He said the figure of 80 to 120 is based on estimates by private research organizations and that the South Korean military cannot officially confirm the exact number of North Korea’s nuclear warheads.
Ahn also emphasized that South Korea does not officially recognize North Korea as a nuclear-armed state. He reiterated Seoul’s long-standing policy of supporting the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
South Korea has traditionally avoided publicly disclosing detailed estimates of North Korea’s nuclear stockpile, while maintaining its policy of not developing nuclear weapons and relying on the U.S. nuclear umbrella.
The comments came after U.S. President Donald Trump said a day earlier that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons. Ahn said the figures appeared to be different.
Ahn said South Korea would continue to rely on the U.S. nuclear umbrella and would not accept the deployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons on its territory.
The issue comes amid renewed diplomatic signals between Washington and Pyongyang. Trump has said he expects to meet Kim Jong Un later this year, while North Korea has responded cautiously to recent efforts to ease tensions.