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North Korea Claims Higher-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine Test Overseen by Kim

The claimed jump in thrust could enable longer reach or multiple warheads.

Overview

  • State media, which reported the test Sunday, said the engine reached 2,500 kilonewtons of thrust.
  • KCNA called it the first high‑thrust solid‑fuel test since September and said it topped the roughly 1,970‑kilonewton result then.
  • Kim Jong Un attended the ground firing, and KCNA did not say when or where the test took place.
  • Solid‑fuel engines are prized because crews can keep missiles fueled and ready, which allows faster, harder‑to‑spot launches than liquid‑fuel systems.
  • Analysts see potential ICBM uses and even multiple warheads, while others urge caution because KCNA released no burn‑time or other key performance data.