North Korea "Tested New Medium-Range Missile Solid Fuel Engine... Satisfactory Results"

Missile Command "Preparing for Enemy Military Conspiracy and Collusion"

North Korea announced on the 15th that it conducted a test of a solid-fuel engine for a new type of medium-range ballistic missile.
Photo by Korean Central News Agency

North Korea announced that it has conducted tests of solid-fuel engines intended for a new type of intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM).

On the 15th, the Korean Central News Agency reported, "We have developed new high-power solid-fuel engines for intermediate-range ballistic missiles and successfully conducted the first ground firing test of the first-stage engine on November 11 and the first ground firing test of the second-stage engine on November 14."

This move by North Korea is interpreted as an effort to diversify its weapons systems and enhance missile capabilities by utilizing the characteristics of solid-fuel missiles, which allow for covert maneuvering and rapid launch. Considering that the Missile General Bureau mentioned "military collusion and conspiracy by enemies," there is also a possibility that the weapons development is aimed at the military cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan around the Korean Peninsula or the U.S. territory of Guam.

The agency stated, "The first ground firing tests of the first and second-stage engines achieved highly satisfactory results," and added, "The reliability and stability of our indigenous design and manufacturing technology in the field of high-power solid-fuel engines have once again been clearly verified."

It emphasized, "A solid guarantee has been established to confidently accelerate the development of the new intermediate-range ballistic missile weapons system." The location where the engine tests were conducted was not disclosed.

The agency explained that North Korea presented the renewal of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) 'Hwasong-18' type and intermediate-range ballistic missiles as major tasks for this year at the end of last year’s Workers' Party Central Committee plenary meeting and the expanded meeting of the Party Central Military Commission in February.

The North Korean Missile General Bureau evaluated, "This test is an essential process to further enhance the strategic offensive capability of the Republic’s armed forces in preparation for the severe and unstable security environment facing the country and the increasingly vicious military collusion and conspiracy by enemies in the prospective regional military situation."

Since North Korea announced the successful completion of both the first and second-stage engine tests, there is a possibility that it will soon carry out a launch provocation of a new solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile. In December last year, North Korea also announced that it had succeeded in testing a high-power rocket engine presumed to be for developing a new solid-fuel ICBM.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.