Seoul has accused Pyongyang of duplicity bystrengthening its military posture this weekendeven as negotiators from the two Koreas try to reverse a rise in tensions.

韓國指責朝鮮表里不一，稱后者于上周末在兩國談判人員努力阻止緊張局勢升級之際加大了軍事部署。

Senior officials on Sunday afternoon resumed bilateral talks that ran late into Saturday nightwithout agreement, and which were prompted by a rare exchange of artillery fire this week.

上周，朝韓發生了罕見的相互炮擊事件，兩國為此舉行了談判，但直至上周六深夜仍未達成任何協議。上周日下午，兩國高級官員再次舉行談判。

But as Sunday’s meeting got under way, South Korea’s defence ministry accused Pyongyangof showing “two faces by deploying additional military assets over the weekend. It said NorthKorea had raised its frontline artillery assets to double the normal level and that 70 per cent itssubmarines were away from their bases.

但在上周日談判進行之際，韓國國防部指責朝鮮“兩面三刀、在周末期間加大了軍事部署。韓國國防部表示，朝鮮將其前線的火炮力量增加至正常水平的兩倍，同時還有70%的潛艇離開了基地。

Senior officials from both sides met on Saturday evening at the truce village of Panmunjeom,which straddles the inter-Korean border, to discuss measures to repair relations. At 4.15amthe negotiators agreed to adjourn the talks and resume on Sunday afternoon.

上周六晚間，兩國高級官員在位于朝韓邊境的板門店“和平之家會晤，討論修復兩國關系的舉措。上周日凌晨4時15分，兩國談判人員同意暫時休會，并于當日下午重啟談判。

The Pyongyang contingent was led by Hwang Pyong So, the North Korean army’s top politicalofficer, who has become one of the closest aides to Kim Jong Un, the supreme leader, afterrising through the Korean Workers’ party.

朝方由朝鮮人民軍總政治局局長黃炳誓(Hwang Pyong-so)帶隊。黃炳誓在朝鮮勞動黨(Korean Workers'Party)內逐步晉升之后，成為最高領導人金正恩(Kim Jong Un)最為親密的助手之一。

South Korea’s negotiators were headed by Kim Kwan-jin, head of national security office and atop adviser to President Park Geun-hye, who came to power in 2023 vowing to build trust withPyongyang.

韓方由青瓦臺國家安保室室長、韓國總統樸槿惠(Park Geun-hye)高級顧問金寬鎮(Kim Kwan-jin)領隊。樸槿惠在2023年上臺之際曾承諾要建立韓朝信任關系。

Prospects of improving relations have been undermined by a series of diplomatic and militaryconfrontations. The latest came two weeks ago when Seoul accused Pyongyang of laying minesthat maimed two South Korean soldiers on the southern edge of the demilitarised zone thatdivides the peninsula.

兩國關系改善的前景受到了一系列外交和軍事沖突的影響。最新沖突來自兩周前，當時韓國指責朝鮮在位于韓朝分界線的非軍事區南部邊緣地區布雷，導致兩名韓國士兵身受重傷。

On Thursday North Korea fired three shells over the border and South Korea responded byfiring about three dozen. There were no reports of any casualties. Pyongyang then threatenedfurther military action if loudspeakers blaring propaganda across the border from the southwere not silenced by Saturday afternoon.

上周四，朝鮮在兩國邊界處發射了3枚炮彈，韓國則回擊了30多枚炮彈。雙方均沒有傷亡報道。隨后平壤方面威脅稱，如果韓國不在上周六下午前停止在邊界處播放宣傳廣播，就會采取進一步的軍事行動。

Despite the joint effort to bring calm over the weekend, the military posturing continued. OnSaturday eight US and South Korean combat jets flew over the peninsula in a show of force.Seoul’s defence ministry said on Sunday its forces remained on high alert, and that thepropaganda broadcasts were continuing.

盡管上周末雙方努力緩和局勢，但軍事上的部署仍在繼續。上周六，8架韓美戰機在朝鮮半島上空飛行，展示武力。韓國國防部上周日表示，其軍隊依然處于高級別的戒備狀態，而且繼續用擴音器播放宣傳廣播。

Meanwhile, the “semi-war footing North Korea assumed on Friday remains in force, with statemedia on Saturday carrying warnings of the country’s readiness for conflict.

與此同時，于上周五進入“準戰時狀態的朝鮮依然枕戈以待，其官方媒體上周六警告稱，朝鮮已做好戰爭準備。

“We servicepersons are eagerly waiting for an order of attack on the provokers, Hong Chul, anarmy officer, was quoted as saying. “The time of ultimate destruction on the part of theSouth Korean group of traitors is near at hand.

媒體援引朝鮮軍官Hong Chul的話稱：“我們軍人急切地等待著打擊挑釁者的命令。最終打垮南朝鮮逆賊集團的時機近在咫尺。

Experts this week noted that North Korea routinely threatens war to put pressure on Seouland Washington, but warned that the exchange of fire was unusual and raised the risks ofdangerous accidents.

專家在上周指出，朝鮮時不時威脅發動戰爭以對韓國和美國施壓，但他們警告稱，此次互射炮彈異乎尋常，增加了爆發危險事件的風險。

“Pyongyang instigates crises approximately twice per year, ratcheting up tensions, grabbingheadlines and then fading away until the next bizarre or bellicose incident, ChristianWhiton, a former US envoy for North Korean human rights, wrote on Saturday for CNN. “Unfortunately, North Korea is getting better at creative aggression.

美國前朝鮮人權問題特使克里斯蒂安惠頓(Christian Whiton)上周六為美國有線電視資訊網(CNN)撰稿時指出：“平壤方面幾乎每年都會有兩次挑起危機，加劇緊張局勢，搶占資訊頭條，隨后偃旗息鼓，直至下一起古怪或挑釁的事件發生。遺憾的是，朝鮮對創造性挑釁越來越得心應手。

Seoul has accused Pyongyang of duplicity bystrengthening its military posture this weekendeven as negotiators from the two Koreas try to reverse a rise in tensions.

韓國指責朝鮮表里不一，稱后者于上周末在兩國談判人員努力阻止緊張局勢升級之際加大了軍事部署。

Senior officials on Sunday afternoon resumed bilateral talks that ran late into Saturday nightwithout agreement, and which were prompted by a rare exchange of artillery fire this week.

上周，朝韓發生了罕見的相互炮擊事件，兩國為此舉行了談判，但直至上周六深夜仍未達成任何協議。上周日下午，兩國高級官員再次舉行談判。

But as Sunday’s meeting got under way, South Korea’s defence ministry accused Pyongyangof showing “two faces by deploying additional military assets over the weekend. It said NorthKorea had raised its frontline artillery assets to double the normal level and that 70 per cent itssubmarines were away from their bases.

但在上周日談判進行之際，韓國國防部指責朝鮮“兩面三刀、在周末期間加大了軍事部署。韓國國防部表示，朝鮮將其前線的火炮力量增加至正常水平的兩倍，同時還有70%的潛艇離開了基地。

Senior officials from both sides met on Saturday evening at the truce village of Panmunjeom,which straddles the inter-Korean border, to discuss measures to repair relations. At 4.15amthe negotiators agreed to adjourn the talks and resume on Sunday afternoon.

上周六晚間，兩國高級官員在位于朝韓邊境的板門店“和平之家會晤，討論修復兩國關系的舉措。上周日凌晨4時15分，兩國談判人員同意暫時休會，并于當日下午重啟談判。

The Pyongyang contingent was led by Hwang Pyong So, the North Korean army’s top politicalofficer, who has become one of the closest aides to Kim Jong Un, the supreme leader, afterrising through the Korean Workers’ party.

朝方由朝鮮人民軍總政治局局長黃炳誓(Hwang Pyong-so)帶隊。黃炳誓在朝鮮勞動黨(Korean Workers'Party)內逐步晉升之后，成為最高領導人金正恩(Kim Jong Un)最為親密的助手之一。

South Korea’s negotiators were headed by Kim Kwan-jin, head of national security office and atop adviser to President Park Geun-hye, who came to power in 2023 vowing to build trust withPyongyang.

韓方由青瓦臺國家安保室室長、韓國總統樸槿惠(Park Geun-hye)高級顧問金寬鎮(Kim Kwan-jin)領隊。樸槿惠在2023年上臺之際曾承諾要建立韓朝信任關系。

Prospects of improving relations have been undermined by a series of diplomatic and militaryconfrontations. The latest came two weeks ago when Seoul accused Pyongyang of laying minesthat maimed two South Korean soldiers on the southern edge of the demilitarised zone thatdivides the peninsula.

兩國關系改善的前景受到了一系列外交和軍事沖突的影響。最新沖突來自兩周前，當時韓國指責朝鮮在位于韓朝分界線的非軍事區南部邊緣地區布雷，導致兩名韓國士兵身受重傷。

On Thursday North Korea fired three shells over the border and South Korea responded byfiring about three dozen. There were no reports of any casualties. Pyongyang then threatenedfurther military action if loudspeakers blaring propaganda across the border from the southwere not silenced by Saturday afternoon.

上周四，朝鮮在兩國邊界處發射了3枚炮彈，韓國則回擊了30多枚炮彈。雙方均沒有傷亡報道。隨后平壤方面威脅稱，如果韓國不在上周六下午前停止在邊界處播放宣傳廣播，就會采取進一步的軍事行動。

Despite the joint effort to bring calm over the weekend, the military posturing continued. OnSaturday eight US and South Korean combat jets flew over the peninsula in a show of force.Seoul’s defence ministry said on Sunday its forces remained on high alert, and that thepropaganda broadcasts were continuing.

盡管上周末雙方努力緩和局勢，但軍事上的部署仍在繼續。上周六，8架韓美戰機在朝鮮半島上空飛行，展示武力。韓國國防部上周日表示，其軍隊依然處于高級別的戒備狀態，而且繼續用擴音器播放宣傳廣播。

Meanwhile, the “semi-war footing North Korea assumed on Friday remains in force, with statemedia on Saturday carrying warnings of the country’s readiness for conflict.

與此同時，于上周五進入“準戰時狀態的朝鮮依然枕戈以待，其官方媒體上周六警告稱，朝鮮已做好戰爭準備。

“We servicepersons are eagerly waiting for an order of attack on the provokers, Hong Chul, anarmy officer, was quoted as saying. “The time of ultimate destruction on the part of theSouth Korean group of traitors is near at hand.

媒體援引朝鮮軍官Hong Chul的話稱：“我們軍人急切地等待著打擊挑釁者的命令。最終打垮南朝鮮逆賊集團的時機近在咫尺。

Experts this week noted that North Korea routinely threatens war to put pressure on Seouland Washington, but warned that the exchange of fire was unusual and raised the risks ofdangerous accidents.

專家在上周指出，朝鮮時不時威脅發動戰爭以對韓國和美國施壓，但他們警告稱，此次互射炮彈異乎尋常，增加了爆發危險事件的風險。

“Pyongyang instigates crises approximately twice per year, ratcheting up tensions, grabbingheadlines and then fading away until the next bizarre or bellicose incident, ChristianWhiton, a former US envoy for North Korean human rights, wrote on Saturday for CNN. “Unfortunately, North Korea is getting better at creative aggression.

美國前朝鮮人權問題特使克里斯蒂安惠頓(Christian Whiton)上周六為美國有線電視資訊網(CNN)撰稿時指出：“平壤方面幾乎每年都會有兩次挑起危機，加劇緊張局勢，搶占資訊頭條，隨后偃旗息鼓，直至下一起古怪或挑釁的事件發生。遺憾的是，朝鮮對創造性挑釁越來越得心應手。