Defense Minister Suh Wook said North Korea's recently tested new submarine-launched ballistic missile(SLBM) is believed to be in its primary stage of development, with further analysis under way.

When asked about the timing of its deployment during a parliamentary audit session on Thursday, Suh said the SLBM would still need to be integrated with a submarine as a launch platform.

The minister said the platform and its stable operation following a launch would have to be further analyzed. He added that the North's SLBM could likely be intercepted.

Asked to compare the North's SLBM to that of South Korea, Agency for Defense Development(ADD) President Park Jong-seung said considering the need to integrate the missile with its platform, he believes there's a gap of at least five years.

As for the North's recent tests of a hypersonic missile and SLBM violating UN Security Council resolutions, Suh said they are a threat, not a provocation, since they don't directly inflict damage on the South Korean people.