Fresh estimates about North Korea’s nuclear arsenal are raising concerns over the growing military tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek told a parliamentary committee on Thursday that North Korea is believed to possess between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, according to reports cited by Al Arabiya.
The estimate is significantly higher than a figure recently mentioned by U.S. President Donald Trump, who said North Korea had 57 nuclear weapons.
Ahn stressed, however, that the exact size of North Korea’s nuclear stockpile is difficult to determine. He later clarified that the 80–120 estimate is based on assessments by private research organizations and has not been officially verified by the South Korean military.
Asked about Trump’s figure of 57 weapons, Ahn simply acknowledged that there was “some difference” between the estimates.
Seoul Rejects Formal Nuclear Recognition
South Korea continues to reject formally recognizing North Korea as a nuclear-armed state, consistent with Seoul’s longstanding denuclearization policy.
Ahn also said South Korea would continue to rely on the U.S. nuclear umbrella rather than developing its own nuclear weapons.
He argued that Seoul should neither develop nuclear weapons itself nor seek the redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea.
Trump Seeks to Reopen Dialogue With Pyongyang
The discussion comes as the Trump administration is seeking to revive diplomatic engagement with North Korea.
As part of that effort, Trump has ordered a reduction in the scale of joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises, which he has described as hostile toward Pyongyang.
North Korea, however, has shown little enthusiasm for the move. Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said that reducing the size of the exercises did not fundamentally change their “provocative and aggressive” nature.
Nuclear Talks Remain Difficult
Trump and Kim held several high-profile summits in 2018 and 2019, but negotiations eventually stalled over disagreements surrounding sanctions relief and the scope of North Korea’s nuclear program.
Trump now appears interested in reopening direct talks later this year.
The latest estimates underline the difficulty of any future negotiations. Even though the precise size of North Korea’s arsenal remains uncertain, the possibility that Pyongyang possesses dozens—or potentially more than 100—nuclear warheads adds another major challenge to efforts aimed at reducing tensions and advancing denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.
