Seoul, South Korea – Web Desk: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the ground test of an upgraded high-thrust rocket engine, state media reported Sunday, marking a key development in the country’s weapons programme.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the latest test achieved a maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons, surpassing September 2025’s previous record of 1,971 kilonewtons. The test is part of the national defence development plan under North Korea’s new five-year strategy, although the agency did not specify the exact date or location.
Defence analysts say the solid-fuel engines tested by Pyongyang are designed to enable faster intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches, requiring minimal preparation before ignition. Increased thrust could also allow missiles to carry multiple warheads, potentially striking multiple targets in a single launch while overwhelming missile defence systems.
Kim Jong Un described the development as a “significant phase of change” in North Korea’s strategic forces buildup, emphasizing the country’s ambition to acquire missiles capable of hitting targets worldwide.
Photos released by KCNA showed Kim inspecting engine components and flames erupting from a ground-mounted engine during the test. Analysts note that North Korea has already demonstrated the ability to reach the US mainland with lower-thrust engines, making multi-warhead capability the next technological milestone.
In a separate KCNA report, Kim also visited a special forces training base, observing drills in which soldiers wielded weapons such as axes and sledgehammers. The agency described the exercises as a demonstration of the troops’ “physical and technical ability to be a match for a hundred combatants with iron fists.”
