North Korea has up to 120 nuclear warheads, South Korea says

South Korea estimates that North Korea possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said on Thursday, giving a figure significantly higher than that recently mentioned by US President Donald Trump, who said that Pyongyang officially has 57 nuclear weapons.

Minister Gyu-back told lawmakers that North Korea is generally believed to have about 80 to 120 nuclear warheads, although he cautioned that it is difficult to determine an exact figure.

"We usually estimate the number to be around 80 to 120, but it is very difficult to determine an exact number," Ahn told a parliamentary committee.

Ahn later clarified that this figure is based on estimates from private research organizations and that the South Korean military cannot officially confirm this number.

Asked about Trump's statement the day before that Kim Jong Un possessed 57 "very powerful nuclear weapons," Ahn said that "the numbers seem to be somewhat different."

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Trump made the statement Wednesday at the White House while speaking about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and plans to meet with him later this year.

South Korea has traditionally avoided publishing detailed assessments of North Korea's nuclear arsenal and, in line with its long-standing policy of denuclearization, does not officially recognize Pyongyang as a nuclear-weapons state.

Ahn reiterated this stance when asked whether the South Korean government recognizes North Korea as a nuclear-armed state.

"We cannot officially recognize this," he declared.

He also declined to comment on whether Trump's reference to 57 nuclear warheads meant the US recognized North Korea as a nuclear state, saying it would not be appropriate for the South Korean defense minister to comment on the US president's statements.

Ahn has said that South Korea will continue to rely on the US nuclear umbrella, in line with its long-standing policy of not possessing nuclear weapons.

The comments came as Trump seeks to revive engagement with Kim after ordering a reduction in joint US-South Korea military exercises, which he described as "hostile" to North Korea.

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North Korea has responded coldly to the move. Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, has said the scaled-down exercises remained provocative and aggressive despite their shortened duration.

She has rejected any suggestion that Pyongyang would see the move as a meaningful gesture of goodwill and added that she was unaware of any recent contact between Trump and Kim, although she described the personal relationship between the leaders as "excellent".