Photo Credit: YouTube screen capture / ABC News
North Korean 'Hwasong-14' intercontinental ballistic missile launched from the northwest corner of the country.

North Korea has announced the development of new missile technologies that include new solid-fuel rocket engines and different warheads.

Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) said Wednesday that Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un visited the Chemical Material Institute of the Academy of Defense Science to inspect its latest accomplishments.

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“He instructed the Institute to produce more solid-fuel rocket engines and rocket warhead tips by further expanding engine production process,” the state-run news agency said.

Tal Inbar, head of the Space Research Center at the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies confirmed in April that North Korea is using fiber filament winding for the casings of its solid rocket motors of the BK-1. The Institute is located at the Israel Air Force Center in Herzliya and deals with research into strategic fields of military applications in space and in unmanned airborne vehicles.

Inbar explained in tweets what North Korean scientists have been working on, and what they revealed on Wednesday.

Among the items photographed were concept drawings of what appeared to be a new missile, the Pukguksong-3, as well as one other design, plus other technology as well, including what analysts have said were “credible steps” towards a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM).

Solid fuel missiles are much faster to deploy, according to a number of military analysts, and harder to catch. Using plastic or other light-weight fiber filament winding to wrap the casing of the rocket motor makes the missile fly that much faster, because it’s lighter.

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Hana Levi Julian is a Middle East news analyst with a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Southern Connecticut State University. A past columnist with The Jewish Press and senior editor at Arutz 7, Ms. Julian has written for Babble.com, Chabad.org and other media outlets, in addition to her years working in broadcast journalism.