Chinese experts say N. Korea possesses up to 20 nuclear warheads

Nuclear experts of China, a close ally to North Korea, estimate that North Korea could already possess up to 20 nuclear warheads, perplexing the United States, whose nuclear specialists had put the total between 10 and 16.

According to the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Siegfried Hecker, a Stanford University professor, attended a closed-door meeting at the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing in February and heard a Chinese presenter reporting that the North possessed 20 nuclear warheads as of the end of 2014.

The Chinese expert predicted that given the North`s larger-then-expected uranium enrichment facility, the North would possess 40 nuclear warheads by 2016 and produce more than 75 by 2020.

The Journal quoted Hecker as saying that Chinese experts believed the North was capable of manufacturing 8 to 10 nuclear warheads using highly enriched uranium. Since Hecker returned from an inspection in 2010 of the North`s centrifuge facilities for uranium enrichment, he has disclosed that the North is continuing its nuclear development.

Chinese experts believe that the North`s uranium enrichment capabilities are larger than they expected in the past, Hecker was quoted as saying.

The Journal reported that China`s greater estimation of the number of the North`s nuclear warheads than those of the West showed Beijing`s growing concerns over Pyongyang`s nuclear program. China had underestimated the North`s nuclear capabilities. However, the Journal said, Beijing`s estimation of Pyongyang`s nuclear capabilities has been greater than that of Washington since 2013, when Chinese President Xi Jinping came to power.

After Ed Royce, chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, visited Beijing recently, he also said he was surprised to see Chinese officials very concerned about the North`s nuclear capabilities.

The U.S. also has growing concerns over the North`s nuclear warheads. Adm. William Gortney, commander of the U.S. Northern Command, recently said that North Korea had operationally deployed the KN-08 intercontinental ballistic missile and made nuclear warheads small enough to be carried by the missiles. With a range of 5,600 kilometers, the KN-08 is said to be capable of reaching the U.S. west coast.

bonhong@donga.com