VOA常速英语2008年-North Korea Warns South Korean President of 'Ca

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
01 April 2008

North Korea has singled out South Korea's president for harsh criticism, for the first time since he took office. Meanwhile, the chief American envoy¹ to talks aimed ending North Korea's nuclear weapons is in Seoul, warning time is "running out" for the North to fulfill² its diplomatic promises. VOA Seoul correspondent Kurt Achin reports.

North Korean media has lashed³ out against South Korean conservatives on a number of previous occasions - but Tuesday's commentary is the first time Pyongyang has singled out President Lee Myung-bak, by name, referring to him as "a traitor⁴."

A North Korean announcer says what he calls Lee Myung-bak's sycophantic⁵ approach to the United States and confrontational⁶ approach to North Korea are entirely⁷ to blame for the current stall in North-South relations. She says the Lee Myung-bak administration must accept full responsibility for the situation.

President Lee was inaugurated in February. He has introduced a much firmer policy line towards North Korea than his two predecessors⁸. He says North-South relations - including economic cooperation and transfers of humanitarian⁹ aid - will be preconditioned on North Korea's cooperation in ending its nuclear weapons programs. A Tuesday editorial in North Korea's Rodong Shinmun warns of what it calls "irrevocable catastrophic consequences" for Mr. Lee's policies.

Pyongyang is now four months late in producing a declaration of its nuclear stockpiles and activities which it promised by the end of 2007. The delay has created a serious roadblock for negotiations¹⁰ between the North and China, Russia, Japan, the United States and South Korea.

The chief American delegate to those talks, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, arrived in Seoul. He warns the delay cannot go on indefinitely.

"I hope we can figure out a way to get through this, but, obviously, we are kind of running out of time right now," said Hill.

The main sticking points of the stalled declaration are U.S. accusations¹¹ the North pursued a secret uranium-based weapons program and suspicions Pyongyang may have helped Syria build a nuclear facility. The North has denied both allegations.

South Korean officials have kept quiet about Tuesday's media criticism from the North, which comes just days after North Korean media threatened to turn South Korea to a "sea of ashes." U.S. envoy Hill describes that editorial as "completely inappropriate and out of line."

1 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。

2 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

3 lashed   

adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。
• The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 traitor   

n.叛徒，卖国贼

参考例句：

• The traitor was finally found out and put in prison.那个卖国贼终于被人发现并被监禁了起来。
• He was sold out by a traitor and arrested.他被叛徒出卖而被捕了。

5 sycophantic   

adj.阿谀奉承的

参考例句：

• Qinhui was a notorious sycophantic official in the Song dynasty,and was spurned by later generations.秦桧是宋代著名的佞臣，受尽后人的唾骂。
• We heard the sound of sycophantic laughter.我们听到了谄媚的笑声。

6 confrontational   

adj.挑衅的；对抗的

参考例句：

• Fans love rappers partly because they strike such a confrontational pose. 乐迷热爱这些饶舌艺人一定程度上是因为他们所采取的那种战斗姿态。 来自互联网
• You prefer a non confrontational approach when it comes to resolving disputes. 面对争端，你不喜欢采用对抗性的手段来解决。 来自互联网

7 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

8 predecessors   

n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

10 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。

11 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。