Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Estimates North Korea Has 30-40 Nuclear Warheads

Estimated to have increased by about 10 compared to last year
Nuclear warheads decreased, but nuclear-armed states' warhead modernization criticized

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] There is a claim estimating that North Korea possesses 30 to 40 nuclear warheads.

On the 15th (local time), the Swedish think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) estimated in its 2020 yearbook evaluating global arms and disarmament that as of January this year, North Korea's number of nuclear warheads increased by about 10 from last year to 30 to 40.

However, this figure was not included in the global total of nuclear warheads. This is because North Korea does not provide nuclear-related information, making the figure highly uncertain.

The institute also analyzed that although North Korea has taken a moratorium on nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches, it is conducting flight tests of new systems including short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM).

The total number of nuclear weapons worldwide was assessed to have slightly decreased. SIPRI classified nine countries including the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China, and North Korea as nuclear-armed states and estimated the number of nuclear weapons as about 13,400 as of last January. This is a slight decrease from 13,865 last year. While the number of nuclear weapons is decreasing, it pointed out that all nuclear-armed states are modernizing their nuclear arsenals.

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