美 "北 핵무기 20~60개 보유... 화학무기는 세계에서 3번째 최다 보유"
The U.S. military estimates that North Korea owns up to 60 nuclear bombs, a figure which could increase to 100 by the end of the year.
According to a report released by the U.S army, Washington has reason to believe that the regime also has the third-largest stockpile of chemical weapons in the world.
Oh Jung-hee has the details.
The U.S. believes that North Korea owns up to 60 nuclear bombs and the world's third-largest stockpile of chemical weapons.
In its report 'North Korean Tactics' published last month, the U.S. Army states... that the estimates for North Korean nuclear bombs range from twenty to sixty... and the regime is capable of producing six new devices each year.
It noted that... the North could own up to a hundred nuclear bombs by the end of the year.
The report also says... North Korea is believed to have two-thousand-five-hundred to five-thousand tons of 20 different types of chemical weapons - the third-largest stockpile in the world.
It adds... that the regime has conducted research on biological weapons and weaponized anthrax, which can be put on top of missiles when fired against South Korea, the U.S., and Japan.
Denuclearization talks between North Korea and the U.S. came to a halt following their second summit in Hanoi in February 2019, and a break down in working-level talks in Stockholm later that year.
Since then, North Korea has justified its nuclear and missile development as a means of security against the U.S.
On Tuesday, the North's ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun published an article praising the late Ju Kyu-chang, one of its top officials who took a leading role in the regime's WMD development.
The article is seen as an attempt to show the regime's will to further beef up self-defense capabilities.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.
