SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) — South Korean President Park Geun-hye ordered her senior secretaries on Monday to draw up realistic countermeasures against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s "nuclear threats."

Park told a meeting with senior presidential advisors that the government and the military should come up with realistic countermeasures for the DPRK's advancing nuclear and missile capabilities and maintain a stern retaliation stance against any possible "DPRK provocations" that can lead to the regime's self-destruction.

Touching on the DPRK's test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) on Aug. 24, Park said the DPRK's nuclear program and missiles is not a simple destabilizing factor but a very serious threat to South Korea's security.

Her comments came amid rising calls among ruling Saenuri Party lawmakers for introducing a nuclear-powered submarine in response to an advance in the DPRK's SLBM technology.

Pyongyang test-fired a ballistic missile from a submarine off its east coast on Aug. 24, just two days after Seoul and Washington kicked off its joint annual war game, codenamed Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG).

The missile flew about 500 km toward Japan, surpassing the flight distance of 300 km which South Korean defense ministry regards as a success.

Park said the DPRK will never give up its push for the miniaturized nuclear warhead, noting that if the miniaturized warhead is mounted on a ballistic missile, it would endanger the survival of South Korea and its people.

The president instructed her secretaries to strengthen pressure and sanctions toward Pyongyang in cooperation with the international community.