Kathrine Frich
The minister clarified that his higher range came from independent organization.
Keeping track of the world’s most dangerous weapons is a high-stakes guessing game.
Politicians often throw out exact numbers to project authority. But sometimes, those confident claims clash with reality on the ground.
A startling difference
Donald Trump recently declared that North Korea possesses exactly 57 nuclear weapons. The American president shared this figure on Wednesday while confirming his willingness to meet with leader Kim Jong Un.
According to WP that confident number immediately raised eyebrows across the Pacific. Defense experts realized the math did not add up. Officials in Seoul quickly stepped in with a different assessment.
South Korean Defense Minister An Gju Bak addressed a parliamentary committee on Thursday. He painted a drastically different picture of the hidden weapons program.
Doing the math
“We usually assume that the North Korean regime has between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, but my ability to provide an exact number is very limited,” An told the committee.
This estimate suggests the stockpile is roughly double what the American president claimed. That massive discrepancy sparked fresh debates about global security.
An refused to criticize Trump directly over the remarks. Instead, the minister clarified that his higher range came from independent organizations, rather than official military intelligence.
Keeping secrets safe
According to the Yonhap news agency, South Korea usually keeps its official intelligence highly classified. Releasing exact figures carries heavy political risks.
Acknowledging a specific number could accidentally legitimize Pyongyang. South Korean authorities desperately want to avoid treating their northern neighbor as a recognized nuclear state.
When opposition leaders pushed for a clear stance, the defense minister held his ground. He firmly rejected the idea that Seoul accepts the reality of the arsenal.
“We can never officially recognize this,” he stressed.
Relying on allies
Even with a heavily armed neighbor nearby, the defense chief made his long-term strategy clear. South Korea has zero interest in building its own nuclear bombs.
The government also refuses to host American tactical weapons on its domestic soil. Leaders in Seoul prefer a traditional approach to national security.
Instead, the country will continue to rely entirely on its defense alliance with the United States. They trust that military partnership to keep the peninsula secure.
Sources: Yonhap, WP
