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Amid stalled denuclearization talks with the U.S., North Korea has carried out major weapons tests since 2019 but has stopped short of launching ICBMs, which are deemed a red line for U.S. President Donald Trump.
Asked about a new submarine that North Korea is building, the minister said that Pyongyang seems "quite close" to securing technologies to launch SLBMs from the vessel, though it is hard to tell if it completed the construction of the new submarine.
The new asset is believed to be a 3,000-ton class submarine and may be capable of carrying three SLBMs.
The assessment came amid a surge in cross-border tensions after North Korea blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in its border town of Kaesong last week in anger over anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent across the border by activists here.
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The North has since threatened to send troops to disarmed border regions and abolish an inter-Korean tension-reduction deal signed in 2018.
"We've kept close tabs on North Korea's moves round-the-clock and maintain a firm readiness posture. If the North carries out any provocative acts, we will take countermeasures immediately," Jeong told lawmakers.
South Korea has been employing a full range of surveillance assets, but it has no plan as of now to raise the military watch condition, he added.
South Korea and the U.S. have also boosted their joint monitoring and intel-sharing in light of the North's threats and will carry out their combined exercises this year at a level similar to last year's, according to the ministry.
