朝鲜确认重启宁边核设施

AS IT IS 2015-09-16 North Korea Confirms Restarting of Nuclear Center 朝鲜确认重启宁边核设施

North Korea appears to be increasing efforts to develop a nuclear bomb and a missile to carry such a weapon great distances. The efforts could lead to new international restrictions¹ on the North Korean government.

North Korean state media reported Tuesday that the country’s main nuclear center at Yongbyon was fully² operational.

A nuclear bomb fuel reactor³ was closed there in 2007. After North Korea’s third nuclear test in 2013, the government announced plans to restart the reactor.

Military experts have studied satellite images of the Yongbyon center. They said in January that the pictures showed the reactor was again operational. But it was only this week that North Korea provided any official confirmation⁴.

On Monday, North Korea’s National Aerospace⁵ Development Administration said it is preparing for a possible satellite launch. It said the launch would likely use ballistic missile technology.

State media said “the world will clearly see a series of satellites of (North) Korea soaring into the sky at the times and locations determined⁶ by the Central Committee of the Worker’s Party of Korea.”

Experts believe that North Korea has been planning to launch a long-range rocket to mark the 70th anniversary of the ruling party. They believe the launch could take place in October.

North Korea has said that such launches are for peaceful, non-military purposes. But the United States and its allies say the launches are designed to help the North develop long-range ballistic missile technology. The United Nations Security Council has barred North Korea from using such technology.

Daniel Pinkston is a visiting research fellow at Babes-Bolyai University’s Conflict Studies Center in Romania. He studies North Korea. He notes that South Korea has more modern conventional weapons than the North. Many of North Korea’s weapons were developed 40 or more years ago. He believes the North understands this and has decided⁷ it must have nuclear weapons.

North Korea says it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against a possible invasion by the United States. The North launched its first long-distance rocket in 1998. After a year of negotiations⁸, North Korean agreed to stop long distance missile tests in exchange for better contacts with the United States and its allies. As part of the 1999 agreement, the North received money and food aid.

In 2009, North Korea walked out of six-nation talks aimed at persuading the North to give up its nuclear program in exchange for aid and security guarantees. North Korea has since carried out several nuclear and missile tests. This year, the North carried out submarine-based missile tests.

The latest nuclear and missile launch efforts could lead to calls for more international restrictions on North Korea. They could also worsen relations between North Korea and China. And they could harm recent attempts to improve relations between North and South Korea. 

Words in This Story

reactor - n. a large device that produces nuclear energy

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

3 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。

4 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

5 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 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。