The Hwasong-13 (KN-08 / KN-14) was an experimental North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korea first displayed a Hwasong-13 in a parade on April 15, 2012, and showcased a modified variant—designated separately by the United States as the KN-14—on October 10, 2015. Both variants have ceased to appear in public parades following the introduction of the Hwasong-14 and Hwasong-15 ICBMs. It is unclear whether Pyongyang ever constructed an operational Hwasong-13, and it is likely North Korea has abandoned further development efforts.

Analysts remain uncertain whether the Hwasong-13 was ever an operational weapons program. Early assessments of the missile suggested that both variants were nonworking mockups displayed as propaganda, or represented an unreliable prototype system. ¹ North Korea has never flight-tested either Hwasong-13 variant. Though North Korea displayed the Hwasong-13 alongside its nuclear weapons as an aspirational delivery system, it is unclear whether Pyongyang ever constructed a working prototype.²

The Hwasong-13 design reportedly employed the Soviet-made 4D10 rocket motor in its propulsion system. In 2016, Pyongyang released imagery of a similar engine undergoing static firing tests and later released imagery of a similarly-sized engine attached to the missile’s first stage. North Korea likely obtained 4D10 engines after acquiring R-27/SS-N-6 missiles and technical assistance from the former Soviet Union.³ While several analysts suggested that two 4D10 engines would be insufficient to propel an ICBM-class weapon, others noted that new liquid fuels might allow the missile to reach intercontinental range.⁴

Despite the Hwasong-13’s uncertain functionality, its associated research efforts possibly contributed to North Korea’s development of the Hwasong-14 and Hwasong-15 ICBMs. In 2017, North Korea flight-tested the Hwasong-12, Hwasong-14, and Hwasong-15 missiles, which employed a large, liquid-fueled engine powered by a more energetic fuel. Thought to be derived from the Russian-produced RD-250, these new engines may share a technological lineage with prior Hwasong-13-related developments.⁵ The second variant (KN-14) of the Hwasong-13 also bears a close visual resemblance to the later Hwasong-15. Though its ultimate status remains uncertain, the Hwasong-13 played a pivotal role in North Korea’s efforts to create—and showcase—its emerging nuclear deterrent.