News English - 240

South Korea’s President at the Center of a Scandal

Recent weeks have seen huge protests taking place on the streets of Seoul, South Korea. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators are demanding that the country’s president, Park Geun-hye, step down from power. They claim Park is not fit to be a leader because she has allowed herself to be controlled from behind the scenes by a close personal friend of hers. They insist the president’s behavior represents a serious threat to the country’s democracy.

The close friend of the president is a woman called Choi Soon-sil. Choi and President Park are long-time friends. Choi’s father served as a sort of teacher and spiritual advisor to Park many decades ago. Choi is accused of using her influence over the president to tell her what to do. By taking advantage of her close ties with the president, Choi was able to indirectly exert control over the political affairs of the country. What’s more, she used her status as a close friend of the president to pressure South Korean companies to give millions of dollars to the foundations and companies she controlled. In the process, she managed to build up a huge personal fortune. The executives of the companies that gave the money had no choice but to agree to Choi’s demands. They were afraid that if they refused her, the government would find ways to make it difficult for them to continue to do business.

According to the country’s laws, as the sitting president, Park cannot be charged with a crime. Investigators are not prevented from looking into her conduct, however. Based on the evidence uncovered so far, criminal charges have been laid against Choi. Two former presidential aides have also been charged with abusing their authority for their part in assisting Choi to put pressure on companies. Moreover, the justice department has made it clear that evidence exists that President Park helped Choi, and she will almost certainly face criminal charges once she leaves office.

Despite calls for her to do so, Park is not likely to step down before the end of her term as president in February, 2018. This means she will be protected until then. If President Park does decide to yield to pressure and resign before her term ends, however, an election will have to be held within sixty days to choose a new leader.

Reading Comprehension

(     ) 1. According to the passage, why are protesters demanding President Park’s resignation?

(A) They insist the president’s friend helped her to get elected.

(B) They insist the president helped her friend’s father to make a fortune from his business.

(C) They insist the president took money from South Korean companies for personal gain.

(D) They insist the president’s behavior represents a serious threat to the country’s democracy.

(     ) 2. Why did the executives of the companies agree to give the money to Choi’s foundations and companies?

(A) They had close ties with the president.

(B) They were afraid that if they refused Choi’s demands, the government would make it difficult for them to do business.

(C) They wanted to avoid huge protests against their companies.

(D) They were trying to protect the country’s democracy from a threat.

(     ) 3. The two presidential aides have been charged with ______.

(A) abusing their authority

(B) threatening the country’s democracy

(C) making it difficult for South Korean companies to do business

(D) building up a huge personal fortune

(     ) 4. According to the passage, what will happen to President Park when she leaves office?

(A) She will receive money from South Korean company.   

(B) She will be re-elected.

(C) She will face criminal charges.

(D) She will save her friend and aides.

(     ) 5. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

(A) President Park’s term as president is supposed to finish at the end of February, 2018.

(B) If President Park resigns, an election will have to be held within sixty days to choose a new leader.

(C) As the sitting president, Park cannot be charged with a crime.

(D) As the sitting president, Park cannot be investigated.

Vocabulary and Phrases

1.          scandal [`sk8ndL] n. [C] 醜聞

The film star refused to talk about her scandal to the reporters.

2.          demonstrator [`dEm1n&stret2] n. [C] 遊行示威者

Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the square to protest against the law.

3.          democracy [d1`mAkr1sI] n. [U] 民主，民主制度

Democracy spread through Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

4.          spiritual [`spIrItS51l] adj. 精神(上)的

While food can meet the body’s needs, art and knowledge can satisfy spiritual needs.

5.          tie [taI] n. [C] (usually pl.) 關係

After ten years of graduation, Gina still has close ties with many of her college classmates now.

6.          affair [1`fEr] n. [C] (pl.) 事務

As a diplomat, Mr. Mraz has to handle lots of foreign affairs every day.

7.          status [`stet1s] n. [C] [U] 地位，身分

Over the years, the status of women in many societies has been raised

markedly.

8.          foundation [fa5n`deS1n] n. [C] 基金會

The award winner promised to put the prize money to good use by setting up a foundation offering scholarships to international students.

9.          executive [IG`zEkj5tIv] n. [C] 行政負責人

Although Tom is young, he is an executive of a private company.

10.      charge [4Ar7] vt. 控告，指控

The armed gang beat up a clerk while robbing the bank. Accordingly, they were

charged with not only robbery but also assault.

11.      investigator [In`vEst1&Get2] n. [C] 調查者

The investigators are gathering information about the murder case.

12.      prevent [prI`vEnt] vt. 防止，阻止

Every traveler’s bag has to be scanned at the airport to prevent any sharp objects or dangerous chemicals from being taken on broad.

13.      uncover [^n`k^v2] vt. 揭露，發現

Thanks to the customs officers, the plot to smuggle tons of hard drugs into the

country was uncovered.

14.      abuse [1`bjuz] vt. 濫用

Emily decided to make a confession of her long­term drug abuse to her friends

and seek their help.

15.      authority [1`TOr1tI] n. [U] 權力，權勢

Although the queen has the authority to run the country, she should listen to the voices of her people to make herself a wise ruler.

16.      moreover [mor`ov2] adv. 此外

Riding a bike can keep us fit. Moreover, it does no harm to the environment.

17.      yield [jild] vi.; vt. (使)屈服

Nancy often yields to the temptation (誘惑) to buy new clothes, and there is almost no space in her closet.

18.      resign [rI`zaIn] vt.; vi. 辭職

resignation [&rEzIg`neS1n] n. [C] [U] 辭職

Sally resigned from her position last month, for she is going to move to another country.

Words for Recognition

1.          Park Geun-hye 朴槿惠

南韓現任總統，其父親為前總統朴正熙。朴槿惠於2013年上任，成為南韓史上首位女總統。

2.          Choi Soon-sil 崔順實

南韓總統朴槿惠親信，其父為「永生教」之創始人。曾利用特權讓女兒進入梨花女子大學而引發許多爭議，並被爆出涉及韓國政治醜聞。

3.          exert [IG`z3t] vt. 運用

4.          sitting [`sItI9] adj. 擔任現職的，在任期內的

5.          aide [ed] n. [C] 助手

Translation

南韓總統身陷醜聞

最近幾個星期以來，南韓首爾的街道上有許多大型抗議，成千上萬的抗議民眾要求總統朴槿惠下台，他們稱朴不配當總統，因為她被躲在幕後的密友控制。他們堅稱總統的行為嚴重威脅到國家的民主。

這名總統的閨密叫做崔順實，她跟朴槿惠已有多年交情，她的父親在幾十年前曾是朴的心靈導師。崔被控運用她對總統的影響左右她的作為，藉著與總統的親近關係，她能夠間接地行使行政事務。此外，她還仗著自己是總統密友，對南韓企業施壓，逼迫他們捐款數百億到她旗下的基金會及公司，設法在此過程中創造龐大的個人財富。這些捐款的公司的主管們都只能同意崔的要求，因為他們怕一旦拒絕了她，政府就會想盡辦法阻撓他們的事業。

根據南韓的法律，朴槿惠身為現任總統，因此不能被控告犯罪。然而，調查人員並沒有被阻止對她的行為進行調查。根據到目前為止的證據，已經可以對崔順實起訴；還有兩位前總統助手也被控濫用職權，幫助崔對企業施壓。此外，司法部表明了已有證據顯示朴曾幫助崔，而她下台後勢必會面臨被接受起訴。

儘管朴槿惠被要求下台，但她似乎到2018年2月任期結束前都不會這麼做，這代表她會被保護到那個時候。但是，假如朴總統決定屈服於壓力並在任期結束前卸任，南韓就必須在六十天內選出一位新總統。

閱讀測驗解答：1. D  2. B  3. A  4. C  5. D