North Korea said it successfully tested a powerful new solid-fuel rocket engine, the latest in a series of announcements that appear intended to portray progress in its development of an advanced nuclear-tipped missile that could threaten the U.S. mainland.
Leader Kim Jong Un attended the test and said it would help “strike great horror and terror into the hearts of the enemies,” according to an account published by North Korea’s state news agency on Thursday.
There was no way to verify the claim, which follows previous announcements of other advances in missile technology.
The latest purported advancement would be a concern because solid-fuel-based missiles don’t require hours of fueling with liquids and can potentially be launched from mobile carriers.