North Korean leader Kim witnesses propulsion system trial for Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, according to state-run news outlets.
In a significant development, North Korea has conducted a ground jet test of a high-thrust solid-fuel engine on September 8, 2025. According to state media, the test was overseen by the country's President, Kim Jong Un.
The test marks the ninth ground jet test and the last one in the development process. This latest test is a crucial step towards expanding and strengthening North Korea's nuclear strategic forces, as stated by Kim Jong Un himself.
The test was witnessed by Kim Jong Un, who stood side by side with his Chinese and Russian counterparts, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, at the military parade. The event was held in Beijing to commemorate Japan's surrender in World War II.
State media images show Kim Jong Un observing the engine test with binoculars, and they also depict a red horizontal flame from the test. North Korea has been developing solid-fuel variants of its missiles, which are easier to mobilize, conceal, and launch rapidly compared with liquid-fuel missiles.
In August, Pyongyang reaffirmed its stance of not abandoning its nuclear weapons, stating that it would remain unchanged in its stand. The country has also staged test flights of long-range missiles that can apparently reach the continental United States.
Recently, Kim Jong Un returned to North Korea from a trip to Beijing. In response to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's call for a "path to denuclearisation", Pyongyang called him a "hypocrite".
The source of this information is © 2025 AFP.
