朝鲜已经宣布在其东海岸划设禁航区，引发了对朝鲜再次进行导弹测试的担忧。

Officials said this week that the no-sail zone is near the eastern coastal city of Wonsan. It is effective from November 11 to December 7. Reports say the order started in North Korea's internal communications channels.

韩国官员本周表示，禁航区在朝鲜东部港口城市元山附近，禁航期为11月11日至12月7日。有关报道说，这一指令首先是通过朝鲜内部交流通道传出来的。

North Korea has declared a "no sail zone" near its eastern coast. The move has led South Korean media to speculate whether the country will carry out a missile test.

The U.N.'s International Maritime Organization told VOA it has not received any notification from North Korea about a no-sail declaration.

周一，联合国国际海事组织在发给美国之音的邮件中说，还没有收到来自朝鲜的关于宣告禁航的任何通知。

The move comes as South Korean media reported that the U.N. Secretary General planned to visit the North.

此举正值韩国媒体报道联合国秘书长计划访问朝鲜之时。

However, a U.N. spokesperson said Wednesday that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon would not travel to the communist country.

然而，周三，一位联合发言人表示，秘书长潘基文不会访问这该共产主义国家。

A spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Monday the military will increase readiness if necessary. The spokesperson said the military is closely watching activities related to a possible launch.

周一，一位韩国参谋长联席会议发言人告诉记者，必要时，军方将增加准备。该发言人还表示军方将密切关注可能的相关发射活动。

Experts in Seoul say North Korea could launch a mid-range missile or a new kind of ballistic missile.

首尔的分析人士称，朝鲜可能会发射一枚中程导弹，或是一种新型弹道导弹。

Shin In-Kyun is a defense expert who says, "The no sail zone is quite expansive and I believe that is because Pyongyang intends to fire a Rodong missile." North Korea's mid-range missile is able to travel 1,300 kilometers. visit the website www.chinavoa.com to get more information!

国防专家Shin In-Kyun表示，禁航区范围之广，他认为是由于平壤打算发射“劳动”导弹。朝鲜的中程导弹射程达1300公里。

Some Korean mediaspeculated that North Korea might fire a ballistic missile from a submarine. In May, North Korea claimed it had successfully fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile.

一些韩国媒体猜测，朝鲜可能发射一枚潜射弹道导弹。五月份，朝鲜声称它已成功发射一枚潜射弹道导弹。

But a South Korean official who asked to remain unnamed told VOA that North Korea declared no-sail zones several times in the past few months. It did not, however, follow with a missile launch.

但是一名不愿透露姓名的韩国官员告诉美国之音，过去几个月间，朝鲜划设了几次禁航区，但是并没有发射导弹。

I'm Mario Ritter.

我是马里奥·里特。

Ha Sang Mi reported this story from Seoul. Lee Yeon Cheol and Jee Abbey Lee contributed to it. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.

Please let us know your thoughts in the Comments section or on our Facebook page, thanks!

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

zone – n. an area that is different in a particular way

channels – n. a path for communication from one group to another

speculate – v. to make a guess about something without have all the information about it

ballistic missile–n. a missile able to travel great distances

North Koreahas declared a "no-sail zone" off its eastern coast and raised concerns that it will carry out a missile test.

Officials said this week that the no-sail zone is near the eastern coastal city of Wonsan. It is effective from November 11 to December 7. Reports say the order started in North Korea's internal communications channels.

The U.N.'s International Maritime Organization told VOA it has not received any notification from North Korea about a no-sail declaration.

The move comes as South Korean media reported that the U.N. Secretary General planned to visit the North.

However, a U.N. spokesperson said Wednesday that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon would not travel to the communist country.

A spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Monday the military will increase readiness if necessary. The spokesperson said the military is closely watching activities related to a possible launch.

Experts in Seoul say North Korea could launch a mid-range missile or a new kind of ballistic missile.

Shin In-Kyun is a defense expert who says, "The no sail zone is quite expansive and I believe that is because Pyongyang intends to fire a Rodong missile." North Korea's mid-range missile is able to travel 1,300 kilometers. visit the website www.chinavoa.com to get more information!

Some Korean mediaspeculated that North Korea might fire a ballistic missile from a submarine. In May, North Korea claimed it had successfully fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile.

But a South Korean official who asked to remain unnamed told VOA that North Korea declared no-sail zones several times in the past few months. It did not, however, follow with a missile launch.

I'm Mario Ritter.

Ha Sang Mi reported this story from Seoul. Lee Yeon Cheol and Jee Abbey Lee contributed to it. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.

Please let us know your thoughts in the Comments section or on our Facebook page, thanks!

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

zone – n. an area that is different in a particular way

channels – n. a path for communication from one group to another

speculate – v. to make a guess about something without have all the information about it

ballistic missile–n. a missile able to travel great distances