Report: North Korea may have almost 250 nuclear weapons by 2027

[TexasTowelie]

SEOUL, April 13 (UPI) -- North Korea's nuclear arsenal will continue to grow over the next several years, reaching as many as 242 nuclear weapons and dozens of intercontinental ballistic missiles by 2027 and posing a threat that will be increasingly difficult for South Korea and the United States to contain, a report released Tuesday said.

The report, jointly produced by Seoul-based Asan Institute for Policy Studies and Santa Monica-based Rand Corp., warned that negotiations alone are unlikely to be effective in reducing the threat and called for measures such as deploying tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea.

Titled "Countering the Risks of North Korean Nuclear Weapons," the report estimates that North Korea had already developed between 67 and 116 nuclear weapons by 2020, with its stockpile to grow by 12 to 18 weapons per year until 2027.

Until now, the isolated country has relied on its nuclear arsenal for deterrence, but as North Korea advances its nuclear capabilities it may be able to use weapons for blackmail, coercion or even to conduct pre-emptive strikes against South Korea and the United States.

Read more: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/04/13/Report-North-Korea-may-have-almost-250-nuclear-weapons-by-2027/9961618301306/