VOA慢速英语--朝鲜自称将关闭导弹测试中心和发射场

North Korea Offers to Close Missile Testing Center, Launch Area

The leaders of North and South Korea say they have agreed to turn the Korean peninsula into a “land of peace without nuclear weapons and nuclear threats.”

The agreement was announced Wednesday on the second day of talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. They spoke¹ to reporters after meeting in Pyongyang.

At the meeting, North Korea announced plans to invite international observers to watch the closing of its missile testing center and launch area at Dongchang-ri.

North Korea also offered to close its main nuclear center at Yongbyon, but on one condition. In exchange, the North said it was seeking “corresponding measures” from the United States. It is not yet clear what those measures would be.

South Korean President Moon traveled to the North Korean capital on Tuesday for his third meeting this year with the North Korean leader. Moon is seeking to break an impasse² in negotiations³ to end the North’s nuclear weapons program.

The two leaders signed a joint⁴ statement on Wednesday. In addition, military representatives signed a document stating steps to ease military tensions between North and South. That document called for, among other things, setting up buffer⁵ zones in places where the two militaries could come into conflict.

Also, Kim Jong Un said he would visit Seoul in the near future. Moon said the visit is expected to take place before the end of 2018.

In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump⁶ expressed approval of the latest developments, calling them “Very exciting!” on Twitter.

Concerns over sanctions

North and South Korea have announced a number of joint economic projects, including plans to build roads and railways. However, some Korea watchers believe that some of the new agreements could violate United Nations sanctions on North Korea.

Days before the meeting in Pyongyang, the U.S. government ordered sanctions to punish a company based in China, its top official and a company linked to Russia.

The goal of the economic restrictions⁷ is to force the North Korean government to negotiate an end to its nuclear weapons and missile programs. The U.S. and Japan say those programs are a direct threat to them.

Members of the U.S. Congress and some experts say there has been no clear sign that North Korea plans to denuclearize.

Harry⁸ Kazianis is an expert in defense⁹ studies at the Center for National Interest in Washington, D.C. He said the sanctions remain in place and are a major issue. But first, “Kim needs to make major progress toward denuclearization,” he said.

President Moon will travel to New York next week for the United Nations General Assembly. Moon said he looked “forward to North Korea and the United States resuming their dialogue.” He is expected to meet with President Trump on September 24.

Moon added that South Korea would continue its part in supporting talks between the U.S. and North Korea. The aim, he said, is that the sides will “hold another summit as soon as possible and find a middle ground to reach an agreement.”

Also on Wednesday, the two Koreas announced that they would seek to jointly¹⁰ hold the 2032 Summer Olympic Games. They also said they would work closely together in preparation for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

I’m Mario Ritter.

Words in This Story

peninsula –n. a piece of land that is almost entirely¹¹ surrounded by water and but is attached to a larger land area

corresponding –adj. having the same characteristics as something else; matching something else

impasse –n. a situation in which no progress seems possible

buffer zone –n. an area that keeps two things separated

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

resume –v. to begin again after stopping

dialogue –n. a discussion or series of discussions that two groups or countries have in order to end a disagreement

summit –n. a meeting or series of meetings between the leaders of two or more governments

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 impasse   

n.僵局；死路

参考例句：

• The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。
• Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。

3 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。

4 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

5 buffer   

n.起缓冲作用的人(或物)，缓冲器；vt.缓冲

参考例句：

• A little money can be a useful buffer in time of need.在急需时，很少一点钱就能解燃眉之急。
• Romantic love will buffer you against life's hardships.浪漫的爱会减轻生活的艰辛。

6 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。

7 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

8 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

9 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

10 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

11 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。