▲ This photo, published by the Korean Central News Agency on March 29, 2026, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un overseeing a ground test of a high-thrust solid-fuel missile engine using a composite carbon fiber material. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
▲ This photo, published by the Korean Central News Agency on March 29, 2026, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un overseeing a ground test of a high-thrust solid-fuel missile engine using a composite carbon fiber material. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
▲ This photo, published by the Korean Central News Agency on March 29, 2026, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (R) overseeing a test of a new main battle tank, organized by the Armored Weapons Institute of the Academy of Defense Sciences. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) N Korea leader-engine test

(LEAD) N. Korea's Kim oversees ground test of high-thrust solid-fuel missile engine: KCNA

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info, photos from para 4)

SEOUL, March 29 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen a ground test of a high-thrust solid-fuel missile engine using a composite carbon fiber material, saying the test was a part of the North's five-year plan to upgrade its strategic strike capabilities, according to state media Sunday.

Kim oversaw the test of a newly upgraded engine made with composite carbon fiber material, with a maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said without disclosing the date or location of the test.

The test was part of a five-year national defense development plan aimed at the steady upgrading of strategic strike means, the KCNA said, quoting Kim as saying that North Korea's defense capabilities had "entered a significant phase of change in the building of the strategic forces."

It marks the North's first high-thrust solid-fuel missile engine test since the last test conducted in September last year, when the engine's maximum thrust was put at 1,971 kN. The engine is assessed to have been developed for use in the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile under development.

Kim touted the test as having "great significance" in putting the country's strategic military capabilities to the highest level, saying it "fully conforms with the national strategy and the military demand for modernizing the strategic forces."

The country's defense capabilities "would be further transformed and accelerated by the development and introduction of better components with superior economic and technical effectiveness as proven in the test," he said.

The KCNA said Kim presented "major tasks for further stepping up the development of the state strategic forces both in quality and quantity."

The KCNA reported that Kim has also inspected a separate test aimed at assessing the performance of the new main battle tanks, organized by the Armored Weapons Institute of the Academy of Defense Sciences.

The test examined the combat effectiveness of the protection system against anti-tank means attacking from different directions and confirmed its defensive performance with a 100 percent success rate, the KCNA said.

"Today's test proved that the functionality of our new-type main battle tank's interceptor system is fully equipped with a thorough capability for destroying almost all existing anti-tank means," Kim said.

The leader also separately visited a special operations training base under the Operations Bureau of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army and inspected training by special operation subunits at all levels, the KCNA said.

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