VOA常速英语2008年-South Korean Investigators Clear President-Elec

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
21 February 2008

Independent investigators¹ have cleared South Korea's president-elect of fraud and stock manipulation allegations.  Lee Myung-bak has been relieved of what could have been a serious obstacle to his administration just days before he is to assume the South Korean presidency².  VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul.

South Korean President-elect Lee Myung-bak's political rivals have insisted for months he made millions of dollars using fraudulent financial practices. On Friday, independent investigators closed the book on those accusations³ once and for all.

Chung Ho-young, spokesman for the special counsel, told a nationally televised news conference Lee was not involved in stock price manipulation.

Lee's political rivals tried hard to draw attention to the accusations during December's presidential election campaign. They pointed⁴ to Lee's alleged⁵ involvement with a U.S. financial services company called BBK.

Lee, who is scheduled to be sworn in as president Monday, has denied the charges, saying he had no connection to BBK.  Chung says investigators agree.

He says the independent counsel has concluded the president-elect has no involvement in BBK.

Lee's transition team officials say the president-elect describes the announcement as "fortunate," and he says it will let him get to the business of reviving South Korea's economy.  Members of the United New Democratic Party, Lee's main political opposition⁶, say they are "disappointed" the probe failed to clear up public suspicions.

Federal prosecutors⁷ formally cleared Lee of charges several weeks before December's election, which Lee went on to win by a resounding⁸ margin⁹.  However, Lee's opponents proposed an independent probe when a video surfaced just days before the vote showing Lee talking about having founded BBK. 

Lee's campaign said that video was taken out of context, but incumbent¹⁰ President Roh Moo-hyun approved the investigation¹¹.  Lee then became the first president-elect in South Korean history to undergo a criminal investigation.

Even if investigators had uncovered guilt¹² on Lee's part, he would still have been permitted to take office.  However, experts say his ability to accomplish political goals would have been hobbled.

Many average South Koreans say they doubt Lee is completely innocent of the accusations.  However, they add Lee probably won the election not for being a squeaky clean politician, but rather for his strong economic credentials¹³ and track record of seeing projects through to completion.

1 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

3 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

4 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

5 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

6 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。

7 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

8 resounding   

adj. 响亮的

参考例句：

• The astronaut was welcomed with joyous,resounding acclaim. 人们欢声雷动地迎接那位宇航员。
• He hit the water with a resounding slap. 他啪的一声拍了一下水。

9 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

10 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

11 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

12 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

13 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。