2006年VOA标准英语-Seoul Keeps Quiet on North Korean Missile

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
09 March 2006

A South Korean man walks by a display of models of North Korea's Scud-B missile, center, and other South Korean missiles at Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul (File photo)   
  
South Korea is not commenting on North Korea's reported launch of two short-range missiles this week. South Korean media reports cite anonymous¹ officials who confirm the launch took place, but say it was part of ordinary drills.

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The South Korean government kept quiet Thursday about media reports of a North Korean missile launch this week.

South Korean media quote unnamed officials as saying North Korea launched two short-range missiles Wednesday morning local time near its border with China. It is not clear if the launch was a test or a mistake.

South Korea - which has a policy of engaging the communist North as a way to better relations - is hesitant to publicly criticize Pyongyang.

But the reports drew a quick response from Washington. U.S. State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said the reported launches are a source of concern.

"North Korea's missile program and activities are a threat, not only to the region, but the international community at large," he said. "We are working with our friends and allies in the region on deployment² of active missile defenses."

North Korea test-fired a long-range missile over Japan in 1998 - alarming the international community. But Pyongyang has not conducted any medium- and long-range missile tests since. North Korea is also believed to be one of the world's largest exporters of missile technology.

In U.S. Senate testimony⁴ this week, the Commander of U.S. Forces in Korea, General Burwell Bell, warned North Korea has 200 mid-range missiles capable of reaching Japan. He said Pyongyang might have long-range missiles capable of reaching the continental⁵ U.S. within the decade.

The timing⁶ or purpose of this week's reported North Korean launch is not clear.

But Kim Tae-woo - an analyst⁷ at Seoul's Korea Institute for Defense³ Analyses - says it was probably just part of regularly scheduled short-range missile drills.

"Even North Koreans themselves will believe that [this] is a minor⁸ thing and nobody will think it serious," said Kim. "If North Korea tested a large-size [long range] missile, that could be interpreted differently."

Kim says he and his colleagues are more concerned about newly emerging reports that North Korea may be selling long-range missile technology to Iran - which is also embroiled⁹ in a dispute with the international community over its nuclear programs.

"That development could be really serious," added Kim. "That could prompt a response from the U.S. If that is true, it is a really serious development."

This week's reported launch comes within 24 hours of Pyongyang's latest announcement that it will not return to multinational¹⁰ talks aimed at ending its nuclear weapons programs. Three years of negotiations¹¹ have not produced any progress on the issue.

North Korea says it has nuclear weapons, but has never conducted a nuclear test. U.S. intelligence officials have expressed doubt Pyongyang has the technology to mount a nuclear device on a missile and fire it accurately¹². However, they fear North Korea may export nuclear and missile materials and technology to nations or groups hostile to the United States.

1 anonymous   

adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的

参考例句：

• Sending anonymous letters is a cowardly act.寄匿名信是懦夫的行为。
• The author wishes to remain anonymous.作者希望姓名不公开。

2 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

3 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。

4 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

5 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

6 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

8 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

9 embroiled   

adj.卷入的；纠缠不清的

参考例句：

• He became embroiled in a dispute with his neighbours. 他与邻居们发生了争执。
• John and Peter were quarrelling, but Mary refused to get embroiled. 约翰和彼得在争吵，但玛丽不愿卷入。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 multinational   

adj.多国的，多种国籍的；n.多国籍公司，跨国公司

参考例句：

• The firm was taken over by a multinational consulting firm.这家公司被一个跨国咨询公司收购。
• He analyzed the relationship between multinational corporations and under-developed countries.他分析了跨国公司和不发达国家之间的关系。

11 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。

12 accurately   

adv.准确地，精确地

参考例句：

• It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
• Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。