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North Korea conducts engine test for missile capable of targeting US mainland
The test produced a maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons, marking a key step in North Korea's five-year plan to enhance intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities.
- On Sunday, March 29, 2026, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a ground test of an upgraded solid-fuel missile engine constructed with composite carbon-fiber materials, producing a maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons, according to the Korean Central News Agency .
- Part of the country's five-year military escalation program, the test aimed to upgrade "strategic strike means." Solid-fuel engines require little ignition time compared to older liquid-fuel systems, enabling faster launches and harder detection.
- Kim also inspected a new main battle tank performance test organized by the Armored Weapons Institute of the Academy of Defence Sciences, with the tank's active protection system achieving a 100 percent success rate against anti-tank weapons.
- Dr. Hong Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told AFP the increased thrust demonstrates North Korea's "resolve to acquire missiles capable of hitting targets around the globe" and ability to overwhelm missile defense systems.
- Despite these advancements, experts caution that technological hurdles such as warhead reentry survivability remain unresolved. Kim recently pledged to cement the country's nuclear status, accusing the United States of global "state terrorism and aggression" in reference to Middle East conflicts.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observed a test of a solid fuel armament engine and high momentum and praised it as a step forward in strengthening the country’s strategic military capability, the state press reported on Sunday. The test probably indicates that Kim is determined to expand and modernize an arsenal of missiles capable of reaching the continental territory of the United States.
North Korea conducts engine test for missile capable of targeting U.S. mainland
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observed a test of an upgraded solid-fuel engine for weapons capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, and called it a significant development boosting his country’s strategic military arsenal, state media reported Sunday.
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources132
Leaning Left27Leaning Right20Center41Last UpdatedBias Distribution46% Center
Bias Distribution
- 46% of the sources are Center
46% Center
L 31%
C 46%
R 23%
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