The North Korean government has canceled a planned United Nations visit to the Kaesong Industrial Complex. The cancellation came just a day before UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was to visit the industrial center.

朝鲜政府已经取消了联合国对开城工业园的访问。这一取消决定仅仅发生在联合国秘书长潘基文要参观工业中心的前一天。

The complex lies just north of the South Korean border. It is one of the few remaining examples of South Korea's Sunshine Policy of engagement with North Korea. Under the program, the South has provided aid and support programs to its northern neighbor.

工业园位于韩国边界的北边。是韩国与朝鲜签订的阳光政策中现存为数不多的合作项目。根据协议，韩国会对北部邻国朝鲜提供援助和支持项目。

Mr. Ban said he was surprised by the sudden cancellation.

潘基文表示被突然取消访问这一决定表示震惊。

"Early this morning, the authorities of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea informed us, through their diplomatic channel, that they were reversing their decision for me to visit the Kaesong Industrial Complex. No explanation was given for this last-minute change."

今天早上早些时候朝鲜民主主义人民共和国当局通过外交渠道通知我们说他们取消允许我访问开城工业园的计划决定。对于这突然给出的通知朝鲜方面也没有给出任何解释。

The UN official had said he wanted to help ease relations and improve security on the Korean peninsula. He said his visit to Kaesong would show the benefits of cooperation between the two countries.

潘基文表示他希望能够缓解并提高朝鲜半岛的安全局势。他说此次开城之行将显示出两国间共同合作的益处。

More than 53,000 North Koreans work at 120 South Korean factories in the complex.

大约有53000名朝鲜人在工业园内120所韩国工厂内工作。

South Korean Unification Ministry official Lim Byung-chul also voiced regret and reached out to North Korea.

韩国统一部官员林炳哲也发表讲话对这一决定表示遗憾并与朝鲜方面进行了联系。

He says his government once again urges North Korea not to move towards isolation, but toward peace on the Korean peninsula.

他说其政府一再督促朝鲜不要采取隔离政策，而是要发展朝鲜半岛的和平。

Also on Wednesday, North Korea said it has the ability to miniaturize -- or make smaller -- nuclear weapons. The announcement was made on North Korea's state news agency. If confirmed, this ability would give North Korea the ability to place a nuclear weapon on a long or short-range missile.

与此同时周三时候，朝鲜方面表示其有缩小，或者制造更小的小型核武器的能力。这一宣布由朝鲜国家新闻社发出。如果报道属实，朝鲜将由能力通过远程或者短程导弹发射核武器的能力。

Chinese nuclear experts recently warned that North Korea has 20 nuclear warheads. North Korea has held underwater missile tests. The technology could soon give it the ability to strike anywhere in the world.

中国核专家最近警告称朝鲜有20枚核弹头。朝鲜已经进行了水下导弹测试。该项技术很快就能够成熟到发射导弹到世界任何地方的能力。

Observers say North Korea's sudden cancellation does not come as a complete surprise. They say the government has ignored UN restrictions to its nuclear program and against a UN resolution. The measure asks the International Criminal Court to investigate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and other officials for crimes against humanity.

观察人士说朝鲜突然取消访问的决定也不完全出乎意料。他们说朝鲜政府无视联合国对其核项目的制裁并且反对联合国的决议。这一系列措施要求国际刑事法院对朝鲜领导人金正恩及其官员进行反人类罪行调查。

Phil Robertson works for Human Rights Watch. He says the cancellation of Ban Ki-moon's visit resulted from U.N. efforts to hold North Korea accountable.

Phil Robertson 为人权监察机构工作。他说取消潘基文的访问是联合国追究朝鲜责任而引起的。

"So what it is doing is playing a game of shoot the messenger with the U.N., trying to punish or shut out the U.N. whenever it can. And this latest action to bar Ban Ki-moon from the Kaesong industrial complex is yet another example of that."

所以朝鲜所做的行为是在跟联合国玩了一个射杀信使的游戏，试图在任何涉及自身的时候给联合国找事。最近突然拒绝潘基文访问开城工业园的行为就是一个例子。

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke about the North Korean government during his recent visit to Seoul. He said the North has rejected Chinese and Russian efforts to restart international talks about its nuclear program in exchange for economic assistance.

美国国务卿克里在访问首尔的时候谈及了朝鲜政府。他说朝鲜已经拒绝了中国和俄罗斯试图重启其核问题国际谈话换取经济援助的努力。

I'm Jim Tedder.

VOA's Brian Padden reported on this story from Seoul. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

__________________________________________________________

Words in the News

peninsula – n. a piece of land that is almost entirely surrounded by water and is attached to a larger land area

benefits – n. assistance or payment

isolation – n. being in a place or situation that is separate from others; the condition of being isolated

warhead – n. the part of a missile that contains explosives; weapon

accountable – adj. responsible; required to explain actions or decisions to someone

internal – adj. coming from inside

reconciliation – n. the act of causing two people or groups to become friendly again after a disagreement

The North Korean government has canceled a planned United Nations visit to the Kaesong Industrial Complex. The cancellation came just a day before UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was to visit the industrial center.

The complex lies just north of the South Korean border. It is one of the few remaining examples of South Korea's Sunshine Policy of engagement with North Korea. Under the program, the South has provided aid and support programs to its northern neighbor.

Mr. Ban said he was surprised by the sudden cancellation.

"Early this morning, the authorities of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea informed us, through their diplomatic channel, that they were reversing their decision for me to visit the Kaesong Industrial Complex. No explanation was given for this last-minute change."

The UN official had said he wanted to help ease relations and improve security on the Korean peninsula. He said his visit to Kaesong would show the benefits of cooperation between the two countries.

More than 53,000 North Koreans work at 120 South Korean factories in the complex.

South Korean Unification Ministry official Lim Byung-chul also voiced regret and reached out to North Korea.

He says his government once again urges North Korea not to move towards isolation, but toward peace on the Korean peninsula.

Also on Wednesday, North Korea said it has the ability to miniaturize -- or make smaller -- nuclear weapons. The announcement was made on North Korea's state news agency. If confirmed, this ability would give North Korea the ability to place a nuclear weapon on a long or short-range missile.

Chinese nuclear experts recently warned that North Korea has 20 nuclear warheads. North Korea has held underwater missile tests. The technology could soon give it the ability to strike anywhere in the world.

Observers say North Korea's sudden cancellation does not come as a complete surprise. They say the government has ignored UN restrictions to its nuclear program and against a UN resolution. The measure asks the International Criminal Court to investigate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and other officials for crimes against humanity.

Phil Robertson works for Human Rights Watch. He says the cancellation of Ban Ki-moon's visit resulted from U.N. efforts to hold North Korea accountable.

"So what it is doing is playing a game of shoot the messenger with the U.N., trying to punish or shut out the U.N. whenever it can. And this latest action to bar Ban Ki-moon from the Kaesong industrial complex is yet another example of that."

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke about the North Korean government during his recent visit to Seoul. He said the North has rejected Chinese and Russian efforts to restart international talks about its nuclear program in exchange for economic assistance.

I'm Jim Tedder.

VOA's Brian Padden reported on this story from Seoul. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

__________________________________________________________

Words in the News

peninsula – n. a piece of land that is almost entirely surrounded by water and is attached to a larger land area

benefits – n. assistance or payment

isolation – n. being in a place or situation that is separate from others; the condition of being isolated

warhead – n. the part of a missile that contains explosives; weapon

accountable – adj. responsible; required to explain actions or decisions to someone

internal – adj. coming from inside

reconciliation – n. the act of causing two people or groups to become friendly again after a disagreement