North Korea Says Test-Fire Perfected New Hwasong-19 Solid-Propellant Rocket: What That Means

North Korea announced the successful test of its newest intercontinental ballistic missile.Hwasong-19and state media called it “the world’s most powerful rocket.”
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the new missile features improved altitude and flight duration, marking a step closer to Pyongyang's goal of achieving a target nuclear capable ICBM that could potentially reach the United States.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency called the missile the “Hwasong-19” ICBM and described it as “the world's most powerful strategic missile” and “the most perfected weapon system.”
While South Korean military officials suggested the possibility of a solid rocket test, the KCNA report did not specify the type of fuel used in Hwasong-19. Exhaust flames in official photos indicate the likely use of solid fuel technology, allowing faster launches and better stealth, experts say. Before this test, the Hwasong-18 was North Korea's most advanced ICBM.
Solid-fuel rockets, unlike their liquid-propellant counterparts, are preloaded with propellant, allowing for faster launches and greater secrecy through shorter visible preparation times. This technological leap would mark a shift from the Hwasong-18, North Korea's former top ICBM, to a model with potentially higher operational readiness and better stealth.
Kim Jong Un watched the launch with his daughter Kim Ju Ae, whom Seoul intelligence has identified as his potential successor. Kim hailed the test as an “appropriate military action” given perceived threats to North Korea's security and praised the scientists and engineers involved for their work in strengthening the country's “unprecedented strategic nuclear strike capability.”
While North Korea's ability to attack South Korea with nuclear weapons is not in question, its ability to effectively reach the continental United States still remains in doubt. Technical challenges such as protecting re-entry vehicles, refining guidance systems and the ability to deploy multiple warheads still hinder North Korea's ability to attack more distant countries.
The launch timing appears strategic as it comes before the US presidential election and amid international criticism of North Korea's alleged troop deployment to Russia over the Ukraine conflict.
U.S. officials report that about 8,000 North Korean soldiers are stationed near the Russian-Ukrainian border. The test came shortly after U.S. and South Korean defense officials called on North Korea to withdraw its military personnel from Russia.