By REUTERS AUGUST 20, 2026

South Korea estimates North Korea possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, its defence minister said on Thursday, citing a range significantly higher than US President Donald Trump‘s recent assertion that Pyongyang has 57 nuclear weapons.

Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back told lawmakers that North Korea was generally believed to have around 80 to 120 warheads, although he cautioned it was difficult to determine an exact figure.

“We usually see it as around 80 to 120, but it is considerably limited to state an exact number,” Ahn told a parliamentary committee.