12-29-06

首尔称北韩为“严重威胁” (Seoul Says North Korea "Serious Threat")

韩国国防部称北韩是对韩国的“严重威胁”，说北韩可能有能力制造至少5枚核武器。韩国国防部在每两年发表一次的白皮书中说，它相信北韩拥有大约50公斤的金属钸，其中30公斤在过去3年期间获得。韩国国防部说，考虑到北韩今年10月进行的核试验和北韩发展核武器的重要性，它把北韩界定为严重威胁。

South Korea's Defense Ministry is calling North Korea a "serious threat" to South Korea, saying it may have the capacity to produce at least five nuclear weapons. In a white paper it publishes every two years, the Defense Ministry says it believes North Korea has about 50 kilograms of plutonium -- 30 kilograms of it obtained during the past three years. The ministry says it defines North Korea as a serious threat after considering the significance of Pyongyang's nuclear test in October and its development of nuclear weapons.

台湾挪用公款审判总统夫人未出庭 (Wife of President Fails to Attend Embezzlement Trial in Taiwan)

台湾总统陈水扁患病的妻子吴淑珍在有关她挪用公款一案的审理中再次未出庭。因为低血压，国立台湾大学医院的医生建议吴淑珍不要出庭后，吴淑珍获准在星期五的庭审中可以不到庭。

12月早些时候的第一次审理中，必须坐轮椅的吴淑珍晕倒。她还获准不必出庭参加在上星期举行的第二次庭审。吴淑珍11月与总统的三名助手一起被起诉，罪名是非法用总统基金支付用于个人的45万美元费用。吴淑珍和三名助手已提出无罪申辩。陈水扁总统说，如果他夫人罪名成立，他将下台。

The ailing wife of Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian has failed to attend another session of her embezzlement trial. Wu Shu-chen was excused from Friday's hearing after doctors at the National Taiwan University Hospital advised her not to attend because of low blood pressure.

The wheelchair-bound first lady collapsed earlier December during the first hearing of her case, and was also excused from attending the court's second session last week. She was indicted last month -- along with three presidential aides -- on charges of illegally claiming 450-thousand dollars in personal expenses from a presidential fund. Wu and the three aides have pleaded not guilty. Mr. Chen has said he will step down if his wife is found guilty.