WASHINGTON: North Korea would not be allowed under a United Nations resolution to carry out an engine ignition test for a long-range missile like that reported Tuesday, a senior US official said.The South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo, which quoted intelligence sources, said the engine was presumed to be for the Taepodong-2 missile with a range of 6,700 kilometres (4,150 miles), one that could reach the US west coast. "No, (I) can't confirm it," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters when asked about the report which said the test was conducted at a launch site being developed in North Pyongan province, opposite China. But McCormack added: "Any ballistic missile activity of the kind reported would be not permitted under (UN Security Council) 1718.
" Chosun Ilbo quoted one intelligence source as saying that a "US spy satellite, KH-12, spotted that rocket engine tests took place at Tongchang-ri this year." The site was near completion, the source added. Another source told the paper that North Korea had sporadically conducted engine tests in a continuing attempt to develop long-range missiles since its failed test-firing of a Taepodong-2 in July 2006. North Korea conducted a nuclear weapons test in October 2006. It is not known whether it has the technical capacity to fit an atomic warhead to a missile.
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