VOA常速英语2007年-South Korea's Presidential Campaign Nears End

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
18 December 2007

South Koreans are just hours away from heading to the polls to elect a president. It is not the most suspenseful¹ of votes - the conservative front-runner has been assumed to be the easy winner for weeks. However, last-minute accusations² of alleged³ corruption⁴ on the front-runner's part have added some drama to the campaign - and possibly, to the aftermath. VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul.

"Fighting!" chanted former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak and his advisors⁵ at a press conference on Tuesday. The borrowed English word is popular among South Koreans as a way to root for favorite sports teams - or, in this case, political candidates.

But for Lee, the nominee⁶ of the conservative Grand National Party, fighting may no longer be necessary in order to become South Korea's next president. With his recent polling numbers hovering⁷ at about 50 percent, he is seen by most experts and average Koreans as a shoo-in (a sure thing).

On Tuesday, Lee asked voters not just to hand him victory, but a decisive mandate⁸.

He asks voters to "back him up," and give him more than half the vote.

Lee says he needs that kind of mandate to get the country's economy moving again. The former Seoul mayor and business executive has garnered⁹ popular support by promising¹⁰ lower taxes, more jobs, and a large boost in economic growth.

Lee's two main rivals are trying to focus the voters' attention on the corruption allegations against him.

Prosecutors¹¹ last week cleared Lee of charges that he profited through stock price manipulation using a U.S. business venture called BBK.

However, parliament on Monday approved an independent counsel to investigate the allegation further. That was a day after a videotape surfaced in which Lee describes himself as BBK's founder¹² - contradicting weeks of denials that he had anything to do with the company.

Chung Dong-young, the United New Democrat¹³ Party candidate who is predicted to be a distant second in Wednesday's vote, calls Lee a liar¹⁴.

He says electing Lee as the country's leader would dishonor modern South Korea's 60 years of history.

Lee Hoi-chang, the conservative independent who holds third place in the final polls, says Lee Myung-bak has dragged his own party down.

He says Lee Myung-bak has dishonored the Grand National Party and changed South Korea into a haven¹⁵ of special investigations¹⁷. Lee Hoi-chang broke away from the Grand National Party as a response to frontrunner Lee's alleged corruption.

Few South Koreans believe the investigation¹⁶ will deprive Lee of a decisive victory on Wednesday. Legal experts, however, say it could take the country into uncharted waters after election day.

They note that South Korean presidents are immune from criminal prosecution¹⁸, but the law is much less clear for presidents-elect. If the independent counsel finds enough evidence to indict¹⁹ Lee before the presidential inauguration²⁰ scheduled for February 25, he may yet face charges.

1 suspenseful   

adj.悬疑的，令人紧张的

参考例句：

• If his experiences then had been carefully recorded, it would undoubtedly have made a suspenseful and moving book. 若是把他所经历的事实记录下来，那就是一部充满着大智大勇，惊心动魄的小说。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Lily is an atmospheric and suspenseful tale of love, loss and obsession. 这是一个关于爱情、失落与迷恋的故事，充满情调与悬疑色彩。 来自互联网

2 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

3 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

4 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

5 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

6 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

7 hovering   

鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫

参考例句：

• The helicopter was hovering about 100 metres above the pad. 直升机在离发射台一百米的上空盘旋。
• I'm hovering between the concert and the play tonight. 我犹豫不决今晚是听音乐会还是看戏。

8 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

9 garnered   

v.收集并（通常）贮藏（某物），取得，获得( garner的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Mr. Smith gradually garnered a national reputation as a financial expert. 史密斯先生逐渐赢得全国金融专家的声誉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals. 他的提议得到了广泛的支持。 来自辞典例句

10 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

11 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

12 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

13 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

14 liar   

n.说谎的人

参考例句：

• I know you for a thief and a liar!我算认识你了，一个又偷又骗的家伙！
• She was wrongly labelled a liar.她被错误地扣上说谎者的帽子。

15 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

16 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

17 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

18 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

19 indict   

v.起诉，控告，指控

参考例句：

• You can't indict whole people for the crudeness of a few.您不能因少数人的粗暴行为就控诉整个民族。
• I can indict you for abducting high school student.我可以告你诱拐中学生。

20 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。