SIM SUPER ELMer
<TOEICリスニング・リーディング特効薬!> オリジナル英文
 
<No.677>
South Koreans Not Worried by Talk of War
Carefree crowds are flocking to Yeouido Park in Seoul to see the cherry blossoms at their peak this week.

Few here are concerned this region may be on the brink of war.

"Well, it is scary to talk about war, as I am from the generation which never experienced war. But I don't really feel fear yet."

North Korea and the United States seem increasingly poised for conflict over Pyongyang’s repeated nuclear and ballistic missile tests aimed at developing the capability to target the U.S. mainland.

Washington moved the naval strike force led by the USS Carl Vinson into the region over concerns that the North will soon conduct its sixth nuclear test.

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet that North Korea was "looking for trouble," while Pyongyang warned it would retaliate against American aggression with nuclear weapons specifically targeting both South Korea and the U.S. mainland.

The flare-up in tensions, however, is not causing any sense of panic in Seoul, which is situated within range of the North’s massive artillery and missile arsenal.

Many in South Korea see the current crisis as political theater that has been played out repeatedly in the past.

Some see the increased U.S. military posturing as a right of passage for a new American president to demonstrate toughness and resolve.

"Every time the U.S. had a new president, we had similar types of crises, but we passed through them without any major struggle."

Ultimately many in South Korea expect that all sides in the standoff will act with restraint to keep the peace, rather than face the risk of triggering a war that no one can win.

Brian Padden, VOA News, Seoul
 

東京SIM外語研究所
tokyosim@tokyo-sim.com

SIMロゴ

▲Page Top
Copyright (C) 2003 Tokyo-SIM. All Rights Reserved.
特定商取引法に基づく表示 会社概要 厚生労働大臣指定講座