SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's defense white paper estimated the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) may hold 50 kg of plutonium, which can produce 10 nuclear warheads based on its technology.
The DPRK's plutonium holdings increased by 10 kg in the past two years to 50 kg, Seoul's defense ministry said in its biennial defense white paper released on Wednesday.
The white paper said Pyongyang secured the plutonium by reprocessing spent nuclear fuel rods several times and that its highly-enriched uranium (HEU) program has advanced to a significant level.
The defense ministry first unveiled the white paper in 1967, and has since published the defense report every two years to explain security situations on the Korean Peninsula and its defense policy, according to the press release.
Some of local media outlets speculated that the 10-kg increase in the DPRK-owned plutonium might have been exaggerated given that Pyongyang conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests in January and September. A nuclear test is known to cost the DPRK four kg of plutonium.
Top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un said in his new year speech that his country entered a final stage in preparations to test-launch a long-range ballistic rocket. The January nuclear detonation was followed by the launch of a long-range rocket.
The DPRK's regular forces were estimated little changed at about 1.28 million, including 1.1 million army troops, 110,000 air force soldiers, 60,000 navy forces and the new group of 10,000 strategic forces, which were believed to be launched to increase nuclear and missile capabilities.
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