North Korea Stockpiling Up To 120 Nukes As Trump Touts Arsenal
South Korea estimates North Korea possesses 80-120 nuclear warheads, more than double President Trump's disclosed figure of 57, highlighting a significant intelligence gap.
North Korea has amassed a nuclear stockpile potentially twice as large as previously disclosed by President Donald Trump, according to fresh intelligence assessments from South Korea that underscore the growing threat posed by the communist dictatorship.
South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back stated on Thursday that Seoul’s intelligence services now estimate the hermit kingdom possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, as Dan McDonald reports in GB News.
The assessment stands in sharp contrast to President Trump’s revelation a day earlier that the North Korean regime had assembled 57 nuclear weapons. Speaking from the White House South Lawn on Wednesday, Trump described the arsenal as containing weapons that are notably powerful whilst confirming his intention to meet with dictator Kim Jong-un later this year.
Minister Ahn noted that the American president’s public figures diverge considerably from South Korean intelligence estimates, highlighting a concerning gap in assessments of Pyongyang’s military capabilities.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute offered its own evaluation in June, estimating that North Korea had assembled approximately 60 warheads whilst possessing sufficient fissile material to manufacture at least 30 additional weapons.
President Trump defended his diplomatic approach to the rogue state, emphasising that maintaining working relations with Kim represents sound strategy rather than weakness. The President characterised his relationship with the North Korean leader as beneficial, particularly given the regime’s substantial nuclear capability.
The planned meeting between Trump and Kim would mark a renewed effort at diplomatic engagement following previous summit attempts. Trump has consistently argued that personal diplomacy with adversarial leaders serves American national security interests, particularly when dealing with nuclear-armed states.
South Korea’s higher estimate of North Korea’s nuclear stockpile raises fresh concerns about the pace of Pyongyang’s weapons programme and the effectiveness of international sanctions designed to curtail its development. The discrepancy between American and South Korean intelligence assessments also points to ongoing challenges in monitoring the secretive regime’s military activities.
With information from GB News
