VOA常速英语2007年-North, South Korean Prime Ministers Meet to Exp

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
14 November 2007

The prime ministers of North and South Korea are trying to push forward what their presidents set in motion at last month's summit. On the opening day of talks in Seoul, the two leaders vowed¹ to start implementing³ an agreement to boost already strong South Korean aid and investment in the impoverished⁴ North. VOA's Kurt Achin has more from Seoul.

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo welcomed his North Korean counterpart Kim Yong Il to a Seoul hotel for the first of three days of planned meetings. The North's Kim said he thought the talks would "go very well."

It is the first time the two countries have met on the prime minister level in 15 years. The two Koreas remain technically⁵ at war 57 years after the North invaded the South, with fighting stopped by a 1953 armistice⁶.

Prime ministers have mainly ceremonial duties in both North and South Korea. But this week's talks are considered an important first step in implementing last month's inter-Korean summit agreement. South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il pledged to increase cooperation and efforts to establish a permanent peace on the Korean peninsula.

Briefing reporters on the first day of meetings, South Korean Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung said North Korea came ready to talk about specifics.

Lee says North Korea's Kim came with "a clear determination on how to proceed" on several of the issues.

Experts say one of the North's top priorities will be to implement² the summit agreement's promise to establish a joint⁷ maritime⁸ economic zone in disputed waters west of the Korean peninsula. The two Koreas have fought several deadly naval⁹ clashes in the area, where North Korea refuses to acknowledge a border declared by the United Nations in 1953.

Details on the zone are unlikely to emerge until North and South Korean defense¹⁰ ministers meet later this month.

The two Korean prime ministers are also discussing a potential upgrade of North Korea's dilapidated infrastructure¹¹, including roads, railways, and shipping¹² facilities.

Experts say the projects could cost South Korea hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars in public funds. Authorities in Seoul argue the money is well spent, because it will close the enormous gap in economic prosperity between North and South, making eventual¹³ unification easier.

This week's talks are unlikely to address North Korea's nuclear-weapons capabilities¹⁴. Both Koreas are expected to join China, Russia, Japan, and the United States for another round of talks on the nuclear issue later this month or early next month.

1 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

2 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

3 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

4 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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。

6 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。

7 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。

8 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

9 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

10 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。

11 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

12 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

13 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

14 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓