Yonhap News Summary

Yonhap News Summary

The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday.

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(2nd LD) N. Korea says it tested newly developed hypersonic missile

SEOUL -- North Korea said Wednesday it conducted the first test-launch of a newly developed hypersonic missile a day earlier that has "strategic significance" in bolstering its self-defense capabilities.

The North's Academy of Defence Science test-fired the Hwasong-8 missile from Toyang-ri, Ryongrim County of Jagang Province, and "ascertained the stability of the engine as well as of missile fuel ampoule that has been introduced for the first time," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

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(2nd LD) N.K. convenes Supreme People's Assembly meeting without leader Kim, message toward S. Korea

SEOUL -- North Korea opened a session of its rubber-stamp legislature without leader Kim Jong-un in attendance and dealt with economic and other domestic issues without issuing any message to South Korea or the United States, according to state media Wednesday.

The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) meeting held Tuesday drew attention as it came just days after the sister of leader Kim Jong-un issued a conciliatory message to South Korea, including the prospect of an inter-Korean summit, if Seoul drops its "double standards."

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(LEAD) New cases spike to 2nd largest; infections in greater Seoul top 2,000 again

SEOUL -- South Korea's daily coronavirus cases stayed in the 2,000s for a fourth day Wednesday, bouncing back to the second largest since the outbreak of COVID-19 in January last year on a spike in infections in the greater Seoul area.

The country reported 2,885 new COVID-19 cases, including 2,859 local infections, bringing the total caseload to 308,725, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

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Seoul stocks slump on U.S. stock plunge

SEOUL -- South Korean stocks tumbled nearly 2 percent late Wednesday morning, tracking an overnight plunge on Wall Street amid concerns about spiking bond yields and the U.S. debt ceiling.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) dropped 60.06 points, or 1.94 percent, to 3,037.86 points as of 11:20 a.m.

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U.S. working to confirm nature of N.K. missile launch, condemns any illicit missile launch: official

WASHINGTON -- The United States is still trying to confirm the type of missile launched by North Korea this week, but it condemns any illicit missile launch by the North that poses threats to other countries, a U.S. official said Tuesday.

North Korea earlier said it test fired a new hypersonic missile Tuesday (Seoul time).

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