North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally observed a ground test of a newly upgraded, high-thrust solid-fuel engine on Sunday. Furthermore, state media hailed it as a major development to boost the country’s strategic military capability.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) confirmed the engine achieved a maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons. Notably, this marks a sharp rise from the 1,971 kilonewtons recorded during a similar test in September. Analysts believe the upgrade carries serious strategic implications.
Defence experts say North Korea is pushing to place multiple warheads on a single missile. Moreover, a multi-warhead missile requires higher thrust due to its greater weight. Therefore, this test directly supports that ambition.
The KCNA reported that the test falls under North Korea’s five-year national defence development plan aimed at upgrading strategic strike capabilities. Additionally, Kim delivered a speech at North Korea’s Parliament just days earlier, pledging to cement the country’s status as a nuclear power irreversibly.
Meanwhile, experts suggest that solid-fuel engines enable faster launches because they require less preparation before ignition than liquid-fuel missiles. As a result, detection before liftoff becomes significantly harder for adversaries.
Nevertheless, some South Korean analysts warn that North Korea may be “bluffing,” noting the absence of key data, such as total combustion time.
However, Hong Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told AFP the increased thrust signals North Korea’s intent to develop ICBMs with global strike capability and the ability to overwhelm missile defence systems.
“Sources: Associated Press, KCNA, France 24, NBC News, The Boston Globe“
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