The Los Angeles Times says North Korea’s recent rocket launch has raised new concerns about advancements in the North’s missile program.

The paper was quoting U.S. military and intelligence officials and weapons experts on Monday.

The paper said that although a crucial third stage of a North Korean rocket apparently failed in a launch Sunday, U.S. officials believe the launch still shows disturbing progress in Pyongyang’s pursuit of the ability to deliver a nuclear warhead.

Unlike North Korea's 2006 test in which a Daepodong-Two rocket failed 40 seconds after launch, Sunday’s launched rocket successfully went through the first two stages before failing.

Officials added that the North’s recent rocket launch could boost the communist regime's ambitions and its standing among countries with similar goals.

According to David Albright, a nuclear weapons expert and president of the Institute for Science and International Security, North Korea will still be looked upon as a supplier of reasonably good missiles, and the pariah state leader in missile technology.