VOA标准英语2009-North Korea, Free Trade Likely to Dominate O

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
14 November 2009

President Obama arrives in South Korea next week (November 18-19) as he wraps up his tour of Asia. Opening markets and dealing¹ with North Korea's nuclear weapons are high on the agenda.

 
President Barack Obama waves as he boards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, 12 Nov 2009
North Korea's nuclear weapons remain as much a concern for President Obama and South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak now as when the two met in June.

Mr. Obama says his administration will talk one on one with Pyongyang, but only with the aim of bringing the North back to six-nation talks about scrapping² its nuclear arsenal³.

Yonsei University International Politics Professor Choi Jong-kun says Mr. Obama's presence in Seoul will send a strong signal to the North.

"Basically North Korea wants to have a direct talks with Washington, D.C., bypassing Seoul, [South] Korea, but regardless of that, if you show a very firm and cohesive⁴ gesture in the capital of South Korea, that will signal our alliance is strong and firm," he said.

Balbina Hwang, a Korea expert at the National Defense⁵ University in Washington, says Pyongyang may try to draw attention to itself during the Obama visit.

"It wouldn't surprise me if they chose at some point of President Obama being here on the peninsula or in the region, to set off another missile, claim another nuclear test of some sort, just because they want to divert the attention to them," she noted⁶.

Hwang says ratifying⁷ a free trade deal between the two countries is likely to be another hot topic during Mr. Obama's visit. The agreement would open up markets in a wide range of products, including politically sensitive ones such as automobiles⁸ and rice.

Trade triggers strong emotions here in South Korea, where tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets last year, angry about U.S. beef imports.

That anger has faded. Scott Snyder, director of the Center for U.S-Korea Policy, says attitudes toward the U.S. and its new president have also warmed.

"We know from the public opinion polls that over 80 percent of Koreans have stated they trust Obama to deal with issues and foreign affairs," he said. "That is comparable to President Bush's 30 percent from a similar survey from the last year."

President Obama is scheduled to spend Wednesday and Thursday (November 18-19) in South Korea before flying home to Washington.

1 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

2 scrapping   

刮，切除坯体余泥

参考例句：

• He was always scrapping at school. 他在学校总打架。
• These two dogs are always scrapping. 这两条狗总是打架。

3 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

4 cohesive   

adj.有粘着力的；有结合力的；凝聚性的

参考例句：

• She sealed the parcel with cohesive tape.她用粘胶带把包裹封起来。
• The author skillfully fuses these fragments into a cohesive whole.作者将这些片断巧妙地结合成一个连贯的整体。

5 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。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 ratifying   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They call their State Assembly a disgrace for ratifying the 35th. 他们把州议会通过的第35号修正案说成是可耻的行为。 来自辞典例句
• The Obama administration, unlike its predecessor, talks of ratifying the test-ban treaty. 该会议五年举办一次，回顾其间发生的事情。 来自互联网

8 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》