04 朝鲜退出东京奥运会

这个决定粉碎了韩国利用奥运会改善朝韩关系并重启核谈判的希望。朝方就此给出的理由是，需要保护朝鲜运动员免受新冠危机的影响。

全文共607个词，by Song Jung-a, Robin Harding in Seoul, in Tokyo

North Korea has withdrawn from the Tokyo Olympics because of the coronavirus pandemic, dashing Seoul’s hopes of using the event to improve inter-Korean relations and revive nuclear talks.

受新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19，即2019冠状病毒病）疫情影响，朝鲜退出了本届东京奥运会（Tokyo Olympics），此举粉碎了韩国利用这次奥运会改善朝韩关系并重启核谈判的希望。

The decision to miss the Games scheduled to begin in July was made by North Korea’s Olympics committee on March 25, a website run by the country’s sports ministry said, citing the need to protect its athletes from the global health crisis.

朝鲜体育部运营的一个网站称，朝鲜奥委会于3月25日做出了不参加定于7月开幕的东京奥运会的决定，理由是需要保护该国运动员免受这场全球健康危机的影响。

The decision to withdraw coincides with deteriorating inter-Korean relations, which have been put under additional strain by North Korea’s recent missile launches and a stalemate in nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang.

朝鲜作出这一决定正值朝韩关系不断恶化之际。近日，朝鲜的导弹发射以及美朝核谈判陷入僵局都令朝韩关系更加紧张。

Seoul’s unification ministry on Tuesday expressed its regret over Pyongyang’s decision, saying it had hoped the Olympics would provide another chance to “foster peace and reconciliation between the two Koreas.”

韩国统一部周二对朝鲜这一决定表示遗憾，并表示，曾希望此次奥运会能够提供又一次“促进南北韩和平与和解”的机会。

North Korea took part in the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. Kim Jong Un, the North Korean dictator, sent a delegation led by his sister Kim Yo Jong, which was accompanied by hundreds of red-clad North Korean cheerleaders who captivated global audiences.

朝鲜参加过2018年在韩国举办的冬奥会。当时，朝鲜独裁者金正恩（Kim Jong Un）派出了一个由其妹妹金与正（Kim Yo Jong）率领的代表团，随行的还有数百名身着红色服装的朝鲜啦啦队员，吸引了全球观众的目光。

At the Pyeongchang Olympics, athletes from the two Koreas marched together under a unified flag in the opening ceremony and fielded their first combined Olympics team in women’s ice hockey.

在平昌冬奥会的开幕式上，朝韩两国的运动员在一面统一的旗帜下并肩入场，并派出了两国的首支奥运会女子冰球联队。

The Olympics detente led to historic summits between Kim and then US president Donald Trump, where the North Korean leader pledged to denuclearise his weapons arsenal.

奥运会带来的缓和促成了金正恩与时任美国总统唐纳德·特朗普（Donald Trump）之间的历史性峰会，金正恩在峰会上承诺推进其武器库无核化。

But talks have since stalled. Kim has cut engagement with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Washington has refused to ease sanctions against Pyongyang.

但随后谈判陷入僵局。金正恩中断了与韩国总统文在寅（Moon Jae-in）的接触，华盛顿方面也拒绝放松对朝制裁。

Kim has continued to develop nuclear weapons technology and rebuffed the latest US efforts to engage while the Biden administration completes a review to determine its North Korea policy.

金正恩仍在继续开发核武技术，并拒绝了美国在拜登（Joe Biden）政府完成审查并确定其对朝政策后做出的与朝鲜方面接触的最新努力。

Analysts said a change in North Korea’s stance was unlikely in the near future as the pandemic,coupled with sanctions, flood damage and Kim’s economic policies, had aggravated its economic woes.

分析人士表示，朝鲜不太可能在近期改变立场，因为疫情、制裁、洪灾和金正恩的经济政策加剧了该国的经济困境。

North Korea insists that it is free of coronavirus but outside experts doubt its claim as the country has quarantined tens of thousands of people who have shown symptoms. Pyongyang has shut down land,sea and air routes and limited domestic movement, describing its antivirus efforts as a “matter of national existence”.

朝鲜坚称该国没有新型冠状病毒，但外部专家对此说法表示怀疑，因为朝鲜已隔离了数以万计出现症状的人。平壤已经关闭了陆地、海上和空中的出入境交通，并限制国内的人员流动，称其抗疫努力“事关国家存亡”。

“It is hard to expect any breakthrough in inter-Korean relations and nuclear talks as Biden is unlikely to lift sanctions while Kim continues to push for nuclear weapons,” said Kim Jae-chun, a professor at Sogang University and former government adviser.

西江大学（Sogang University）教授、韩国政府前顾问金宰春（Kim Jae-chun）表示：“很难期待朝韩关系以及核谈判能取得任何突破，因为在金正恩继续推动核武器发展之际，拜登不太可能解除制裁。”

“North Korea is not Biden’s top priority although its economy is in real bad shape and it’s unclear how long it can withstand the situation.”

“朝鲜不是拜登的首要任务，尽管朝鲜的经济状况非常糟糕，而且不清楚这种局面它还能撑多久。”

North Korea is the first country to withdraw from Tokyo 2020, marking the latest setback for a Games dogged by allegations of corruption in the bidding process, a sexism scandal that brought down its former president, and a one-year postponement due to Covid-19.

朝鲜是第一个退出2020年东京奥运会的国家，这是本届奥运会遭遇的最新挫折。这届奥运会已经历了多重磨难，包括其申办过程被指控腐败，东京奥组委前主席因性别歧视丑闻下台，以及因新冠疫情而被推迟一年。

Seiko Hashimoto, the head of Tokyo 2020, told national broadcaster NHK that she had learnt of North Korea’s withdrawal from the morning news. “Neither the International Olympic Committee or the Japanese Olympic Committee have been told of a decision not to participate,” she said.

东京奥组委现任主席桥本圣子（Seiko Hashimoto）向国家广播公司日本放送协会（NHK）表示，她是从早间新闻中得知朝鲜退出的消息的。她说：“国际奥委会（IOC）和日本奥委会（JOC）都没有被告知这一退出决定。”

“Participation in the Olympics is at the invitation of the IOC. As the organising committee, we’re still working to deliver a safe and secure Games for every country that attends.”

“参加奥运会是应国际奥委会之邀。作为组委会，我们仍在努力为每个参赛国提供一场安全可靠的赛事。”