JAKARTA - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a ground test of a high-powered missile engine using carbon fiber composite materials, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), without revealing the date or location of the test.
The test was part of a five-year national defense development plan aimed at the gradual improvement of strategic attack capabilities, KCNA said, quoting Leader Kim's statement that North Korea's defense capabilities have "entered a phase of significant change in the development of strategic power," reported The Korea Times (2/4).
This marks North Korea's first test of a high-thrust solid-fuel missile engine since the last test conducted in September last year, when the maximum thrust of the engine reached 1,971 kN.
The engine is believed to have been developed for use in the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile under development.
Leader Kim hailed the test as "very important" in putting the country's strategic military capabilities at the highest level, saying it was "fully in line with the national strategy and military demands for modernizing strategic forces."
The country's defense capabilities "will be further transformed and accelerated by the development and introduction of better components with superior economic and technical effectiveness as evidenced in the trial," he said.
KCNA said Leader Kim delivered "main tasks to further improve the development of the country's strategic strength both in quality and quantity."
On a separate occasion, Leader Kim also oversaw a test aimed at assessing the performance of a new main battle tank, which was 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 attacks from various directions and confirmed its defense performance with a 100 percent success rate, KCNA said.
"Today's test proves that the functionality of our new type of main battle tank interceptor system is fully equipped with comprehensive capabilities to destroy almost all existing anti-tank means," said Leader Kim.
In addition, Leader Kim also separately visited a special operations training base under the General Staff Operations Bureau of the Korean People's Army and inspected training by special operations sub-units at all levels, KCNA said.
"(Kim) examined a series of important elements of modern warfare - tests of solid fuel engines, assessments of the capabilities of new tanks, and training of special operations units - to show an increase in combat capabilities," said Lim Eu-chul, a professor at the Institute of Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University.
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