VOA慢速英语2018 朝鲜欲拆毁导弹发射区

North Korea Appears to Take Apart Missile Launch Area

North Korea appears to have started dismantling 1 important parts of its main satellite launch center.

朝鲜似乎已经开始拆除该国主要卫星发射中心的重要设施。

The activity appears to fulfill 2 a promise to United States officials by North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un.

这一举动似乎是在履行朝鲜领导人金正恩对美国官员的承诺。

Some experts believe North Korea is trying to build trust with the U.S. The two sides continue diplomatic talks aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

一些专家认为，朝鲜正试图与美国建立互信。双方仍在进行旨在终止朝鲜核武器计划的外交谈判。

Other experts say dismantling some parts of the launch area will not reduce North Korea’s military ability. They also worry that the work is being done without verification.

其他专家表示，拆除发射区的部分设施不会降低朝鲜的军事能力。他们还担心这项工作是在未经核实的情况下完成的。

Satellite pictures show activity

卫星图片显示朝鲜举动

The website 38 North said satellite pictures from July 20 to 22 show efforts to dismantle 3 parts of the Sohae launch area. The parts include a rocket engine test stand used to develop liquid-fuel engines. Such engines are used for long-distance missiles and space vehicles. A building where space launch vehicles were built before being prepared for launch also was taken apart, said 38 North.

三八线以北网站表示，7月20日到22日的卫星图片显示了拆除西海卫星发射场部分设施所取得的成就。这些设施包括用于开发液体燃料发动机的火箭发动机试验台。这种发动机被用于远程导弹和太空飞行器。三八线以北网站表示，空间运载火箭发射前的组装平台也被拆除了。

“These facilities are believed to have played an important role in the development of technologies for the North’s intercontinental ballistic missile program,” Joseph Bermudez wrote. He reported the findings saying that the North Korean efforts were an important confidence building act.

Joseph Bermudez写道：“据认为这些设施在朝鲜洲际导弹计划的技术开发中发挥过重要作用。”他报道了这一调查结果，称朝鲜的努力是一项重要的建立互信的行为。

An official from South Korea’s presidential office said Tuesday that Seoul has also seen the activities at the Sohae launch site.

韩国总统办公室一位官员周二表示，首尔方面也看到了西海卫星发射场的动作。

Other experts said North Korea is giving up little in dismantling the rocket engine test center.

其他专家表示，朝鲜在拆除火箭发动机实验中心上的牺牲不大。

Adam Mount is an expert at the Federation 4 of American Scientists. He said he is worried about North Korea’s decision to dismantle its facilities without verification. Such a step would require international inspectors 5.

Adam Mount是美国科学家联合会的专家。他说，他对朝鲜在未经核实的情况下决定拆除其设施表示担忧。这一步骤需要国际核查人员参与。

In May, North Korean officials invited international reporters to watch the destruction of tunnels at its nuclear testing area. But, they did not invite international experts.

今年5月，朝鲜官员邀请了国际记者观看了该国摧毁核试验区隧道。但是，他们没有邀请国际专家。

Mount said in an email that North Korea still has not dismantled 6 centers that produce or store nuclear or missile systems or transportation for the missiles.

Mount在一封电邮中表示，朝鲜仍然没有拆除核武器或导弹的生产储存中心以及导弹运输中心。

Lee Choon Geun is a missile expert at South Korea’s Science and Technology Policy Institute. He said the North’s action was an important development and may lead to more activities at the area.

Lee Choon Geun是韩国科学政策研究所的导弹专家。他说，朝鲜的举动是一项重要进展，可能会引发该地区更多的举动。

Lee said, if North Korea dismantles 7 the entire Sohae launch area, it would reduce greatly the country’s missile threat. He said other centers in North Korea are not as well built.

Lee表示，如果朝鲜拆除整个西海卫星发射场，将会大大降低该国的导弹威胁。他说，朝鲜的其它发射中心建造得不是很好。

But Mount disagrees. He said the threat reduction would be small. He added that North Korea has missiles that do not require a special launch center.

但是Mount不赞同。他称降低的威胁非常小。他补充说，朝鲜拥有不需要特定发射场的导弹。

After his meeting with Kim in Singapore on June 12, Trump 8 said he was told by Kim that the North was “already destroying a major missile engine testing” area.

川普6月12日在新加坡会见金正恩之后表示，金正恩告诉他，朝鲜已经在摧毁一处重要的导弹发动机测试中心。

The two men ended the meeting by saying they both wanted a Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons. But, some experts do not believe Kim will ever give up his nuclear weapons because he may see them as the best guarantee of his survival as leader.

这两位领导人结束会议时称，双方都希望朝鲜半岛无核化。但是，一些专家不相信金正恩会永远放弃其核武器，因为他可能将此视为他执政基础的最佳保障。

I’m Susan Shand.

Words in This Story

dismantle – v. to take something, such as a machine or structure apart so that it is in separate pieces

verification – n. knowing that something is true

ballistic – adj. a weapon that is shot through the sky over a great distance and then falls to the ground and explodes

confidence – n. a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something

tunnel – n. a passage that goes under the ground