Yonhap News Summary

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday.

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(3rd LD) NSC condemns N. Korea's IRBM launch, vows to seek stronger sanctions

SEOUL -- The office of President Yoon Suk-yeol strongly condemned North Korea's firing of an intermediate-range ballistic missile Tuesday, vowing to hold Pyongyang accountable with stronger sanctions and other consequences.

The launch, which marked the fifth missile test in just over a week, represented one of the gravest provocations the North has undertaken in years as the missile flew about 4,500 kilometers over Japan before crashing into the Pacific Ocean.

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(LEAD) N. Korea unresponsive to regular contact via inter-Korean liaison line: ministry

SEOUL -- North Korea was not responding to daily contact via an inter-Korean liaison line Tuesday, South Korea's unification ministry said, hours after Pyongyang fired an intermediate range ballistic missile into the Pacific.

"The North had not answered an opening call through an inter-Korean liaison communication line as of 9 a.m., while the military hotline was in normal operation," a ministry official said, adding the government is trying to find out the reason amid the possibility of a technical problem.

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N. Korea preparing for new ICBM, SLBM tests: Seoul ministry

SEOUL -- North Korea has been preparing for test launches to master technologies for new liquid-fuel intercontinental and submarine-launched ballistic missiles while remaining ready for a nuclear test, South Korea's defense ministry said Tuesday.

The ministry made the assessment in a policy report to a parliamentary audit that kicked off just hours after North Korea fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) over Japan in its first launch of an IRBM in eight months.

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Top S. Korean, U.S., Japanese diplomats condemn N.K. missile launch in phone talks

SEOUL -- The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan strongly condemned North Korea's latest launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) in back-to-back phone talks, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Park Jin and his U.S. counterpart, Antony Blinken, shared the view that the launch of the IRBM is a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and a "grave provocation" that poses serious threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the international community.

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Inspection of official slain by N. Korea in 2020 to be referred to prosecutors

SEOUL -- The state auditor looking into the killing of a South Korean fisheries official by North Korea near the western sea border in 2020 will wrap up the probe and refer those who were responsible for the case to prosecutors this month, officials at the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) said Tuesday.

The killing of the fisheries official has become a political hot potato since the government of President Yoon Suk-yeol in June found no evidence that the official intended to defect to the North at the time of his death, reversing an assessment of its predecessor.

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Parliament adopts confirmation hearing report for health minister nominee

SEOUL -- The National Assembly on Tuesday adopted a confirmation hearing report on Health Minister nominee Cho Kyoo-hong after two previous nominees withdrew their nominations over allegations of various irregularities.

The parliamentary committee on health and welfare unanimously approved Cho's nomination following last week's hearing, saying he is qualified to lead the Ministry of Health and Welfare considering his policy vision and motivation.

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Gov't, ruling party to push for replacement of gender ministry with lower-level agency: sources

SEOUL -- The government and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) are considering abolishing the gender ministry and establishing a lower-level agency handling gender and family policies under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, sources said Tuesday.

The decision will likely be included in an upcoming government reorganization plan, the sources said.

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Hyundai's Sept. sales rise 24 pct despite chip shortage

SEOUL -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's biggest carmaker, said Tuesday its sales rose 24 percent in September from a year earlier amid an extended chip shortage.

Hyundai sold a total of 355,040 vehicles in September, up from 285,438 units a year earlier on steady sales of high-end models, the company said in a statement.

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Kia's Sept. sales rise 11 pct despite chip shortage

SEOUL -- Kia Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, said Tuesday its sales rose 11 percent last month from a year earlier despite an extended chip shortage.

Kia sold a total of 249,146 vehicles in September, up from 224,357 units a year ago on robust overseas demand for its SUV models, the company said in a statement.

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(LEAD) Seoul shares rebound from 2-year low on tech gains

SEOUL -- South Korean stocks made a strong rebound Tuesday from more than a two-year low as investors picked up battered tech shares following solid gains on Wall Street.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 53.89 points, or 2.5 percent, to end at 2,209.38.

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