Jan. 2 (EUROPA PRESS) –
Several experts have indicated that North Korea currently possesses between 15 and 60 nuclear warheads and have warned of an attempt by the country’s leader, Kim Jong Un, to “exponentially” increase the nuclear threat it poses.
North Korea published a photograph of Kim inspecting an arsenal with more than a dozen nuclear warheads for the ‘Hwasong-12’ missile over the weekend, according to information from the South Korean news agency Yonhap.
Kim himself assured last month during the 6th plenary session of the Central Committee of the Labor Party that his intention is to “significantly increase” the number of nuclear warheads that the country possesses within the framework of a “transformative nuclear strategy for the development of measures that guarantee national defense in 2023”.
Although North Korea claims to have developed one of these warheads, it has never given exact data on it. The American Society of Nuclear Scientists has indicated that North Korea possesses between 20 and 30 warheads of this type, while experts from the Stockholm Research Institute for Peace have claimed that the country is capable of possessing between 45 and 55 warheads.
The Japan Nuclear Disarmament Research Center puts the number of warheads North Korea has in its possession at 40, a figure that has set off alarm bells in the neighboring country.
The North Korean authorities defend the possession of this type of arsenal as a way to protect the country’s security and guarantee the integrity of future generations under Kim’s rule.
The North Korean leader dismissed the “number two” of the Army, Pak Jong Chon, over the weekend, as he outlines his ballistic and nuclear program in the midst of increasing tension in the region.
Pak, vice president of the Central Military Commission of the North Korean Labor Party, has thus been replaced by Ri Yong Gil, who until now was the most relevant figure in the country in military matters after Kim himself.
However, the authorities have not yet given reasons for the change, although Kim regularly carries out reforms within the Armed Forces, according to information from the state news agency KCNA.
Pak has not been present for Kim’s New Year’s visit to Kumsusan Palace and his departure comes as Pyongyang seeks to speed up ICBM development to counter what it sees as persistent “threats” from United States and South Korea.
