韩国朝鲜举行高级别对话

 　　SEOUL—North and South Korean officials met into the early hours of Sunday in an urgent bid to avert¹ war on the peninsula before adjourning³ their marathon talks until Sunday afternoon.

　　The high-level meeting began Saturday at the Panmunjom truce⁴ village despite a deadline set by Pyongyang, which had threatened military action unless Seoul ended propaganda broadcasts into the communist north and removed banks of loudspeakers it has installed along the border.

　　The deadline passed without incident - and without the loudspeakers' removal - and the talks began 90 minutes later, at 6 p.m. (local time). Long after midnight, there was no word from either North or South Korea about whether the negotiations⁵ were making any progress, or how long they would continue.

　　Koreas Adjourn² Emergency Peace Talks

　　In Washington, White House officials said President Barack Obama has been kept up-to-date on the situation in the Korean Peninsula. "As the State Department has said," a spokesman commented, "we remain steadfast⁶ in our commitment to our alliance with South Korea, with whom we will continue to coordinate⁷ closely."

　　Even without concrete results, analysts⁸ say the marathon session has delayed any further military activity and given the two Koreas added time to look for a peaceful end to the current crisis.

　　South Korean President Park Geun-hye's National Security Adviser⁹ Kim Kwan-jin and Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo met with their North Korean counterparts at Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone, or DMZ, separating the two countries.

　　North Korea’s representatives are Hwang Pyong So, a top official in the Korean People’s Army who is considered to be the country's second most powerful figure after leader Kim Jong Un, and Kim Kyou Hyun, who is in charge of inter-Korean relations for the North.

　　South Korea’s Foreign Ministry¹⁰ has said it will not end its cross-border audio broadcasts into the North until Pyongyang takes responsibility for recent attacks, punishes those responsible and takes action to prevent further provocations¹².

　　Military stand-off

　　Despite the high level dialogue, the potential for escalation¹³ or miscalculation remains¹⁴, since both sides are in a state of maximum defense¹⁵ preparedness, ready for the possibility of a major military confrontation¹⁶.

　　A landmine¹⁷ explosion in the DMZ that wounded two South Korean soldiers on August 4 triggered the current crisis. Seoul accused Pyongyang of planting the explosive devices and restarted cross-border broadcasts denouncing North Korea for the first time in over 10 years.

　　On Thursday the North attacked a loudspeaker tower in the DMZ with artillery¹⁸ shells, and the South responded with multiple rounds of artillery fire. No damages or casualties were reported, and the North has disclaimed¹⁹ any involvement in either incident.

　　However, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un subsequently increased his nation’s military readiness, declared frontline areas to be in a "quasi-state of war," and set a 48-hour deadline for military action unless South Korea capitulated to the North's demands. "Our military and people are prepared to risk an all-out war, North Korea's Foreign Ministry announced Saturday, "not just to simply respond or retaliate²⁰, but to defend the system our people chose."

　　President Park Geun-hye met with her National Security Council and also increased South Korea’s defense posture²¹. "We are closely monitoring the situation," presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook said Saturday. "We are ready to strongly respond to any North Korean provocations."

　　The two countries have technically²² been at war since their 1950s conflict, which never officially ended in a peace treaty.

　　No backing down

　　South Korea’s defense ministry said Saturday its policy is to respond proportionally to any North Korean provocation¹¹ so as to demonstrate resolve and deterrence²³ without escalating²⁴ the conflict.

　　Seoul has 11 loudspeaker towers stationed across the long inter-Korean border. They operate for about 10 hours a day, broadcasting what the South Korean Defense Ministry says is not anti-Pyongyang propaganda, but a mix of fact-based news about the Korean peninsula and the world, weather and popular music.

　　In another gesture underscoring the current level of tensions eight South Korean and American fighter jets conducted simulated bombing runs Saturday over South Korean territory as a "show of force" against Pyongyang's threats.

　　Earlier Saturday, North Korea deployed²⁵ additional weapons near the flashpoint border in preparation for a possible strike, according to the Yonhap news agency.

　　U.S. defense officials say annual drills by American and South Korean military forces were halted temporarily Thursday after the exchange of artillery fire but have since resumed.

　　Dangerous game

　　Saturday’s emergency meeting was the first high-level inter-Korean dialogue since February of 2014. An emergency meeting in response to a forced crisis underlines a pattern of diplomatic behavior employed by past North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and his son Kim Jong Il, who often used provocations and threats to try to extract concessions²⁶ and aid.

　　During this crisis there has been concern that the young and inexperienced Kim Jong Un would not have the diplomatic skills to engage in such a game of brinksmanship, or a sufficiently²⁷ firm hold on power to be able to compromise when necessary.

　　Seoul has also been less willing to offer concessions to Pyongyang under President Park, and its military has been under orders to respond with force, ever since a North Korean artillery attack in 2010 caught the South by surprise and killed four people.

　　The United Nations, the United States and even the North's key ally, China, have called for calm to reduce the high tensions and potential for further conflict.

1 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

2 adjourn   

v.（使）休会，（使）休庭

参考例句：

• The motion to adjourn was carried.休会的提议通过了。
• I am afraid the court may not adjourn until three or even later.我担心法庭要到3点或更晚时才会休庭。

3 adjourning   

（使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Before adjourning, councillors must stop procrastinating and revisit this controversial issue. 在休会之前，参议员必须停止拖延，重新讨论这个引起争议的问题。
• They decided upon adjourning the session. 他们决定休会。

4 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

5 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。

6 steadfast   

adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的

参考例句：

• Her steadfast belief never left her for one moment.她坚定的信仰从未动摇过。
• He succeeded in his studies by dint of steadfast application.由于坚持不懈的努力他获得了学业上的成功。

7 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

8 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。

9 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

10 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。

11 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。

12 provocations   

n.挑衅( provocation的名词复数 )；激怒；刺激；愤怒的原因

参考例句：

• We cannot ignore such provocations. 对于这种挑衅，我们不能置之不理。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• They must immediately cease all their provocations. 他们必须停止一切挑衅。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

13 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

14 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。

15 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。

16 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

17 landmine   

n.地雷

参考例句：

• A landmine is a kind of weapon used in war.地雷是一种运用于战争的武器。
• The treaty bans the use,production and trade of landmine.那条约禁止使用生产和交易雷。

18 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

19 disclaimed   

v.否认( disclaim的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She disclaimed any knowledge of her husband's whereabouts. 她否认知道丈夫的下落。
• He disclaimed any interest in the plan. 他否认对该计划有任何兴趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 retaliate   

v.报复，反击

参考例句：

• He sought every opportunity to retaliate against his enemy.他找机会向他的敌人反击。
• It is strictly forbidden to retaliate against the quality inspectors.严禁对质量检验人员进行打击报复。

21 posture   

n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势

参考例句：

• The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。
• He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣，摆出一副打架的架势。

22 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。

23 deterrence   

威慑，制止； 制止物，制止因素； 挽留的事物； 核威慑

参考例句：

• An extreme school of "disarmers" pronounced stable deterrence was a dangerous deception. “裁军论者”中的极端派声称，稳定的威摄是一种危险的骗局。
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。

24 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

25 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

26 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

27 sufficiently   

adv.足够地，充分地

参考例句：

• It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
• The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。