Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected a research institute focused on developing a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) as he prepares to visit China for a military parade, according to Yonhap News Agency. Kim's visit to the institute, which is affiliated with the Missile Administration, included a review of the production of a new high-powered solid-fuel engine intended for the next-generation Hwasong-20 ICBM. This inspection took place on Monday, just before his departure for Beijing aboard his private train.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that this marks the first public disclosure of North Korea's latest missile development. The announcement follows the test-firing of the solid-fuel Hwasong-19 ICBM in late October of the previous year. The new solid-fuel engine is reported to have a maximum thrust of 1,960 kilonewtons and will be utilized in both the Hwasong-19 ICBM line and the new Hwasong-20 ICBM.
Kim Jong-un reviewed the results of eight rounds of testing on the engine, which uses carbon fiber composite material and has been developed over the past two years. Discussions also focused on establishing the foundation for its production. Kim described these results as significant achievements that represent a leap forward in enhancing North Korea's strategic missile capabilities.
North Korea is believed to already have the capability to strike anywhere within the United States. The Hwasong-18, an earlier version of North Korea's ICBM, has a range exceeding 15,000 kilometers, putting the entire U.S. territory within reach. The country is now working on refining its ICBMs to potentially expand their range or increase their warhead carriage capacity for more destructive potential.
The unveiling of the Hwasong-20 comes less than a year after the test-firing of the Hwasong-19 ICBM, which was previously heralded by North Korea as the "ultimate version" of an ICBM. In addition to inspecting the ICBM lab, Kim also visited a new defense manufacturing factory on Sunday, where he reviewed an automated missile production line.
These actions seem intended to reinforce North Korea's self-proclaimed status as a nuclear-armed nation. Kim's upcoming participation in China's military parade in Beijing is seen as a significant diplomatic event, where he is expected to stand alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in a demonstration of trilateral solidarity. An official from South Korea's unification ministry noted that Kim seems determined to showcase North Korea's defense achievements ahead of his appearance on this high-profile diplomatic stage.