North Korea developing solid-fuel ICBMs: South Korea

SEOUL: South Korean intelligence service officials have told lawmakers that North Korea may make progress in developing solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) in the year 2023, NHK world news reported.

As per the NHK World news, South Korea's National Intelligence Service under the defence ministry made a comment at a closed-door briefing to the parliamentary intelligence committee on Wednesday, according to an attendee.

Solid-fuel ballistic missiles can be ready for launch faster than liquid-fuel ones. North Korea announced in December that it successfully conducted a combustion test of what it called a high-thrust solid-fuel motor.

At the briefing, the intelligence officials also told the NHK World news about North Korea's development of a military reconnaissance satellite included in its five-year national defence plan. North Korea said it would finish preparations for the satellite by April in 2023.

The officials say a launch is very likely, the NHK World News reported. Earlier this February, North Korea confirmed that it tested the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on the previous day in a "surprise launching drill" and said that it is proof of the DPRK strategic nuclear force's consistent efforts to turn its capacity of "fatal nuclear counterattack" against hostile forces, KCNA Watch reported.

North Korea, on Saturday, fired a ballistic missile towards the sea off its east coast, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.