Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back speaks during a parliamentary session at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
North Korea is estimated to have around 80 to 120 nuclear weapons, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Thursday, declining to offer a specific figure.
Ahn made the remarks during a parliamentary session, after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Pyongyang possesses 57 "very powerful" nuclear weapons. It marked the first time Trump has cited a specific figure regarding the North's nuclear arsenal.
"We typically see that (North Korea has) around 80 to 120 (nuclear weapons), but I am very limited in providing a specific figure," Ahn told lawmakers.
Given Trump's remarks, the estimates held by South Korea and the United States regarding the North's nuclear stockpile "appear to be slightly different," Ahn noted.
