In this photo provided by Korea Aerospace Research Institute, a single stage rocket takes off from its launch pad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Korea, Nov 28, 2018. (KOREA AEROSPACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE / AP)

SEOUL - South Korea successfully test-launched a space rocket projectile Wednesday to test the country's first indigenously-developed space vehicle engine, local media reported citing the Ministry of Science and ICT.

The single-stage rocket lifted off from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, some 350 km southwest of Seoul, at 3:59 pm local time (0659 GMT).

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In this photo provided by Korea Aerospace Research Institute, a single stage rocket takes off from its launch pad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Korea, Nov 28, 2018. (KOREA AEROSPACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE / AP)

It flew as high as 209 km in altitude for about 10 minutes. The engine combustion lasted for 151 seconds, surpassing the target of 140 seconds that is seen as a success.

The rocket engine was designed and developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). It would be used for the three-stage Korea Space Launch Vehicle-2 (KSLV-2) currently under development.

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The tested engine will be used for the second stage of the KSLV-2 that will use a 75-ton liquid rocket engine.

A single stage rocket takes off from its launch pad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Korea, Nov 28, 2018. (YONHAP / AP)

The country planned to group together four of the 75-ton indigenous rocket engines for the first-stage of the KSLV-2, use one of the 75-ton engine for the second stage and develop a 7-ton engine for the third stage.

The whole rocket was scheduled to blast off in 2021.