NORTH Korea is estimated to possess between 80 and 120 nuclear weapons, South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back has told lawmakers, putting Seoul’s assessment well above a figure cited by US President Donald Trump.
Ahn gave the estimate during a briefing to members of Parliament, just hours after Trump claimed that North Korea had 57 nuclear weapons.
“Seoul estimates that Pyongyang has between 80 and 120 nuclear weapons,” AFP reported Ahn saying.
The South Korean Defence Minister, however, declined to disclose a more precise figure for North Korea’s nuclear arsenal.
The differing estimates highlight the uncertainty surrounding the size of Pyongyang’s nuclear stockpile, which remains closely guarded and difficult to verify independently.
North Korea has continued to expand its nuclear and missile capabilities despite international sanctions and diplomatic efforts to curb its weapons programmes. - August 20, 2026
