韩国联合通讯社:朝鲜准备试射远程导弹

AS IT IS 2015-07-23 Yonhap: North Korea Prepares to Test Long-Range Missiles 韩国联合通讯社:朝鲜准备试射远程导弹

The Yonhap news agency says North Korea has set up a launch pad equipped to fire long-range ballistic missiles larger than those used in earlier tests. Yonhap said the launch pad is close to North Korea’s border with China. The structure was said to be 50-meters tall. But it reportedly has been extended to a height of 67-meters.

The launch pad is now said to have the ability to launch a rocket double the size of the 30-meter tall Unha-3 rocket. North Korea used an Unha-3 rocket to send a satellite into space in December 2012. However, United States officials said the satellite went out of control while in Earth orbit.

Observers said the launch pad appeared to be a step toward development of an intercontinental-range missile -- one designed to hit a distant target.

Yonhap said a government official in Seoul provided the information used in its report. The South Korean news agency said the launch pad could be used to fire a long-range missile sometime around October 10th. That is the day when North Korea will mark the 70th anniversary of its Communist Party.

Earlier this week, North Korea said it has no interest in negotiations¹ that would result in the government giving up its nuclear program.

A foreign ministry² statement said it was “illogical” to compare Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers to the situation in North Korea. The statement went on to say North Korea is “always subjected to provocative³ U.S. military hostilities⁴, including massive joint⁵ military exercises and a grave nuclear threat.”

The Iranian nuclear agreement will limit the country’s nuclear activities in exchange for an end to economic restrictions⁶ on Iran. After the agreement was announced, U.S. Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman called on North Korea to learn from the deal.

“The one thing I will say, and I would say to the North Koreans is that this agreement demonstrates that one can come out of isolation⁷, … and do so in a peaceful way,” she said. “It perhaps might give North Korea second thoughts about the very dangerous path that is currently pursuing.”

North Korea said on Tuesday that it has no interest in any communications to discuss suspending or disarming⁸ its nuclear program. The North instead said that it is a “nuclear weapons state.”

Words in This Story

pad – n. an area use for rocket launches or helicopter take-offs

long-range – adj. able to travel great distances

ballistic missile - n. a weapon capable of travelling through the sky over a distance to hit targets

intercontinental - adj. having the ability to travel between continents

illogical – adj. lacking clear, sound reasoning

provocative - adj. causing anger or another strong reaction

isolation – n. the act of being separated from others

pursuing – v. seeking; working to possess

1 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

4 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。

5 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

6 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

7 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

8 disarming   

adj.消除敌意的，使人消气的v.裁军( disarm的现在分词 )；使息怒

参考例句：

• He flashed her a disarming smile. 他朝她笑了一下，让她消消气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We will agree to disarming troops and leaving their weapons at military positions. 我们将同意解除军队的武装并把武器留在军事阵地。 来自辞典例句