Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later in the year, revealing that North Korea possesses 57 nuclear weapons. This figure marks the first specific count provided by Trump regarding North Korea's nuclear capabilities.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Trump's remarks came during a press availability at the White House. The announcement follows a report by The Wall Street Journal indicating that Trump is urging his aides to arrange the meeting with Kim, potentially during his next visit to Asia for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, scheduled for November.

In response to Trump's diplomatic efforts, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed respect for the U.S. President's decision to facilitate dialogue with North Korea by reducing the scale of joint military exercises between South Korea and the U.S. Lee made this statement on his X account following the announcement that the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise would be shortened at Trump's direction.

Meanwhile, in financial markets, Seoul shares surged over 6 percent late Thursday morning. The rise was driven by investor interest in major chipmakers like Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, amid expectations for enhanced shareholder returns. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) climbed 401.44 points, reaching 6,872.61 by 11:20 a.m.

Separately, South Korea's Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back provided an estimate of North Korea's nuclear arsenal, suggesting that the country might have between 80 and 120 nuclear weapons. This estimate contrasts with Trump's figure but was not specified further during a parliamentary session.