The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK, says it has successfully tested a new engine for an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The DPRK state news agency said the engine was ignited at the command of the country's leader Kim Jong Un, and released a fiery blast. This has been the latest in a series of claims by Pyongyang of breakthroughs in its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program. South Korea's defence officials did not immediately comment on the authenticity of the Saturday's report.