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22h ago

North Korea Says Kim Oversaw Final Test of High-Thrust Solid-Fuel ICBM Engine

The declaration signals a pivot toward flight testing, with Seoul and Washington yet to offer independent technical confirmation.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, watches a test of a new rocket engine at an undisclosed location, North Korea, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, in photo provided by the North Koran government.
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Overview

  • State media said the Sept. 8 ground jet run was the ninth and last development test of the carbon‑fiber solid‑fuel engine.
  • KCNA reported a maximum thrust of about 1,971 kilonewtons, a figure presented as more powerful than earlier North Korean engines.
  • Pyongyang says the motor will power future intercontinental missiles, including the next‑generation Hwasong‑20 unveiled last week.
  • Analysts interpret the “last” development label as pointing to a probable ICBM flight test in the coming months, possibly within this year.
  • The announcement followed Kim’s high‑profile visit to Beijing alongside Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, and South Korea and the U.S. said they are closely monitoring without offering their own technical assessment.