North Korea's New Missile Engine Test: US Mainland in Range

0:00It's April 6th, I'm Cory with the story, and this is US News Today, your AI-powered national briefing. North Korea is pushing its missile game with a fresh, solid fuel rocket engine test, aimed straight at intercontinental ballistic missiles. South Korean lawmakers say the design uses carbon fiber to stretch range and pack on heavier payloads or even multiple warheads. Back in late March, they ran a ground test on this bad boy, and Kim Jong-un was right there watching, hailing it as a major boost to their strategic. Line up, it packs more thrust than the engine they fired up last year. Lawmakers got the scoop from South Korea's National Intelligence Service in a close briefing, and the word is, this setup could let missile slam anywhere on the US mainland. North Korea keeps these long-range tests on lofted paths, splashing down off their east coast or near Japan, just to check the tech without going full. Distance, these moves fly in the face of UN bands, showing their dead set on leveling up their arsenal amid rising regional heat.