朝鮮半島緊張局勢升級
North Korea blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in the country’s border city of Kaesong on Tuesday as tensions continue to escalate in the Korean peninsula.
週二北韓炸毀了位於邊境開城市的兩韓聯絡辦公室，此舉使朝鮮半島緊張局勢繼續升級。
blow up爆炸;炸掉;爆破、(照片)放大、發脾氣、勃然大怒blow-blew-blownescalate(v.)(使)增強、(使)擴大、(使)加劇、(使)惡化
South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which deals with relations with North Korea, confirmed that the liaison office located in the Kaesong Industrial Zone was demolished “by bombing” at 14:49 local time on Tuesday.
處理對北韓關係事務的韓國統一部證實，位於開城工業區的兩韓聯絡辦公室於週二當地時間14時49分被「炸毀」。
confirm(v.)證實(which is) located in…位於=seated in…=situated in…demolish(v.) 拆除、拆毀=destroy…completely =pull down=tear apart(tear-tore-torn)
Later on Tuesday, North Korea’s state-run media also reported that the office had been “completely destroyed.”
週二稍晚，北韓官方媒體也報導，兩韓聯絡辦公室已被「完全摧毀」。
ruin(v.)毀壞;破壞
Earlier this month, North Korea threatened to abolish the liaison office, one of the symbols of inter-Korean reconciliation, as it condemned Seoul for failing to stop anti-Pyongyang propaganda from being sent by balloon across the border by defector groups and other activists.
本月初，北韓不滿首爾縱容脫北者團體和其他人士，跨境用氣球朝北韓空投批評平壤的傳單，威脅關閉象徵南北韓和解的聯絡辦公室。
abolish(v.)廢除permanently shut down…永久關閉reconciliation(n.)和解defector(n.)叛國者;背叛者defect(v.)(尤指為加入敵對國家、政黨等)脫離，退出;叛逃defect from North Korea to South Korea從北韓叛逃到南韓
Last week, the North cited the same reasons for cutting off all communications with the South, a move that analysts say could be an attempt to manufacture a crisis and force concessions from its neighbor.
上週，北韓以同樣的理由中斷和南韓的所有聯繫，分析人士說北韓可能藉由此舉製造危機，逼迫鄰國讓步。
manufacture(v.)(工業)大量生產、製造、捏造;編造;虛構manufacture a story捏造故事concession(n.)讓步、妥協、認輸make concessions to sb. 向某人讓步a concession speech敗選演說
Also on Tuesday, North Korea’s military leadership threatened to send troops into the zones that were demilitarized under inter-Korean peace agreements in 2018.
周二朝鮮軍事領導人也威脅，將派兵重新進入依據2018年兩韓和平協議劃定的非軍事區。
military(n.)軍隊(adj.)軍事的demilitarize(v.)從…撤軍;使非軍事化demilitarized zones非軍事區
South Korea’s Defense Ministry also released a statement saying the military will react strongly if North Korea carries out military provocations.
韓國國防部也發表聲明，表示若朝鮮進行軍事挑釁，軍方將反擊。
provoke(v.)provocation(n.)激怒;挑釁
Experts say that Pyongyang is trying to ratchet up tensions with Seoul as nuclear negotiations with Washington remain at an impasse after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s last summit with US President Donald Trump in 2019 broke down without an agreement.
專家表示，平壤正試圖加劇與首爾間的緊張局勢，因為北韓領導人金正恩與美國總統川普上次於2019年舉行峰會，結果破局未達成協議，與華盛頓的核武談判陷入僵局，
ratchet up提高、加劇ratchet up tensions加劇緊張局勢ratchet up pressure on sb. 向某人施壓ratchet down costs降低成本ratchet up interest rates升息ease tensions減緩緊張局勢=reduce or relieve tensionsimpasse(n.)絕境、僵局at an impasse=in deadlock陷入僵局stalled(adj.)停滯的
North Korea also desperately needs relief in the face of harsh US-led sanctions and the Covid-19 pandemic.
如今北韓面臨美國主導的貿易制裁，加上新冠肺炎疫情，急需援助。
desperately(adv.)非常;極其;焦急迫切地relief(n.)援助;賑災sanction(n.)(經濟或貿易)制裁