South Korea estimates that North Korea possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, according to statements made by Defense Minister An Gyu-bak in Seoul on Thursday, August 20. The figure significantly exceeds a recent assessment by US President Donald Trump, who claimed Pyongyang holds 57 nuclear weapons.
Speaking to lawmakers during a parliamentary session, An explained that private research organizations produced the assessment of 80 to 120 warheads. He added that the South Korean armed forces cannot officially confirm the figures, noting that determining an exact stockpile quantity remains difficult.
The defense minister was asked to comment on statements made a day earlier by Trump at the White House. The US president told reporters on Wednesday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un possesses 57 very powerful nuclear warheads, adding that he plans to meet with Kim later this year. In response, An remarked that the figures appeared to differ somewhat.
An declined to comment on whether Trump mentioning 57 warheads implied official US recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state. He stated that it was not appropriate for a South Korean defense minister to evaluate remarks made by the president of the United States.
South Korean Defense Policy and Nuclear Status
South Korea traditionally avoids publicly releasing detailed estimates of North Korea's nuclear stockpile. Under its long-standing policy focused on denuclearization, Seoul officially does not recognize Pyongyang as a nuclear weapons state.
An reaffirmed that South Korea will continue to rely on the extended nuclear deterrence provided by the United States. He emphasized that Seoul maintains its policy against developing its own nuclear deterrent or hosting American weapons on its territory, stating that South Korea cannot develop nuclear weapons and should not agree to the deployment of US tactical nuclear weapons.
The US nuclear umbrella is a long-standing security arrangement between Washington and Seoul. Under the agreement, the United States commits its full range of military capabilities, including strategic nuclear forces, to defend South Korea against external aggression.
Peace Proposals and Border Tensions
The assessment follows a proposal by South Korean President Lee Jae-yong for formal negotiations with North Korea to end the state of war on the Korean Peninsula. The two nations have remained legally at war for more than seven decades following the conclusion of the Korean War.
Lee pointed out that hostilities in the 1950-1953 conflict were halted by an armistice agreement rather than a formal peace treaty. He stated that South Korea respects the current status of North Korea and does not seek unification through annexation, assuring Pyongyang that Seoul harbors no hostile intentions toward the regime.
Despite diplomatic overtures, military friction persists along the boundary. South Korean forces recently fired warning shots after North Korean soldiers crossed the Military Demarcation Line into the eastern sector of the Demilitarized Zone. Military officials reported that the North Korean troops were likely conducting routine patrols before returning to their side of the border.
The incident marked the first warning shots fired by South Korean forces over border breaches in 2026. Similar brief line crossings by North Korean military personnel have occurred repeatedly over recent years along the demarcation line dividing the peninsula.
