2007年VOA标准英语-South Korean Rice Aid Delayed As North Skirts N

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
24 May 2007

South Korean officials say it is unlikely that massive rice shipments will be sent to North Korea by the end of the month, as previously¹ scheduled. The impoverished² North, which badly needs food and basic supplies, has not taken initial steps it promised towards ending its nuclear weapons program. As VOA Seoul correspondent Kurt Achin reports, North Korean officials are using a diplomatic forum³ in the Philippines to warn Pyongyang's disarmament will not come quickly.

South Korean lawmakers formally approved the shipment of 400,000 tons of rice to North Korea last week - but now, South Korean officials say it will probably not cross the border before the end of May.

Although it was never an explicit⁴ part of the agreement in which Seoul promised the rice at last month's high-level inter-Korean talks, South Korean officials have consistently said aid depends on Pyongyang fulfilling a nuclear agreement it made in February.

The North promised to shut down its main nuclear facility in Yongbyon under international inspection⁵ by mid-April. That deadline passed more than a month ago with no action.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill points to a reporter during his press briefing in Hanoi, Vietnam, 24 May 2007

Washington's main envoy⁶ on the nuclear issue, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, said Thursday in Hanoi, Vietnam, that Pyongyang has waited long enough.

"I think it's time for North Korea to pick up the phone and call IAEA and begin this process of shutting down this facility," he said.

Pyongyang has refused to take any action on the nuclear issue for a year and a half in a dispute over $25 million of its funds frozen in a Macau bank by a U.S. Treasury⁷ Department investigation⁸. Washington says the money was derived⁹ from illegal North Korean activities, but has since taken steps to clear the way for its release.

Experts say no international bank wants to jeopardize¹⁰ its dealings with the United States by processing the funds - creating what Hill calls one of the most complex technical challenges of his career.

"We have been working very hard on this banking¹¹ matter. It will be resolved," he said.

Hill is heading to the Philippines later this week for a regional forum that North Korean delegates are also expecting to attend. In a report submitted to the forum, Pyongyang signaled Thursday that resolving the banking issue alone will not end their nuclear programs.

The report calls South Korea, Japan, and the United States the biggest security threats facing Asia. It says Pyongyang will not shut down its nuclear programs unless what it calls the U.S. nuclear threat against the North is removed.

In the decades since North Korea's 1950 invasion of the South, military planners say Pyongyang has amassed¹² hundreds of artillery¹³ and short-range rockets along the two countries' border. Experts estimate those weapons could kill hundreds of thousands of people in the South Korean capital in a matter of hours.

1 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

2 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》

3 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

4 explicit   

adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的

参考例句：

• She was quite explicit about why she left.她对自己离去的原因直言不讳。
• He avoids the explicit answer to us.他避免给我们明确的回答。

5 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

6 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

7 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

8 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。

9 derived   

vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 jeopardize   

vt.危及，损害

参考例句：

• Overworking can jeopardize your health.工作过量可能会危及你的健康。
• If you are rude to the boss it may jeopardize your chances of success.如果你对上司无礼，那就可能断送你成功的机会。

11 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

12 amassed   

v.积累，积聚( amass的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He amassed a fortune from silver mining. 他靠开采银矿积累了一笔财富。
• They have amassed a fortune in just a few years. 他们在几年的时间里就聚集了一笔财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 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。