South Korea’s new submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is inferior to North Korea’s version and “awakens” Pyongyang to push forward their own development, a top North Korean military official said Monday.

Saying the South’s SLBM appeared to be in the “elementary development stage,” ​​President of the Academy of National Defence Jang Chang Ha accused South Korea of “hastily” promoting the weapon due to sudden “uneasiness in the face of the continued news about missile development by the DPRK,” according to a statement published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).