Comparing the nuclear weapons capabilities of the US and North Korea.

North Korea constantly boasts about its nuclear arsenal, but the exact number of weapons and their relative strength compared to the United States remain unclear.

Tensions between the US and North Korea have escalated in recent days. Photo: Express

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have flared up again after the US conducted a civilian evacuation exercise in South Korea. North Korea's state-run newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, responded to the event with a threat to "boost the country's nuclear power."

The newspaper wrote: "The United States – which is terrified of our powerful nuclear strike capabilities – is pursuing a crazy policy of 'maximum intervention and pressure.' As long as the United States does not abandon its hostile policy toward North Korea and its nuclear threats, we will continue to advance our nuclear armaments."

How many nuclear weapons does North Korea possess?

North Korea's nuclear arsenal remains a mystery. A recent report by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) in Washington estimates that Pyongyang possesses 13-30 nuclear weapons. The report also estimates that North Korea has 33 kg of enriched plutonium and 175-645 kg of weapons-grade uranium.

In fact, just 0.91 kg of uranium is enough to make a 16-kiloton bomb like the one the US dropped on Hiroshima.

"North Korea has enough plutonium for about 12 nuclear weapons, using plutonium cores and weapon-grade uranium..." - author David Albright wrote in the report. He even issued a chilling warning that North Korea's nuclear program appears capable of developing far more destructive thermonuclear weapons.

Two days ago, an editorial in Rodong Sinmun declared that North Korea's development of nuclear deterrence capabilities would "make faster progress" in response to the United States.

Albright's report also suggests that by 2020, North Korea could possess 25-50 nuclear weapons.

How many nuclear weapons does the United States have?

According to the latest figures from the US State Department, the United States has a total of 4,018 nuclear weapons, both operational and inactive.

In addition, the US has approximately 2,800 "retired" warheads awaiting disarmament, and 1,411 warheads deployed on ballistic missiles and at air bases.

The United States was the first country to possess nuclear weapons and has always been at the forefront of developing this type of weapon of mass destruction.

When the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was signed in 1968, the U.S. arsenal contained thousands of nuclear weapons. This number has gradually decreased as efforts to eliminate the nuclear threat to the world have been underway, but currently, 1,400 U.S. weapons remain ready for deployment at any time.

"I'm the first one who wants to see nobody have nuclear weapons, but we're not going to be behind any country, not even our friends, we're not going to be behind in nuclear power," President Donald Trump declared in February.

"It's great, the dream is that no country has nuclear weapons, but if countries continue to have nuclear weapons, then we will be at the top," he added.

According to Vietnamnet.vn