North Korea declared that it has completed a final ground test for a brand-new high-performance solid-fuel rocket engine for its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile. The leader Kim Jong Un was behind the whole procedure, caring about its strategic importance.
The rocket is the first one using carbon fiber composite material and can generate a staggering 1,971 kN (kilonewtons) of thrust, which is far more than any previously made North Korean rocket. This last test, the ninth in a series, moves the country closer to the practical application of a solid-fuel ICBM, maybe the next-generation Hwasong-20.
According to the Pyongyang paper, the successful tests open the way for “a significant change” in the modernization of the nuclear forces of the country. Besides offering the technical accomplishment, Kim Jong Un was moved to acclaim the unit of the project as having made a giant stride for the strategy.
The advantages of solid-propellant over the regular liquid-propellant ones are very visible: for instance, you could reload and relocate one of this kind more secretly and this in a quicker manner along with better safety from check-ups, by an observer army. This kind of mobility can make North Korea’s nuclear deterrence and strike capacities soar.
Experts have found the timing of this development quite interesting: they speculate that the North Korean regime could carry out an actual ICBM flight test before the end of this year, therefore possibly preceding the holding of the next ruling party congress, which is scheduled for the beginning of 2026. It is supposed to be an event meant for Kim to present his new domestic and foreign policy directions.
This test of the engine can also be viewed as a sign that Pyongyang wants to leverage nuclear power more in negotiation talks with the US and wants to have increased cooperation with Russia and China. Lately, Kim has been very supportive of the war in Ukraine by sending military equipment, and he has made appearances alongside the Russian and Chinese leaders at a prestigious Beijing event.
That being said, there is a question on everyone’s lips about the extent of North Korea’s technological achievements in this sector. Among implying threats, North Korea is also building up its army with the latest technology materials, but the question is: have they really managed to develop the re-entry technology for the warhead?
While the rest of the world is waiting to see what happens next, South Korea and the US are following these developments very carefully. If North Korea were to go ahead with a solid-fuel ICBM that can be flown, it would be a major step in its weapons program that would have serious consequences not only for the area but also for world security.
