North Korea now has 20 nuclear warheads at most, according to a leading international security think tank, at a time when concerns are growing in the Asia-Pacific region that Pyongyang could conduct a nuclear test anytime soon.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reiterated his intention to "pre-emptively" use the country s nuclear weapons if the nation is threatened by what it regards as "hostile forces," state-run media reports.
North Korea may resume long-range ballistic missile tests over the next year, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency says in a report analyzing the country s military capabilities, warning that Pyongyang will continue to pose a "critical security challenge" for the United States and its allies.