North Korea recently disclosed conducting a thrust test of a new solid-fuel engine, asserting a maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons (kN). In response, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced they are analyzing all possibilities regarding this claim.
JCS spokesperson Jang Do-young addressed the matter during a regular press briefing on Monday at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul. When questioned about the specifications of the engine revealed by North Korea, Jang provided this statement.
U.S. and South Korean intelligence agencies are closely monitoring North Korea’s weapons development, Jang explained. They’re currently assessing all potential scenarios.
The Workers’ Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported that Kim Jong Un, the party’s General Secretary, recently observed the thrust test of a new solid-fuel engine designed for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). North Korea claims this engine boasts a maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons (kN).
This reported thrust represents a significant 20% increase over the 1,971 kN thrust of the solid-fuel engine North Korea claimed to have installed on its new Hwasong-20 ICBM last September. The rapid advancement in solid-fuel engine technology suggests North Korea is ramping up its strategic weapons program, potentially including the development of multiple-warhead ICBMs. Defense analysts are closely watching these developments for their implications on regional security.