2007年VOA标准英语-US, South Korea Agree on Trade Liberalization D

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
02 April 2007

U.S. and South Korean negotiators have sealed one of the world's largest two-nation free trade agreements. If the deal can overcome hurdles¹ on the legislative² front, it may dramatically increase trade between the two economies. VOA Seoul Correspondent Kurt Achin has more.

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun struck a supportive, but apologetic tone in justifying³ his nation's free trade agreement with the United States.

In a nationwide television address, Mr. Roh said he knew some people would be hurt by the agreement. But he pledged government support in making South Korea's adjustment to further market opening less painful.

The announcement of the trade opening deal follows 10 months of negotiations⁴, capped off by three days of around-the-clock talks on the most sensitive issues.

U.S. senior negotiator Wendy Cutler says the resulting deal has been worth the effort.

"I give it an 'A' plus," she said. "I think it is a high quality agreement, yet it is extremely balanced."

Negotiators have not yet revealed full details of the agreement, but say it reduces or removes tariffs⁵ on products ranging from food to automobiles⁷ and financial services.

But South Korean Trade Minister Kim Hyun-jung told reporters Seoul insisted on keeping certain trade protections in place.

Kim says because the concerns of the South Korean people are so strong, Seoul's negotiators kept their promise to exclude the country's rice market from the agreement.

Rice production is viewed as a traditional part of Korean culture, and is a strong rallying point for frequent demonstrations⁸ against the agreement.

In one unusually dramatic illustration of that opposition⁹, a South Korean man set himself on fire Saturday in protest of the trade talks. He is being treated for third degree burns.

Negotiators say the deal makes progress in offering U.S. companies the kind of access they have wanted to the South Korean automobile⁶ and financial services markets. U.S. automakers have accused Seoul of using arbitrary rules as a means of suppressing imports.

George W. Bush

President Bush announced Monday's deal to Congress just hours before a deadline that would have kept him from asking for a simple yes-or-no vote from lawmakers. Past that deadline, members of Congress could have demanded dozens of amendments¹⁰, hurting the chances the deal would be ratified¹¹ quickly.

The president of South Korea's American Chamber¹² of Commerce, Tami Overby, says the deal has a good chance of political survival.

"It has got to pass [South Korea's] National Assembly and it has got to pass Congress, and from everything we have seen - it is still early days and we have not seen all the details - but it looks good," he said.

Experts say the legislative process could take months, but will probably be completed during the Bush Administration.

1 hurdles   

n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

2 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

3 justifying   

证明…有理( justify的现在分词 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护）

参考例句：

• He admitted it without justifying it. 他不加辩解地承认这个想法。
• The fellow-travellers'service usually consisted of justifying all the tergiversations of Soviet intenal and foreign policy. 同路人的服务通常包括对苏联国内外政策中一切互相矛盾之处进行辩护。

4 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。

5 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

6 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

7 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

10 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

11 ratified   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The treaty was declared invalid because it had not been ratified. 条约没有得到批准，因此被宣布无效。
• The treaty was ratified by all the member states. 这个条约得到了所有成员国的批准。

12 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。