBM, and its engine test may be prelude to a countdown to deploy ICBM.

The CNN quoted the U.S. defense officials on Monday (local time) that North Korea conducted another ballistic missile engine test on last Friday. The officials said the latest engine trial is the third such test in recent weeks using similar technology and that the engine technology could possibly be used in an eventual intercontinental ballistic missile.

At Tuesday’s regular briefing, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said that North Korea continues to engage in activities to master its missile capabilities and indicated that the country conducted tests to complete the development of its latest engines for several times, other than the ones that it officially revealed.

Experts believe that the North is taking a dual track approach to develop ICBM that is capable of striking targets within the range of 13,000 kilometers and that can reach all areas of the U.S. North Korea revealed a new liquid-fueled rocket engine on March 18, following April and September last year. The North reportedly has also developed a new solid-fueled engine that is used for its latest mid-range ballistic missile “Pukguksong-2” at the same time with the liquid-propellant engine to determine which type of engine will be used to ICBM. North Korea launched Pukguksong-2 missile on March 12.

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