South Korea Says North Likely Seeking Talks

 

South Korea said on Tuesday that North Korea would look to negotiate with the United States in the coming year.

The prediction came as North Korea called the latest U.S.-led sanctions an “act of war.”

Last week, the U.N. Security Council unanimously placed new, tougher sanctions on North Korea for its intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, test on November 29. North Korea said the test showed its missile could reach all of the U.S. mainland.

“North Korea will seek negotiation¹ with the United States, while continuing to pursue its effort to be recognized as a de facto nuclear-possessing country,” South Korea’s Unification Ministry² said in a report. The agency responsible for relations with North Korea, however, did not provide additional information.

U.S. diplomats³ have said they are seeking a diplomatic answer to increased military tensions on the Korean Peninsula. However, U.S. President Donald Trump⁴ has called diplomatic efforts useless. He said North Korea must give up its nuclear weapons before talks can begin.

China, the North’s major ally, and Russia both supported the latest U.N. sanctions. The measures seek to limit the North’s oil supply and earnings⁵ from its workers in other countries.

On Tuesday, China released information showing that China exported no oil products to North Korea and imported no iron ore, coal or lead from North Korea in November.

In its 2018 forecast, South Korea said it believed the North would find ways to deal with the effects of the U.N. sanctions.

The Joongang Ilbo Daily newspaper reported on Tuesday that North Korea could also be preparing to launch a satellite into space. The report came from an unnamed South Korean government official.

Experts have said such launches are likely aimed at developing the North’s ballistic missile technology which would be banned under U.N. resolutions.

The North’s Rodong Sinmun newspaper said on Monday that “peaceful space development is a legitimate⁶ right of a sovereign state.”

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Words in This Story

prediction –n. an idea of what might happen in the future

pursue –v. to seek, to continue an effort

sanctions –n. measures against a country meant to cause it to obey international law usually by limiting trade

de facto –expression (foreign) something that exists but is not officially recognized

forecast –n. a report on what someone thinks will happen in the future

sovereign –adj. having the right and power to govern itself

1 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

2 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。

3 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

5 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

6 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。