Kim Jong Un Expresses Satisfaction as North Korea Tests New Hypersonic Missile Engine

Conducted test at the West Sea Satellite Launch Site on the 19th
Consecutive action after the launch of a super-large MRL shell
Kim Jong Un expressed satisfaction with the completion of the strategic weapon system task

On the morning and afternoon of the 19th, at the West Sea Satellite Launch Site, the ground jet test of the new multi-stage solid fuel engine for intermediate-range hypersonic missiles was conducted. Yonhap News

North Korea has performed a ground jet test of a new solid fuel engine for intermediate-range hypersonic missiles. Following the launch of a super-large MRL shell, it appears to escalate the frequency and intensity of provocations for the April parliamentary general election phase. Kim Jong Un was pleased to complete the strategic weapons development task.

On the 20th, the Workers’ Party of Korea’s official newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, reported under the guidance of Kim, “On the morning and afternoon of the 19th at the West Sea Satellite Launch Site, a ground jet test of a multi-stage solid fuel engine for an intermediate-range hypersonic missile was performed according to the development schedule of the new weapon system.” The newspaper confirmed that the test was successful, stating, “The timeline for the completion of the new intermediate-range hypersonic missile weapon system development has been confirmed through the great success of this crucial test.”

 Kim declared, “The military strategic value of this weapon system is as significant as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) because it was driven by our country’s security environment and the operational requirements of the People’s Army, and our enemies are well aware of this.”

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Kim Jong Un attended the ground jet test of the new multi-stage solid fuel engine for intermediate-range hypersonic missiles at the West Sea Satellite Launch Site on the morning and afternoon of the 19th. Yonhap News

The Rodong Sinmun reported that Kim expressed immense satisfaction with completing the development tasks in the strategic weapons sector of the five-year plan period proposed by the 8th Party Congress. North Korea conducted the first ground jet test of the first and second stages of the high-thrust solid fuel engine for new intermediate-range ballistic missiles on November 11 and 14 last year and test-fired an intermediate-long range solid fuel ballistic missile equipped with a hypersonic maneuvering warhead on January 14. This ground jet test has the characteristic of a follow-up from the flight test of January, which launched a missile, attaching an engine that went through the launch test last November.