North Korea Conducts Missile Engine Test That Seeks to Increase Missile Range

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North Korea has conducted a missile engine test aimed at advancing its long-range missile capabilities.

Getting into it: The test, which was overseen by Kim Jong-un, involved a newly upgraded high-thrust solid-fuel engine made with composite carbon fiber materials, which state media (KCNA) said produced a maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons (an increase from a previous test that reached about 1,970 kilonewtons). KCNA described the test as part of a broader five-year national defense plan to steadily upgrade the country’s “strategic strike” capabilities, with Kim calling it a development of “great significance” that marks a new phase in strengthening North Korea’s strategic forces.

North Korea's Kim Jong Un observes a ground ejection test of a high output solid fuel engine using carbon fiber composite materials

The use of solid fuel is notable because it allows missiles to be launched more quickly and with less preparation, making them harder to detect, and the higher thrust suggests the potential for heavier payloads or more advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Despite these claims, some outside experts expressed skepticism, noting that key technical details (such as total burn time) were not disclosed, raising the possibility that North Korea may be exaggerating the engine’s performance. Analysts said that while the increased thrust is meaningful, North Korea still faces hurdles in developing fully reliable long-range systems, particularly in ensuring that warheads can survive atmospheric reentry or in achieving multi-warhead capability.

Separately, KCNA reported that Kim also inspected tests of a new main battle tank, where officials claimed its protection system successfully intercepted anti-tank threats from multiple directions with a “100 percent” success rate. He also visited a special operations training base, observing drills by North Korea’s “elite” units.

There were no immediate official responses from the US or South Korea, though both countries are known to be closely monitoring North Korea’s weapons developments.