VOA慢速英语2019 朝鲜发射导弹实为试探美国?（在线收听）

N. Korea Launches Missiles, US Seizes Ship for Violating Sanctions

The United States says it has seized a North Korean ship that was used to violate international sanctions. The incident was announced hours after North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range, or distance, missiles on Thursday.

美国声称，扣押了一艘违反国际制裁的朝鲜船只。该事件是在朝鲜周四发射疑似两枚短程导弹数小时后公布的。

The “Wise Honest” is North Korea’s second largest cargo ship. It was used to transport North Korean coal to China, Russia and other countries.

“Wise Honest”号是朝鲜第二大货船，它被用来将朝鲜的煤炭运往中国、俄罗斯等国家。

American officials said it was detained during an April 2018 stop in Indonesia. The ship will be moved to American Samoa in the Pacific. Officials made the announcement just hours after North Korea fired the missiles. But they said the announcement was not related to the missile launch.

美国官员表示，2018年4月，这艘货船在印尼停靠期间被扣押，该船将被转移到太平洋的美属萨摩亚。有关官员在朝鲜发射导弹数小时后宣布了这一消息。但他们表示，这一消息与导弹发射无关。

North Korean missile launch

朝鲜发射导弹

South Korean officials said the weapons launched on Thursday traveled 420 kilometers and 270 kilometers before falling into the sea.

韩国官员表示，周四发射的导弹分别飞行了420公里和270公里后落入海中。

It was the second weapons launch from North Korea in five days. It came as U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun visits South Korea. North Korea has also withdrawn from talks about its nuclear program with the U.S. since a meeting in Vietnam.

这是朝鲜5天内发射的第二批武器，此时美国朝鲜问题特别代表正在访问韩国。自越南峰会以来，朝鲜也退出了与美国的核项目谈判。

“North Korea seemed to be discontented it could not reach a deal in Hanoi,” South Korean President Moon Jae-in told broadcaster KBS. He was speaking of the February meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and American President Donald Trump.

韩国总统文在寅对KBS广播公司表示：“朝鲜似乎对无法在越南河内达成协议感到不满。”他指的是朝鲜领导人金正恩与美国总统特朗普在今年2月的会晤。

In the KBS interview, Moon also warned North Korea of the risk of a misunderstanding that could result from its actions. He said the South will explore ways to help bring back nuclear talks, including providing food aid to the North and pushing for a fourth meeting between Kim and Moon.

文在寅在KBS的采访中还警告朝鲜，其行为可能会引发误解。他说，韩国将设法帮助恢复核谈判，包括向朝鲜提供粮食援助，以及推动第4次“文金会”。

What does Kim want?

金正恩的意图？

Yang Uk, a top research fellow at the Korea Defense and Security Forum spoke to Reuters. He said about North Korea, “I believe they will keep escalating by using what appear to be short-range missiles, something that will not cause the U.S. to react right away.”

韩国国防与安全论坛的高级研究员Yang Uk接受了路透社的采访。他谈到朝鲜时表示：“我认为，他们会利用疑似短程导弹让事件逐步升级，此举并不会让美方立即做出反应。”

Harry Kazianis is with the Center for the National Interest in Washington. He said the new launches could only worsen the growing tensions. “North Korea has now made it clear it will not halt developing other parts of its military capabilities that threaten the region,” he said.

Harry Kazianis在华盛顿国家利益中心任职。他说，朝鲜最新发射活动只会恶化日益紧张的局势。他说：“朝鲜现已明确表明，不会停止发展威胁该地区的其它军事能力。”

Cha Du Hyeogn is a visiting scholar at Seoul’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies. He said North Korea is pressuring South Korea to turn away from the United States and support North Korea’s position more strongly.

Cha Du Hyeogn是首尔牙山政策研究所的访问学者。他说，朝鲜正在向韩国施压，要求其与美国划清界限，以及更加支持朝鲜的立场。

Cha added that by firing weapons that threaten South Korea but not the U.S., North Korea could be testing the Americans without causing the collapse of the nuclear talks.

Cha Du Hyeogn补充说，朝鲜通过发射武器威胁韩国而不是美国，或旨在不导致核谈判破裂的前提下试探美国。

The U.S. response

美国的回应

A U.S. Defense Department spokesman said after the new tests: “We’re aware of the reports and monitoring.”

美国国防部发言人在这次新的导弹试射后表示：“我们注意到这些报道以及监测。”

Trump and his administration did not appear to express serious concern over the tests. Over the weekend, Trump wrote on Twitter that he believes a deal could be reached with Kim.

特朗普及其政府似乎并未对这些试射活动表示严重关切。上周末，特朗普在推特上写道，他相信能够与金正恩达成协议。

The February meeting in Vietnam between Trump and Kim ended early without an agreement. The U.S. said Kim was only willing to give up North Korea’s main nuclear structure at Yongbyon – instead of complete denuclearization. The North Korean leader also demanded that all sanctions against his country be ended.

今年2月在越南举行的“特金会”没有达成任何协议。美国称，金正恩只愿意放弃朝鲜在宁边的主要核设施，而不是完全无核化。这位朝鲜领导人还要求终止对该国的所有制裁。

Trump said at the time, “Basically, they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety, and we couldn’t do that.”

特朗普当时表示：“大体而言，他们希望全面解除制裁，但我们不能这样做。”

The United States and the United Nations increased sanctions on North Korea in 2017, after the country carried out a series of nuclear and ballistic missile tests. The sanctions have created economic difficulties for North Korea.

2017年，在朝鲜进行了一系列核试验和弹道导弹试验后，美国和联合国加大了对朝鲜的制裁。这些制裁给朝鲜带来了经济困难。

Words in This Story

sanction - n. an action taken to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade

interview - n. an meeting between a reporter and another person to get information for a news story

escalate - v. to become worse

region - n. part of the world

aware - adj. knowing that something exists

monitor - v. to watch, observe

entirety - n. a whole or total amount of something