12-29-06

首爾稱北韓為“嚴重威脅” (Seoul Says North Korea "Serious Threat")

南韓國防部稱北韓是對南韓的“嚴重威脅”，說北韓可能有能力製造至少5枚核武器。南韓國防部在每兩年發表一次的白皮書中說，它相信北韓擁有大約50公斤的金屬鈽，其中30公斤在過去3年期間獲得。南韓國防部說，考慮到北韓今年10月進行的核子試驗和北韓發展核武器的重要性，它把北韓界定為嚴重威脅。

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.

台灣挪用公款審判總統夫人未出庭 (Wife of President Fails to Attend Embezzlement Trial in Taiwan)

台灣總統陳水扁患病的妻子吳淑珍在有關她挪用公款一案的審理中再次未出庭。因為低血壓，國立台灣大學醫院的醫生建議吳淑珍不要出庭後，吳淑珍獲准在星期五的庭審中可以不到庭。

12月早些時候的第一次審理中，必須坐輪椅的吳淑珍暈倒。她還獲准不必出庭參加在上星期舉行的第二次庭審。吳淑珍11月與總統的三名助手一起被起訴，罪名是非法用總統基金支付用於個人的45萬美元費用。吳淑珍和三名助手已提出無罪申辯。陳水扁總統說，如果他夫人罪名成立，他將下臺。

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.