South Korea Addresses North Korea Nuclear stockpile at a maximum of 120 warheads
South Korea estimates that North Korea possesses as many as 120 nuclear warheads, which is more than double the recent figure of 57 weapons cited by Donald Trump.
South Korea’s defense minister stated on Thursday that North Korea is estimated to have between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, a figure that is considerably higher than the recent estimate of 57 nuclear weapons provided by US President Donald Trump.
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back informed lawmakers that North Korea is generally estimated to possess approximately 80 to 120 warheads, while noting the challenges in pinpointing an exact number.
“We typically observe it to be between 80 and 120, but it is quite restricted to provide a precise figure,” Ahn informed a parliamentary committee.
Ahn later clarified that the figure was derived from estimates provided by private research organizations, noting that South Korea’s military could not officially verify the numbers.
When asked about Trump’s statement from the previous day that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had 57 “very powerful nuclear weapons,” Ahn remarked, “the numbers seem to be somewhat different.”
Trump made the statement at the White House on Wednesday while talking about Kim and his intentions to meet him later this year.
South Korea has historically refrained from openly sharing detailed assessments of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. It also does not officially acknowledge Pyongyang as a nuclear weapons state in accordance with its enduring policy advocating for denuclearization.
Ahn reiterated that stance when questioned about the government’s recognition of North Korea as a nuclear-armed state.
“We are unable to officially confirm that,” he stated.
He also chose not to comment on whether Trump’s mention of 57 warheads constituted US acknowledgment of North Korea’s nuclear status, stating that it would be inappropriate for South Korea’s defense minister to weigh in on the US president’s remarks.
Ahn stated that South Korea would maintain its dependence on the US nuclear umbrella, consistent with Seoul’s enduring non-nuclear policy.
“We are unable to develop nuclear weapons. “Nor should we accept the deployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons,” Ahn stated.
The comments emerged as Trump aims to reestablish dialog with Kim following his decision to reduce the scale of joint US-South Korean military exercises, which he labeled as “hostile” toward North Korea.
North Korea reacted with indifference to the action.
Kim Yo Jong, the prominent sister of the North Korean leader, stated that the scaled-back exercises continued to be provocative and aggressive, even with their reduced duration.
She rejected any notion that Pyongyang would interpret the action as a significant gesture of goodwill and stated that she had no knowledge of any recent communications between Trump and Kim, despite characterizing the personal rapport between the leaders as “excellent.”
On Wednesday at the White House, Trump expressed his anticipation of a meeting with Kim later this year, which could reignite diplomacy that has been stagnant since the unprecedented summits in 2018 and 2019 fell apart due to disagreements regarding sanctions relief and North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.
