Kim Jong Un has overseen the final ground test of a new high-power solid-fuel engine for long-range missiles, North Korean state media reported, indicating the possibility of missile launches in the near future.

North Korea has carried out the latest ground test of a solid fuel rocket engine for a long-range ballistic missile, its latest step toward building an arsenal that can effectively threaten the United States.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watched the test on Monday. It was the ninth test of the carbon-fiber engine, which is capable of generating 1971 kilonewtons of thrust, more powerful than previous models, North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency reported. The report comes a week after Kim visited the research institute that developed the engine. At the time, North Korea said it would be used for future intercontinental ballistic missiles, including a system called the Hwasong-20.

Some analysts say North Korea could conduct another intercontinental ballistic missile test at the end of the year to demonstrate its military might ahead of the ruling party’s grand congress in early 2026. At the congress, Kim is likely to announce his new directions in domestic and foreign policy.