State media KCNA reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a ground test of an upgraded high-thrust solid-fuel rocket engine, part of the country’s latest effort to advance its strategic weapons program. KCNA said the engine, built with carbon-fiber composite materials, has a reported maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons, but did not specify when or where the test took place.
KCNA framed the demonstration as evidence of the country’s growing capabilities, saying it showed the ‘physical and technical ability they have prepared to be a-match-for-a hundred combatants with iron fists.’ Kim also inspected special operations forces training and a newly unveiled main battle tank during the visit, KCNA said.
Analysts warn that higher-thrust solid-fuel motors could enable intercontinental ballistic missiles with greater range and faster launch times, making them harder to detect and quicker to employ. Hong Min of the Korea Institute for National Unification told AFP the development reflects North Korea’s ‘resolve to acquire missiles capable of hitting targets around the globe.’
This marks the first confirmed test of a high-thrust solid-fuel engine since September, when Pyongyang reported testing a lower-thrust variant.
The announcement follows recent rhetoric from Kim accusing the United States of global ‘state terrorism and aggression,’ an apparent reference to the war in the Middle East, and pledging to cement North Korea’s nuclear status. Pyongyang has accelerated its weapons development since diplomatic talks with Washington broke down in 2019. In February, Kim said he was open to renewed negotiations if the U.S. abandoned its longstanding demand for denuclearization.
Edited by: Natalie Muller