The test of a solid-fuel engine conducted by North Korea is aimed at developing carbon fiber intercontinental ballistic missiles, with the aim of increasing their range and enabling them to carry heavier and larger numbers of warheads, South Korean lawmakers said, quoted by Reuters, BTA reported.
In March, Pyongyang conducted a ground test of such an engine, which analysts believe is intended for the latest generation of intercontinental missiles. They say the new engine is likely to have more thrust than the previous model tested in 2024, which was thought to be capable of reaching anywhere in the continental United States.
So far, North Korea has conducted all of its long-range missile tests on a so-called high trajectory, in which the projectiles fall into the sea off its east coast or east of Japan. In this way, the country tests the systems without launching them at the actual distance for which they are designed.
North Korean media released footage of the missile body used in the latest test, which is made of carbon fiber - a material that combines lightness and strength. This allows the missile to carry multiple warheads, said South Korean lawmaker Park Sun-won.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended the test on March 28 and described it as a major advance in the country's strategic capabilities.
Pyongyang continues to violate the UN Security Council's ban on missile and nuclear tests by consistently developing increasingly powerful and technologically advanced missile systems.