The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) said Thursday that a team led by aerospace engineering professor Kwon Se-jin has built and successfully tested a liquid-fuel rocket engine for moon exploration missions.

Built in collaboration with an engineering venture company, the newly developed LKR-1 space rocket engine is some 20 centimeters long and weighs slightly less than two kilograms.

Kwon says he and his team have taken Korea one step closer to moon probes, as it has secured the majority of core technologies needed for such missions.

It already developed a small moon lander in 2008 and now has successfully developed an engine that has the thrust needed to allow a small probe to break free from the Earth's gravitational pull and maintain a stable orbit or make a landing.

Kwon said Korea must develop its own space technology since there are restrictions on the export of such technology. He added that the LKR-1 could also be used for spying purposes if attached to a satellite as it can shift directions in orbit.