Kim Jong Un tests new missile engine: North Korea prepares for launch of Hwasong-20 ICBM
Kyiv • UNN
DPRK leader Kim Jong Un personally observed the test of a solid-fuel rocket engine, which will form the basis of the Hwasong-20 ICBM. This is the ninth and final test of the engine, made from carbon fiber composites.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally observed on Monday the test of a new high-thrust solid-fuel rocket engine, which, according to state media, will form the basis for the latest Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile. This move by Pyongyang is seen as preparation for another demonstration of its nuclear potential amid increased cooperation with China and Russia. This is reported by CNN, writes UNN.
Details
The test was the ninth and final one for the new engine, made of carbon fiber composites. Unlike liquid-fueled rockets, solid-fuel systems are more mobile, harder to detect, and take only minutes to prepare for launch. The report by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) emphasizes that the successful tests "herald a significant change in expanding and strengthening nuclear strategic forces."
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Last week, even before his visit to Beijing, Kim inspected an engine production plant and discussed plans for "mass production" of the new system. According to North Korea, the engines will be installed not only on the prospective Hwasong-20, but also on the Hwasong-19, which last year demonstrated its ability to hit targets in the United States.
The political context deserves special attention. Just a few days ago, Kim Jong Un stood next to Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin at a military parade in Beijing. This was Kim and Xi's first summit in six years, and it proved unprecedented: for the first time in the history of their meetings, the Chinese side did not mention the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Instead, the emphasis was on "deepening strategic coordination" and the immutability of bilateral friendship.
In fact, China and especially Russia are increasingly less critical of North Korea's nuclear program. The Kremlin is actively engaging Pyongyang in military-technical cooperation - from supplying missiles and ammunition to sending North Korean military personnel to support the war against Ukraine.
Thus, Pyongyang's latest test not only demonstrates technological progress but also confirms a new configuration of the power alliance in East Asia, where Kim Jong Un receives support from two world powers - China and Russia.