2007年VOA标准英语-South, North Korean Leaders to Hold Summit

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
08 August 2007

South Korea have surprised much of the world by announcing their leaders will meet later this month. It will be only the second top-level meeting in the two countries' history; the first meeting dramatically shifted inter-Korean relations seven years ago. VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul.

South Korean men watch a television screen with pictures of South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun (R) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il (L), 08 Aug 2007

North Korean broadcasters confirmed Wednesday the summit would be held.

A North Korean announcer says South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun will visit Pyongyang from August 28 to 30 for meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. She says the meeting will provide a window to improving North-South relations.

That sentiment was echoed here in Seoul, where senior presidential Cabinet secretary Baek Jong-chun announced the summit.

Baek says the summit reflects North and South Korea's decision to "upgrade" their relationship.

The only other summit happened seven years ago, when the North's Kim met with then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung.

The countries remain technically¹ at war. An armistice² halted fighting three years after North Korea invaded the South in 1950. Their border has been for decades one of the world's most dangerous flashpoints and earlier this week, troops from both sides exchanged gunfire.

The 2000 summit, however, dramatically softened³ perceptions in South Korea of the North as a threat. In the years since, South Korea has poured billions of dollars into joint⁴ ventures and aid projects for the impoverished⁵ North.

However, North Korea's pursuit of a nuclear arsenal⁶ remains⁷ one of the region's most serious security challenges. For three years, South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia have been trying to persuade Pyongyang to end its nuclear programs in exchange for diplomatic and financial incentives⁸.

Officials from the U.S., Japan and China, as well as the United Nations secretary- general have expressed hope the coming summit will further nuclear disarmament and improve relations on the Korean peninsula.

Last month, the nuclear talks took a significant step forward when North Korea shut down its main nuclear reactor⁹.

Lee Ki-tak, professor of political science at Seoul's Yonsei University, says the summit could boost the nuclear talks. He also says there is a political dimension to the timing¹⁰ of the announcement.

Lee points out the summit announcement comes six months before South Korea's presidential election. He says that Pyongyang is "shocked" by the unpopularity of candidates who, like Mr. Roh, support a more generous policy of dealing¹¹ with North Korea.

Mr. Roh is constitutionally prevented from running again. Members of South Korea's Grand National Party, the main opposition¹², accused the president Wednesday of accelerating summit plans for political purposes.

Other politicians and experts on North Korea have warned that the summit may yield little real improvement in relations between the two countries. Some critics of Mr. Roh also expressed concern he might offer North Korea benefits that could impede¹³ the nuclear talks or that Pyongyang will offer little in return.

Since North Korea tested a nuclear weapon last year, many South Koreans have complained that their government has given Pyongyang billions of dollars but has gotten nothing in return.

1 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。

2 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。

3 softened   

（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
• The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。

4 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。

5 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》

6 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

7 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。

8 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

9 reactor   

n.反应器；反应堆

参考例句：

• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

10 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。

11 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

12 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

13 impede   

v.妨碍，阻碍，阻止

参考例句：

• One shouldn't impede other's progress.一个人不应该妨碍他人进步。
• The muddy roads impede our journey.我们的旅游被泥泞的道路阻挠了。