SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea has tested a new high-performance rocket engine, the country’s state media said Sunday. Overseeing the test, leader Kim Jong-Un “emphasized that the whole world will soon witness what eventful significance the great victory won today carries”, KCNA reported, hinting that the North is preparing to launch a new satellite rocket. ADVERTISEMENTREAD: Tillerson: Pre-emptive force an option with North KoreaRocket engines are easily re-purposed for use in missiles. Outside observers say that the nuclear-armed Pyongyang’s space program is a fig leaf for weapons tests. The tougher US talk followed two North Korean nuclear tests last year and recent missile launches that Pyongyang described as practice for an attack on US bases in Japan.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer March 18, 2017 23:51 UTC