There's a bit of a discrepancy in the nuclear counting game. South Korea's Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back told lawmakers Thursday that North Korea is generally believed to have 80 to 120 nuclear warheads. That's a wide range, but even the low end is significantly higher than President Donald Trump's recent claim that Kim Jong Un has 57 "very powerful" nukes.

Ahn was careful not to pin down an exact number. "We usually see it as around 80 to 120, but it is considerably limited to state an exact number," he told a parliamentary committee, according to Reuters. He later clarified that these figures come from estimates by private research organizations, not official military intelligence. When asked about Trump's 57 figure, Ahn simply said, "The numbers appear somewhat different."

This isn't just a numbers game, though. South Korea has long held a policy of pursuing North Korea's denuclearization and does not formally recognize Pyongyang as a legitimate nuclear-weapon state. Ahn reaffirmed that stance, saying, "We cannot officially acknowledge that." He also reiterated Seoul's commitment to its non-nuclear policy and its reliance on the U.S. nuclear umbrella.

Trump Signals Fresh Kim Jong Un Talks

The revelation comes amid a flurry of developments in U.S.-North Korea relations. Earlier this month, Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea, citing their cost and his relationship with Kim. He also claimed that Kim responded to his request for talks, a move aimed at reducing tensions. On Wednesday, Trump went further, saying he expects to meet Kim later this year.

But Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, disputed Trump's claim that the leaders had recently communicated. Still, she maintained that the Trump-Kim relationship "is still excellent."

So, we have a classic diplomatic standoff: Trump says 57, Seoul says 80-120, and the Kim family says, "We're not talking, but we're still friends." It's a confusing picture, but one thing is clear: the numbers don't add up, and the stakes are high.