VOA慢速英语2016--朝鲜与韩国紧张局势加剧

AS IT IS 2016-01-18 Tensions Increase Between North and South Korea 朝鲜与韩国紧张局势加剧

Tensions between North and South Korea have increased sharply since the North’s announcement that it tested a nuclear weapon for the fourth time.

North Korea claimed that it conducted a nuclear test around January 6. That ended a short time of cooperation.

Both sides have avoided direct military actions that could quickly start a war. But each has taken steps to show their military strength.

South Korean officials said an unmanned plane, or drone, crossed into South Korea on Wednesday, across the heavily-guarded border. South Korean forces fired about 20 shots at it, but reportedly did not hit it.

A spokesman for the Joint¹ Chiefs of Staff of the South Korean military said the military warned the drone to leave the area, then fired warning shots. He said it then quickly returned to the northern side of the border.

There have also been reports this week that printed propaganda materials that support North Korea have been dropped in the South Korean capital Seoul and neighboring areas by a large balloon from the North. 

Ahn Chan-il fled the North. He now works as a North Korea expert at the World Institute for North Korean Studies in Seoul. He says there is no worry that the propaganda will affect people living in the South. He noted² that the South has a far larger and more successful economy and is a democracy.

He says “South Koreans have a high-level psychological understanding about North Korea. Even if (North Korean dictator) Kim Jong Un brags⁴ about conducting a fourth nuclear test, South Koreans will not be” angered or influenced.

?Activists⁵ in the South have used balloons to send propaganda against Kim Jong Un to the North. They also have sent DVDs that have South Korean television programs and other news. Such materials are banned in North Korea.

Last year the two sides reached an agreement to end actions that increased tensions. South Korea stopped activists from using balloons to send information to North Korea. And the agreement permitted families that had been separated by the division of the peninsula after World War II to be reunited.

But when the North announced its nuclear test earlier this month, the South restarted its anti-North Korea broadcasts at the border. The border is also called the demilitarized zone, or DMZ.

On Thursday, South Korea’s defense⁶ ministry⁷ said it is preparing to place large signs or electronic billboards⁹ -- similar to those used in sports centers -- in the DMZ. South Korea last used the billboards in 2004. They showed messages such as “Come Over to the Republic of Korea.”  

Diplomats¹⁰ from the United States, Japan and South Korea met in Seoul on Tuesday to talk about working together to develop economic restrictions¹¹, or sanctions, on North Korea. They want the sanctions to punish the North and gain the support of China.

Sung Kim is the United States Special Representative for North Korea policy. He said he hopes Chinese leaders “agree with us that we simply cannot take the business-as-usual approach to this latest provocation¹². We will be working very closely with them to come up with a meaningful resolution.”

China supports North Korea economically. Without Chinese support, any sanctions will have little effect.

Words in This Story

psychological - adj. of or related to the mind

conduct – v. to plan and do (something, such as an activity)

brag³ – v. to talk about yourself, your achievements, your family, etc., in a way that shows too much pride (often + about)

defect – v. to leave a country, political party, organization, etc., and go to a different one that is a competitor or an enemy

billboard⁸ – n. a large sign for advertisements that is next to a road, on the side of a building, in a sports center, etc.

sanctions – n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc. (usually plural)

business-as-usual – expression used to say that something is working or continuing in the normal or usual way

provocation – n. an action or occurrence that causes someone to become angry or to begin to do something

reluctant – adj. feeling or showing doubt about doing something; not willing or eager to do something

1 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。

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

3 brag   

v./n.吹牛，自夸；adj.第一流的

参考例句：

• He made brag of his skill.他夸耀自己技术高明。
• His wealth is his brag.他夸张他的财富。

4 brags   

v.自夸，吹嘘( brag的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He constantly brags about how well he plays football. 他老是吹嘘自己足球踢得多么好。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• \"I don't care to listen to your brags.\" \"我没有兴趣听你吹了！ 来自飘（部分）

5 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

7 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。

8 billboard   

n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌

参考例句：

• He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。
• Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。

9 billboards   

n.广告牌( billboard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Large billboards have disfigured the scenery. 大型告示板已破坏了景色。 来自辞典例句
• Then, put the logo in magazines and on billboards without telling anyone what it means. 接着我们把这个商标刊在杂志和广告看板上，却不跟任何人透漏它的涵意。 来自常春藤生活英语杂志-2006年4月号

10 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 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

12 provocation   

n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因

参考例句：

• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation.他是火爆性子，一点就着。
• They did not react to this provocation.他们对这一挑衅未作反应。