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South Korea says North Korea may have up to 120 nuclear warheads

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

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  • South Korea estimates North Korea possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, a figure significantly higher than a recent U.S. estimate.
  • The South Korean defense minister cautioned that determining an exact number is difficult.
  • South Korea maintains its policy of not officially acknowledging North Korea as a nuclear-armed state and relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella.

South Korea's defense minister stated on Thursday that Pyongyang likely possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, a considerably higher estimate than the 57 weapons recently cited by U.S. President Donald Trump. Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back informed lawmakers that while this range is generally believed, pinpointing an exact figure remains challenging.

We usually see it as around 80 to 120, but it is considerably limited to state an exact number.

— Ahn Gyu-backSouth Korea's Defense Minister explaining the difficulty in determining North Korea's exact nuclear warhead count.

"We usually see it as around 80 to 120, but it is considerably limited to state an exact number," Ahn told a parliamentary committee. He later clarified that these figures were based on estimates from private research organizations, and South Korea's military could not officially confirm them. When asked about Trump's earlier comment, Ahn noted that "the numbers appear somewhat different."

the numbers appear somewhat different.

— Ahn Gyu-backResponding to U.S. President Donald Trump's recent estimate of North Korea's nuclear weapons.

South Korea has historically refrained from publicly disclosing detailed estimates of North Korea's nuclear stockpile, adhering to its long-standing policy that supports denuclearization and does not officially recognize Pyongyang as a nuclear weapons state. Ahn reiterated this position, stating, "We cannot officially acknowledge that." He also declined to comment on whether Trump's mention of 57 warheads constituted U.S. recognition of North Korea's nuclear status, deeming it inappropriate for a South Korean defense minister to comment on the U.S. president's remarks. In line with Seoul's policy, South Korea will continue to rely on the U.S. nuclear umbrella for its security.

We cannot officially acknowledge that.

— Ahn Gyu-backReiterating South Korea's policy on not officially recognizing North Korea as a nuclear-armed state.
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Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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