S. KOREA'S STANCE ON NORTH'S MISSILE LAUNCH

[Anchor Lead]

South Korea's Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo has confirmed that North Korea tested a rocket engine in what the regime called a "very important test" and he expressed deep concern over the action. The South's military is monitoring any further moves by Pyongyang with a focus on the rocket engine possibly being used to launch a military satellite.

[Pkg]

North Korea claims to have conducted a "very important test" at the Sohae satellite launch site on Saturday. The South Korean military believes it was a rocket engine clustering test using liquid fuel. Clustering refers to combining several engines together to increase the performance of a projectile. It's the first time the regime's unveiling a rocket engine test since the testing of the "Baekdusan engine" in March 2017, which its leader called "revolutionary." Pyongyang likely tested a bundle of several Baekdusan engines, each with an 80 ton thrust. Seoul is focused on the possibility of this engine being used to launch a military satellite. One official pointed out, the regime may have already secured high-performance satellite cameras and ground control technology.

[Soundbite] LEE CHUN-GEUN(SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY POLICY INSTITUTE) : "Four engines can place a large satellite on low orbit. A second layer of engines can even launch a geostationary satellite reaching 36,000 km."

The military believes there's also the possibility of the engine being used for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). A rocket engine is the key technology for launching a satellite or an ICBM. The only difference is whether the projectile carries a warhead or a satellite. The nation's Defense chief described what North Korea called a very important test as an engine test, and expressed deep concern. Jeong Kyeong-doo urged the communist state to immediately cease actions that heighten military tension. As the engine test is conducted after North Korea announced plans to make a very important decision, Seoul and Washington are keeping close tabs on any further movement by Pyongyang.