North Korea conducts engine test for missile capable of targeting US mainland
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observed the test of an upgraded vehicle solid fuel engine He made an offer for weapons that could reach the US mainland, describing it as a significant development that increases his country’s strategic military arsenal, state media reported on Sunday.
While the test is in line with Kim’s goal of obtaining more agile, hard-to-detect missiles aimed at the United States and its allies, some experts think North Korea’s claim may be an exaggeration. Onboard solid-fuel missiles are easier to move and conceal their launch than liquid-fuel weapons, which generally need to be fueled before takeoff and cannot last long.
The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim watched the ground jet test of the engine, which uses composite carbon fiber material. The engine’s maximum thrust was stated to be 2,500 kilonewtons, down from the approximately 1,970 kilonewtons reported in a similar solid-fuel engine. Engine testing in September.
KCNA reported that the test was carried out as part of the country’s five-year weapons buildup to develop “strategic offensive vehicles”, a term that refers to nuclear-capable ballistic missiles and other weapons. Kim said the latest engine test was “of great importance in maximizing the country’s strategic military power,” according to KCNA. The agency did not say when or where the testing was done.
Lee Choon Geun, an honorary research fellow at South Korea’s Science and Technology Policy Institute, said North Korea’s report on the latest test may have been a “bluff” because it did not disclose some key information, such as the total burn time of the engine.
When North Korea reported its previous engine test in September, it described it as the ninth and final ground test of a solid-fuel engine that it had previously said would be used in intercontinental ballistic missiles. Observers had predicted that North Korea would soon test launch an ICBM loaded with this engine, but it has not yet done so.
Lee said there may be some delays in North Korea’s solid-fuel engine program, or the country may be determined to develop a better engine, possibly with help from Russia. Cooperation was achieved between countries has deepened in recent yearsThe North is sending troops and conventional weapons to support Russia. war against Ukraine.
In recent years, North Korea has tested a variety of ICBMs that have demonstrated their potential to reach the US mainland. solid fuel ones. But some of North Korea’s past claims about major weapons tests out of skepticism. In 2024, North Korea claims successful test launch multiple warhead missilebut South Korea quickly denied it, calling it a hoax to cover up a failed launch.
Some foreign experts say North Korea still faces technological hurdles before it has a functioning ICBM, such as ensuring its warheads can withstand the harsh conditions of atmospheric reentry. But others dispute that assessment, given the number of years the country has spent on nuclear and missile programs.
Having more powerful and efficient solid-fuel engines would allow North Korea to build smaller ICBMs that can be launched from submarines or land-based mobile launch trucks, Lee said. Other observers say the effort to increase engine power is likely related to efforts to put multiple warheads on a single missile to increase the chances of defeating U.S. defenses.
North Korea has made intense efforts to expand its nuclear arsenal since Kim came to power. high risk diplomacy Relations with US President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019. At the ruling Workers’ Party congress in February, Kim left the door open to dialogue with Trump but urged Washington to abandon demands for the North’s nuclear disarmament as a precondition for talks.
