Updated : 2025-12-19 18:48:40 KST
We start with the policy briefings by the ministries of foreign affairs and unification that were shared earlier on this Friday and with regard to the latter President Lee Jae Myung lamented the presence of heightened tensions and absence of communication on the peninsula. Our top office correspondent Yoon Jung-min reports. "These days, when I look into inter-Korean relations, I feel as if the two Koreas have become real enemies."
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lament [ ləˈment ] 애석히 여기다, 안타까워하다
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This was how President Lee Jae Myung said he viewed the current mood on the peninsula, as he was briefed on Friday by the chiefs in charge of foreign affairs and North Korea policy. "This is the first time in decades that the North has set up triple-strand barbed wire fences along the entire demarcation line, cut off bridges and roads, and built retaining walls. I heard that it's because North Korea is concerned of a possible invasion by the South." He said that political motivation is to blame, mentioning the hard-line approach by the previous administration. With Pyongyang rejecting outright calls for dialogue, Lee called for efforts by the Unification Ministry.
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triple-strand barbed wire 3 가닥 철조망
demarcation line 휴전선, 경계선
retaining wall 옹벽(擁壁)
outright 노골적인, 명백한
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"The South and the North should communicate, talk and cooperate for coexistence and co-prosperity, but right now, there is no room, not even the eye of a needle. We must have patience to ease hostility, in a preemptive manner." The unification minister stressed the need to relieve sanctions against the North. "In reality, sanctions against North Korea have become ineffective. The backyard for trade with China, which accounts for 90 percent of its trade, is wide open and the North sees sanctions as the most hostile act."
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the eye of a needle 바늘 귀[구멍]
preemptive 선제적인
sanction 제재
account for (부분·비율을) 차지하다
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On diplomacy surrounding the peninsula, "Next year, we will make sure to hold another South Korea-U.S. summit in a timely manner, and reaffirm follow-up measures to what's been agreed at the top level, in particular, in nuclear-powered submarines, nuclear energy and shipbuilding." The foreign minister added that arrangements will be made for President Lee's state visit to China early next year, and vowed to continue top-level diplomacy with Japan.
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President Lee also instructed his officials to speed up introducing mail-in and electronic voting systems for overseas Koreans. "Some overseas voters say they had to fly for six hours or drive for two days to cast their ballots. That shouldn't happen. I believe it's the responsibility of the state." When it comes to public access to information, he was critical of the government restricting South Koreans' access to North Korea's state media Rodong Sinmun, saying that granting the access wouldn't make people turn into communists or pro-North Koreans. Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.
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mail-in 우편의
cast their ballots 투표하다
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영어 원문 출처 및 동영상 링크;
arirang news/Nat'l/Politics
https://m.arirang.com/news/view?id=290661