VOA标准英语2009年-Senior North Korean Official Makes Rare Tr

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
23 October 2009

A high-level North Korean official is traveling to the United States for meetings that may help push forward stalled diplomacy¹ with Washington. The trip coincides with South Korean media speculation² of talk between the North and South about a potential meeting of their leaders.

North Korean diplomat³ Ri Gun was departing for the United States Friday. He will reportedly land in New York, then on Monday is scheduled to attend an academic forum⁴ on Asian security at the University of California San Diego.

Ri Gun is North Korea's second most senior envoy⁵ in multinational⁶ talks aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programs. His trip has fueled expectations he may meet his U.S. counterpart, Sung Kim, to lay the groundwork for North Korea's possible return to the talks.

Lee Gee-dong is a senior fellow at South Korea's Institute for National Security Strategy. He says a meeting between Ri Gun and Sung Kim offers a chance for "mutual⁷ reconnaissance."

He says since former President Bill Clinton's visit to North Korea in August, there seems to have been some improvement in the tone of U.S.-North Korean relations. This trip could give both sides a chance just to see how much has actually improved.

Yoon Duck-min is a North Korea specialist at Seoul's Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security. He says much of North Korea's approach toward the United States right now relates to the goals of leader Kim Jong Il regarding his successor.

Yoon says the North Korean leader is trying to "lower his son down safely from the back of a tiger, without getting eaten" - a metaphor⁸ referring to Kim Jong Il's apparent plans for his youngest son to take over one day.

Yoon says the tiger represents the entrenched⁹ power of the North Korean military. To accomplish the transition smoothly¹⁰, says Yoon, North Korea must either normalize ties with the United States, or win de facto global acceptance as a nuclear state.

The United States says it will never accept North Korea's nuclear weapons, and that normal diplomatic ties will only follow serious steps by Pyongyang to fulfill¹¹ its disarmament pledges.

Separately, several major South Korean news outlets¹² are reporting the two Koreas have been discussing the possibility of summit meeting of their leaders. North and South Korea remain technically¹³ at war, and their leaders have only met twice - in 2000, and 2007. News reports say officials from the two sides met in Singapore recently to discuss a possible third meeting.

South Korean officials in Seoul refuse to confirm or deny the reports. Unification Minister Hyun In-taek, told lawmakers Friday any prospective¹⁵ summit would be contingent¹⁶ on several factors.

He says the prospect¹⁴ of a summit depends on progress on the North Korean nuclear issue, as well as the state of inter-Korean relations.

1 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

2 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

3 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

4 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

5 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

6 multinational   

adj.多国的，多种国籍的；n.多国籍公司，跨国公司

参考例句：

• The firm was taken over by a multinational consulting firm.这家公司被一个跨国咨询公司收购。
• He analyzed the relationship between multinational corporations and under-developed countries.他分析了跨国公司和不发达国家之间的关系。

7 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

8 metaphor   

n.隐喻，暗喻

参考例句：

• Using metaphor,we say that computers have senses and a memory.打个比方，我们可以说计算机有感觉和记忆力。
• In poetry the rose is often a metaphor for love.玫瑰在诗中通常作为爱的象征。

9 entrenched   

adj.确立的，不容易改的(风俗习惯)

参考例句：

• Television seems to be firmly entrenched as the number one medium for national advertising.电视看来要在全国广告媒介中牢固地占据头等位置。
• If the enemy dares to attack us in these entrenched positions,we will make short work of them.如果敌人胆敢进攻我们固守的阵地，我们就消灭他们。

10 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

11 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

12 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

13 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。

14 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

15 prospective   

adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的

参考例句：

• The story should act as a warning to other prospective buyers.这篇报道应该对其他潜在的购买者起到警示作用。
• They have all these great activities for prospective freshmen.这会举办各种各样的活动来招待未来的新人。

16 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。