VOA常速英语2007-Leaders of North, South Korea Decide Against Ext

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
03 October 2007

South Korean officials say a summit between the leaders of North and South Korea will wrap up as scheduled, despite an extension offer by the North Korean leader. It remains¹ unclear whether the two made any concrete gains toward their goal of peace. VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul, where international journalists are monitoring the summit in the North.

South Korean officials say President Roh Moo-hyun will head back home to Seoul as planned Thursday from his meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

The two leaders are expected to conclude their three-day summit Thursday with a joint² statement, despite a proposition by Kim Jong Il to have the South's president stay a bit longer.

Kim Jong Il invited Mr. Roh to engage in an additional day of summit talks.

Mr. Kim later was quoted as saying the extra day of talks would be unnecessary. It is not yet clear whether the North Korean leader withdrew the extension offer on his own, or if the South's president declined the invitation.

President Roh arrived Tuesday in Pyongyang for the first inter-Korean summit in seven years. The two countries remain technically³ at war, 57 years after the North invaded the South. Mr. Roh says he wants to replace the 1953 armistice⁴ that ended fighting with a more permanent peace agreement.

Cameras captured several exchanges between the two leaders as they met Wednesday. Sound quality was poor, because microphones were kept at a distance. But the world did get a rare glimpse of the North's reclusive leader.

When Mr. Roh thanked Kim Jong Il for greeting him personally upon his arrival in Pyongyang, Mr. Kim offered a rare comment on his physical health.

Kim Jong Il jokes, "I am not a sick patient, and I do not need to be loafing around the house all day." South Korean media have speculated that Mr. Kim is in poor health.

A separate exchange following Mr. Kim's offer of a summit extension illustrated⁵ a difference in the two countries' political systems.

President Roh says he has to check with his advisors⁶ about the North Korean leader's proposal. Mr. Kim responds, "Cannot the president decide that on his own?"

Absolute political power rests in Kim Jong Il's hands in the North Korean system.

President Roh presented Mr. Kim with several dozen South Korean movie DVDs - a gift political analysts⁷ say is ironic⁸, because North Korean citizens are prohibited from viewing such materials.

For the past five years, President Roh has sought to engage the North with a policy of maximum generosity⁹ and minimal¹⁰ public criticism. Critics say hundreds-of-millions of dollars in South Korean aid and investment in North Korea have produced little in return, and failed to prevent the North from testing a nuclear weapon last year.

At a lunch to thank his South Korean entourage, Mr. Roh hinted at frustration¹¹ during some of this week's meetings.

He says whenever he tries to talk about opening up and reforming North Korea, Kim Jong Il and other senior leaders have demonstrated distrust.

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 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。

3 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

4 armistice   

n.休战，停战协定

参考例句：

• The two nations signed an armistice.两国签署了停火协议。
• The Italian armistice is nothing but a clumsy trap.意大利的停战不过是一个笨拙的陷阱。

5 illustrated   

adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• His lecture was illustrated with slides taken during the expedition. 他在讲演中使用了探险时拍摄到的幻灯片。
• The manufacturing Methods: Will be illustrated in the next chapter. 制作方法将在下一章说明。

6 advisors   

n.顾问，劝告者( advisor的名词复数 )；（指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• The governors felt that they were being strung along by their advisors. 地方长官感到他们一直在受顾问们的愚弄。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• We will consult together with advisors about her education. 我们将一起和专家商议她的教育事宜。 来自互联网

7 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

8 ironic   

adj.讽刺的，有讽刺意味的，出乎意料的

参考例句：

• That is a summary and ironic end.那是一个具有概括性和讽刺意味的结局。
• People used to call me Mr Popularity at high school,but they were being ironic.人们中学时常把我称作“万人迷先生”，但他们是在挖苦我。

9 generosity   

n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为

参考例句：

• We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
• We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。

10 minimal   

adj.尽可能少的，最小的

参考例句：

• They referred to this kind of art as minimal art.他们把这种艺术叫微型艺术。
• I stayed with friends, so my expenses were minimal.我住在朋友家，所以我的花费很小。

11 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。