On Thursday, South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek revealed that his country's assessments indicate that North Korea may possess between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads. This figure significantly surpasses the 57 nuclear weapons previously cited by former U.S. President Donald Trump as part of Pyongyang's arsenal.

Ahn Gyu-baek addressed a parliamentary committee, highlighting the challenges involved in pinpointing the exact number of warheads North Korea holds. He stated, "Our estimates consistently suggest that North Korea has between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, but accurately determining the precise number remains extremely difficult."

The minister noted that these figures are derived from evaluations conducted by private research organizations. However, he emphasized that the South Korean military is not in a position to officially verify these numbers.

In response to Trump's assertions that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un possesses 57 highly potent nuclear weapons, Ahn remarked, "It seems there is some discrepancy in the figures."

According to reports from The Wall Street Journal, U.S. officials have mentioned that Trump has been urging his aides to organize a meeting with the North Korean leader as early as this fall. This initiative aims to revive diplomatic efforts initiated during Trump's first term to persuade Kim to abandon his country's nuclear weapons program.

The officials also indicated that Trump has been exploring the possibility of a direct meeting with Kim during his upcoming trip to Asia, potentially scheduled for November. During this visit, world leaders are set to convene at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China.