North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his aides watch the country's new submarine under construction, according to the state's Korean Central Television, July 23. Yonhap

A newly constructed North Korean submarine seems to be capable of carrying three submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), South Korea's defense ministry was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

The defense ministry determined that the North's submarine is ready to be deployed soon, Rep. Lee Hye-hoon, the chief of the parliamentary intelligence committee, told reporters after the ministry's closed-door briefing.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a new submarine, which the deployment of which he says is "near at hand," according to reports last week by North Korean media.

The ministry said the North's sub appears to be slightly larger than a 2,500-ton Gorae-class submarine.

The ministry added that North Korea fired two missiles on May 4, revising its earlier report of the North launching one missile. (Yonhap)