VOA常速英语2007-Korean Summit Begins With Historic Walk, Unexpec

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
02 October 2007

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun strolled across the heavily militarized border with North Korea and later received an unscheduled greeting from the North's leader Kim Jong Il. As VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul, the ceremonies mark the start of a three-day summit in the North Korean capital.

South Korea has already erected¹ a small stone monument near the spot where President Roh Moo-hyun on Tuesday began his trip into North Korea.

After a short drive, Mr. Roh and his wife stepped out of their car and walked over the border separating the two Koreas.

The South Korean president prefaced his walk by reflecting on the pain the division has caused Koreans - and by looking forward to a future of unity².

He says more people will one day cross the border, just as he is doing, and the wall between North and South will fall.

The two Koreas remain technically³ at war, 57 years after North Korea invaded the South. A 1953 armistice⁴ halted three years of fighting.

This is only the second meeting of the leaders of the two countries. In 2000, former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung went to Pyongyang to meet Kim Jong Il. That meeting led to increased contact between the two countries, fueled in part by hundreds of millions of dollars of South Korean aid and investment sent to the impoverished⁵ North. 

Less than an hour before Mr. Roh's motorcade was scheduled to arrive in Pyongyang Tuesday, South Korean reporters learned of a change in the summit's agenda.

North Koreans erupted into coordinated⁶ cheers as their leader, Kim Jong Il, emerged to greet President Roh personally at a Pyongyang landmark⁷.

Mr. Roh's staff had said earlier that no meeting with Mr. Kim had been formally scheduled for Tuesday.

A North Korean military officer - heard here calling out a lengthy⁸ list of Kim Jong Il's official titles - said the North Korean leader welcomed President Roh's visit. The two leaders then walked a red carpet past military officers and civilians⁹ waving bouquets¹⁰.

President Roh says seeking a permanent peace mechanism¹¹ to replace the armistice is his primary reason for this week's summit. He has said he does not expect to spend much time discussing international efforts to persuade North Korea to halt its nuclear weapons programs.

No international media organizations were allowed to join the small media team that went to Pyongyang for the summit. Hundreds of South Korean and foreign correspondents are covering the event using video sent by domestic South Korean broadcasters to a government media room in a Seoul hotel.

The summit is not without controversy¹². Many South Koreans see it as an attempt by President Roh to win support for his favored candidate in presidential elections later this year. Some critics fear that Mr. Roh, in his eagerness to improve relations with Pyongyang, may offer too many benefits and receive too little in return from the North in terms of ending its nuclear weapons programs or improving its human rights record.

Mr. Roh is expected to return from Pyongyang Thursday.

1 ERECTED   

adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立

参考例句：

• A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。
• A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。

2 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

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 armistice   

n.休战，停战协定

参考例句：

• The two nations signed an armistice.两国签署了停火协议。
• The Italian armistice is nothing but a clumsy trap.意大利的停战不过是一个笨拙的陷阱。

5 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

7 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

8 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

9 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

10 bouquets   

n.花束( bouquet的名词复数 )；（酒的）芳香

参考例句：

• The welcoming crowd waved their bouquets. 欢迎的群众摇动着花束。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• As the hero stepped off the platform, he was surrounded by several children with bouquets. 当英雄走下讲台时，已被几名手持花束的儿童围住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

12 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。