VOA慢速英语2020 金正恩久未露面引外界猜测（在线收听）

Many people are asking where North Korean leader Kim Jong Un could be. The secretive leader has not been seen in public for more than two weeks. As a result, rumors are spreading about whether something happened to him.

很多人都好奇朝鲜领导人金正恩的行踪。这位神秘的领导人已经两周多没有在公开场合露面了。于是，关于他是否出事了的谣言四起。

The United States and its allies, including South Korea and Japan, closely watch the health of North Korea's leaders. That is because the country controls nuclear weapons which the government has repeatedly threatened to use.

美国及其韩日等盟国都密切关注着这位朝鲜领导人的健康状况。因为朝鲜控制着该国政府一再威胁要使用的核武器。

Some reports say Kim has injured his lower leg. Others say he has kidney problems or that he had an unsuccessful heart operation. Some say he is staying separated to avoid the new coronavirus. There even is a report that he was injured in a failed missile test.

有报道称，金正恩伤到了小腿。还有报道称他有肾病，或心脏手术失败。有消息称，他为了避免感染新冠病毒一直在隔离。甚至有传言称，他在一次失败的导弹试射中受伤。

Rumors are also spreading about Kim's current condition. Some reports have said he is in a vegetative state or is dead. Other reports say there is nothing wrong with his health.

关于金正恩目前健康状态的谣言也传播。有报道称，他变成了植物人或者已经死亡。还有报道称，他的健康状况没有任何问题。

Explosion of rumors

谣言四起

The rumors began after Kim Jong Un failed to attend the birthday observance of his grandfather, Kim Il Sung. The day, April 15, is very important in North Korea's culture of respect for and obedience to the ruling family.

在金正恩未出席祖父金日成（Kim Il Sung）的诞辰庆祝活动后，谣言开始出现。4月15日这天对于朝鲜尊重和服从统治家族的文化来说非常重要。

After that, The Daily NK, a website based in Seoul, reported that Kim had had a heart operation. It said Kim reportedly was having health problems caused by smoking and his weight.

之后，首尔的《每日朝鲜》网站报道称，金正恩做了心脏手术。该报称，据传金正恩的健康问题是因为吸烟和超重导致的。

The same day, the American cable news channel CNN reported that Kim was in "grave danger" after a medical operation.

同一天，美国有线电视新闻网报道称，金正恩在接受手术后“情况危急”。 

North Korea remains quiet

朝鲜方面没有回应

North Korea has not answered the rumors. State operated media have said that the leader is carrying out business as usual. But no recent pictures of Kim have been published.

朝鲜没有回应这些谣言。官方媒体称，金正恩照常进行工作。但是没有公布金正恩最近的照片。

Rachel Minyoung Lee, a North Korea expert based in Seoul, said North Korea's latest actions are not new.

驻首尔的朝鲜专家雷切尔·李明永（Rachel Minyoung Lee）表示，朝鲜的最新举动并不新鲜。

"North Korea does not react to rumors about the leader's health," Lee said.

李明永表示：“朝鲜不会就有关领导人健康的传言进行回应。”

For example, in 2014, Kim was not seen in public for 41 days. "North Korea did not issue any official reaction at the time, or in 2009 when [Kim's father] Kim Jong Il was out for 51 days," she noted.

例如，2014年金正恩有41天没有公开露面。她指出：“朝鲜当时没有做出任何正式回应，包括2009年金正恩父亲金正日消失51天那次也不例外。”

Kim reappeared in 2014 using a cane for support. North Korean media said only that he had experienced "discomfort" but did not give details.

2014年，金正恩拄着拐杖再次现身。朝鲜媒体只称，他出现身体不适，但是并未透露细节。

Little information available

消息很少

South Korea has not supported reports about Kim being in poor health. On Monday, South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-Chul said South Korea's intelligence can say there is "no unusual movements" in the North.

韩国方面不认可有关金正恩身体抱恙的报道。韩国统一部部长金尹哲（Kim Yeon-Chul）周一表示，韩国情报部门可以直言，朝鲜没有“异常行动。”

An adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in recently said, "Kim Jong Un is alive and well. He has been in the Wonsan area since April 13."

韩国总统文在寅的一名顾问最近表示：“金正恩身体健康。从4月13日后，他一直在元山地区。”

Satellite pictures from last week showed that Kim Jong Un's special train was in the Wonsan area.

上周的卫星图片显示，金正恩的专列在元山地区。

Additional reports say there has been an increase in the buying of cleaning supplies and imported foods in North Korea. The increase began on April 20, a person in the North Korean capital Pyongyang told VOA. However, the person said the buying might have been connected to an extended coronavirus lockdown. It has reported no cases of infection from the virus, a claim that experts dispute.

另有报道称，朝鲜清洁用品和进口食品的购买有所增加。朝鲜首都平壤的一位人士对美国之音表示，朝鲜加大采购是从4月20日开始的。不过这位知情人士表示，采购可能与延长新冠病毒封锁有关。朝鲜没有报告任何新冠病毒感染病例，这一说法遭到专家们的质疑。

However, longtime North Korea observers warn against fast judgements.

然而，资深的朝鲜观察员警告不要仓促地下结论。

Bruce Klingner is a North Korea expert at the Heritage Foundation in Washington. He said, "Over the years, there have been many false reports exclaiming the decline health or death of Kim Jong Un."

布鲁斯·克林纳（Bruce Klingner）是华盛顿遗产基金会的朝鲜问题专家。他说：“这些年来，有许多虚假报道称金正恩的健康恶化或死亡。”

Andray Abrahamian, another North Korea expert, said that "reasonable speculation" about Kim's health has turned into a lot of false reports and "hyperbole."

另一位朝鲜专家安德烈·亚布拉罕表示，关于金正恩健康状况的“合理推测”已经演变成大量的虚假报道或被“夸大其词”。

Words in This Story

rumor –n. a story that could be true or false which is spread widely, but which comes from an unknown source

vegetative –adj. unresponsive, unable to communicate

grave –adj. very serious

cane –n. a short stick, often with a curved handle, that people use to help them walk

lockdown –n. a situation in an emergency in which people are required to stay in a secure place

speculation –n. ideas and guesses about something that is not known

hyperbole –n. a description of something that is either much better or much worse than it really is