经济学人221:韩国兵役

 　　Conscripts in South Korea

　　韩国兵役

　　Blood, sweat and tears

　　血，汗，泪

　　A string of egregious¹ abuses fuels fresh calls to reform the army

　　一系列虐待丑闻骇人听闻，掀起了军队改革的新呼声

　　EVERY Sunday, one in five families in South Korea settles down to “Real Men”, a reality television show that thrusts pop stars, comedians² and actors into the country's armed forces. It has proved wildly popular in a country that is still technically³ at war with North Korea and that requires all able-bodied men to complete at least 21 months of military service. Women, who do not serve, say it is a peek⁴ into their sons' and brothers' transition to manhood. What they see is rigorous training, pride and plenty of brotherhood⁵.

　　在韩国，每逢周日，有五分之一的家庭会专心致志地观看电视真人秀《真男人》。这档节目会把明星和演员送进军队。这个国家理论上仍处于与朝鲜的战争状态，需要该国每位身体达标的男子服役21个月，因此这档节目确实广受欢迎。女子不用服役，她们说，这档节目使她们得以一瞥儿子兄弟成长为男子汉的过程。在节目里，她们看到的是严格的训练，荣誉精神，兄弟情谊。

　　Yet the camaraderie⁶ of the show is in stark⁷ contrast to a more bruising⁸ reality for some conscripts. In recent months reports have trickled⁹ out of South Korea's barracks of beatings, humiliation¹⁰ and verbal abuse. News of a young conscript's death surfaced in August. Yoon's alleged¹¹ abusers (his full name has not been divulged) were fellow conscripts who had themselves been abused by a sergeant¹². They are said to have force-fed Yoon toothpaste, rubbed an irritant onto his genitals and made him lick their spit off the ground. After beatings, they revived him with an intravenous drip. Then they beat him again.

　　但节目中表现的战友情谊与某些士兵经历的残酷现实截然相反。近几月来，一些报道揭露了韩国军营中的殴打，羞辱，辱骂现象。八月，一位士兵死亡的新闻浮出水面。被控实施虐待（未透露死亡士兵的全名）的士兵是尹某的战友，他们自己也被军官虐待过。据说他们让尹某吞牙膏，给他的下身擦上刺激性药品，强迫他舔光他们吐在地上的痰。在殴打过后，他们利用静脉注射让他苏醒。然后再次殴打。

　　韩国兵役.jpg

　　The case has shocked South Koreans—as did an incident in 2011 when a badly bullied¹³ conscript went on a shooting rampage, killing¹⁴ four people; and another in 2005 when a soldier killed eight others with a grenade after being tormented¹⁵ by them. That year, an army captain was arrested for forcing 200 conscripts to eat turds as punishment for dirty latrines. Since January around 350 cases of abuse have been put to the National Human Rights Commission, a state outfit¹⁶. Many more, say activists¹⁷, go unreported.

　　此案震惊韩国——轰动性不亚于2011年一位受尽欺辱的士兵疯狂扫射杀死四人，以及2005年另一位士兵受折磨后用手榴弹炸死八人。那年还有一位军官以厕所打扫不净为由强迫200位士兵食粪，他因此被捕。自一月起有大约350起虐待案件被提交到了国家机关——国家人权委员会。人权活动家说，还有更多被掩盖起来了。

　　Yoon's case of hazing¹⁸ was uncovered by a civic¹⁹ group, the Centre for Military Human Rights Korea. Its director, Lim Tae-hoon, decries²⁰ a “systematic attempt at a cover-up”. The army's chief of staff has resigned. The defence ministry²¹ has called for a permanent human-rights commission for the armed forces to help prevent further abuse. And the entire army suspended duties recently for a daylong session on human rights. This month military prosecutors²² changed the charge against four of the soldiers alleged to have killed Yoon from manslaughter to murder.

　　尹某受虐案是由民间组织韩国军人权益中心所揭露的。中心主任李泰勋谴责了韩国军方「有组织地掩盖真相」。韩国陆军总参谋长已为此辞职。国防部要求军方成立永久的人权委员会，以防未来仍有虐待事件发生。全军上下停止执行任务，参加为期一天的人权培训。本月军方的检察官把对四名被控害死尹某的士兵的指控从过失杀人提高到了谋杀。

　　Calls for sweeping²³ reform to barrack-room culture are all too familiar. Physical abuse in South Korea's 650,000-strong conscript army has long been tolerated as a means to toughen troops against a northern army thought to be twice as large. Two military coups²⁴ and a long period of martial²⁵ law (under the current president's late father, Park Chung-hee) have given the army exceptional leeway in how it conducts its affairs. It is largely immune from democratic oversight²⁶.

　　对军营文化进行广泛改革的呼吁是人们再熟悉不过的了。韩国65万多人的部队中，身体虐待长久以来受到容忍，为了能抗衡人数两倍于其的朝鲜部队，这是一种锻炼士兵的方法。历史上的两次军事政变以及长期实施戒严法（正是在现任总统朴槿惠的父亲朴正熙治下）也给军方留下了特别的行事余地。军队很大程度上是免收民主监督的。

　　That means tormentors are not properly punished. Around 150 bodies remain in the army's morgue. Their cause of death is given as “failure to adjust to military life”. But relatives refuse to collect the bodies because they want an independent investigation²⁷ to confirm the cause of death. Military courts, says Choe Kang-wook, a former lawyer in the army, are the “shame of South Korea”. High-ranking generals without legal knowledge preside over court proceedings²⁸.

　　这就意味着施暴者并未真正得到惩治。军队的停尸间里还留着150具尸体。军方给出的死亡原因是「没能适应军营生活」。但亲属们要求进行独立调查确认死因，所以拒绝下葬。曾在军队中任律师的Choe Kang-wook说，军事法庭就是「韩国的耻辱」。毫无司法常识的高级将军掌握着审判程序。

　　As more rich countries drop conscription, South Korea has become an outlier, says Kim Du-kwan, a former minister who is now fighting to end it in his country, too. He takes the North Korean threat seriously. But what good, he asks, is “wielding a gun and not much more” when military strength is now based on sophisticated technology? He frets²⁹ that abusers foment³⁰ internal division, too. The armed forces have long used national security as a reason for keeping conscription and fending³¹ off civilian³² oversight. Proponents³³ of a standing³⁴ army, like Mr Kim, argue that South Korea's security would be better served by just the opposite.

　　曾经的部长金斗官如今正致力于结束韩国的义务征兵制，他说越来越多的富裕国家抛弃了义务征兵，韩国已经成为异类。他严肃对待来自朝鲜的威胁。但他反问说，在军事实力以高新科技为基础的今天，「用好一杆枪是不是比数量堆积更好呢？」他也为军中施虐者造成的内部分裂烦恼。军方一直以国家安全为由维持义务征兵制不动，并避开民间的监督。而金斗官等建设常备军的支持者认为，反军方之道行之，才能更好地守护国家安全。

1 egregious   

adj.非常的，过分的

参考例句：

• When it comes to blatant lies,there are none more egregious than budget figures.谈到公众谎言，没有比预算数字更令人震惊的。
• What an egregious example was here!现摆着一个多么触目惊心的例子啊。

2 comedians   

n.喜剧演员，丑角( comedian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The voice was rich, lordly, Harvardish, like all the boring radio comedians'imitations. 声音浑厚、威严，俨然是哈佛出身的气派，就跟无线电里所有的滑稽演员叫人已经听腻的模仿完全一样。 来自辞典例句
• He distracted them by joking and imitating movie and radio comedians. 他用开玩笑的方法或者模仿电影及广播中的滑稽演员来对付他们。 来自辞典例句

3 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。

4 peek   

vi.偷看，窥视；n.偷偷的一看，一瞥

参考例句：

• Larry takes a peek out of the window.赖瑞往窗外偷看了一下。
• Cover your eyes and don't peek.捂上眼睛，别偷看。

5 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

6 camaraderie   

n.同志之爱，友情

参考例句：

• The camaraderie among fellow employees made the tedious work just bearable.同事之间的情谊使枯燥乏味的工作变得还能忍受。
• Some bosses are formal and have occasional interactions,while others prefer continual camaraderie.有些老板很刻板，偶尔才和下属互动一下；有些则喜欢和下属打成一片。

7 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

8 bruising   

adj.殊死的；十分激烈的v.擦伤(bruise的现在分词形式)

参考例句：

• He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
• He slipped and fell, badly bruising an elbow. 他滑倒了，一只胳膊肘严重擦伤。 来自辞典例句

9 trickled   

v.滴( trickle的过去式和过去分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动

参考例句：

• Blood trickled down his face. 血从他脸上一滴滴流下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The tears trickled down her cheeks. 热泪一滴滴从她脸颊上滚下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 humiliation   

n.羞辱

参考例句：

• He suffered the humiliation of being forced to ask for his cards.他蒙受了被迫要求辞职的羞辱。
• He will wish to revenge his humiliation in last Season's Final.他会为在上个季度的决赛中所受的耻辱而报复的。

11 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

12 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

13 bullied   

adj.被欺负了v.恐吓，威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• My son is being bullied at school. 我儿子在学校里受欺负。
• The boy bullied the small girl into giving him all her money. 那男孩威逼那个小女孩把所有的钱都给他。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

15 tormented   

饱受折磨的

参考例句：

• The knowledge of his guilt tormented him. 知道了自己的罪责使他非常痛苦。
• He had lain awake all night, tormented by jealousy. 他彻夜未眠，深受嫉妒的折磨。

16 outfit   

n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装

参考例句：

• Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
• His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

17 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 hazing   

n.受辱，被欺侮v.（使）笼罩在薄雾中( haze的现在分词 )；戏弄，欺凌（新生等，有时作为加入美国大学生联谊会的条件）

参考例句：

• With labor, the hazing period ends. 费了好大力气，痛苦的时期终于过了。 来自互联网
• A high-gloss paint surface is one that directly reflects light with minimum hazing or diffusion. 高度光洁的漆表面可以直接反射光源。 来自互联网

19 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

20 decries   

v.公开反对，谴责( decry的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Mr Basescu decries communism as criminal, but Bulgarian leaders only mumble. 巴塞斯库总统将共产主义比作犯罪，而对这个问题，保加利亚的领导人却避而不谈。 来自互联网
• A staunch materialist,he decries economy. 一个坚定的唯物主义者公开谴责经济。 来自互联网

21 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

22 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

23 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

24 coups   

n.意外而成功的行动( coup的名词复数 )；政变；努力办到难办的事

参考例句：

• China has seen many political coups within the ruling class. 中国统治阶级内部发生过很多政变。 来自互联网
• Thailand has had eighteen coups or coup attendance since nineteen thirty-two. 泰国1932年以来有18次政变或参加政变。 来自互联网

25 martial   

adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的

参考例句：

• The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是鼓舞人心的。
• The officer was convicted of desertion at a court martial.这名军官在军事法庭上被判犯了擅离职守罪。

26 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

27 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。

28 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

29 frets   

基质间片； 品丝（吉他等指板上定音的）( fret的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The river frets away the rocks along its banks. 河水侵蚀了两岸的岩石。
• She frets at even the slightest delays. 稍有延误她就不满。

30 foment   

v.煽动，助长

参考例句：

• The rebels know the truth and seek to foment revolution.那些叛乱者知道真相，并且想办法来挑起革命。
• That's an attempt to foment discord.这是挑拨。

31 fending   

v.独立生活，照料自己( fend的现在分词 )；挡开，避开

参考例句：

• He is always spending his time fending with the neighbors. 他总是与邻里们吵架。 来自互联网
• Fifth, it is to build safeguarding system and enhance the competence in fending off the risk. 五是建立政策保障体系，提高防范和抵御风险的能力。 来自互联网

32 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

33 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句

34 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。