Korean Peninsula Update, March 31, 2026

(Institute for the Study of War) North Korean missile development: North Korea claims to have developed a lightweight solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) engine with higher thrust than any other country possesses. The development of a high-thrust ICBM engine signals an effort to develop multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRV), complicating US and allied defense systems.
North Korea’s international relations: Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko visited Pyongyang for the first time and signed a cooperation framework treaty with Kim Jong Un. North Korea is continuing to expand the breadth and depth of its international engagement to strengthen its resilience against sanctions and its leverage in future negotiations with the United States. – Korean Peninsula Update, March 31, 2026 | ISW