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Mocking Kim Jong Un, a Serious Matter

After major American theater chains decided not to run a new Hollywood comedy about a U.S. plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, its financial backer, Sony Pictures Entertainment, decided not to release it. The decision follows a threat by mysterious computer hackers to attack theaters showing the movie. North Korea's reaction to the “The Interview” underscores its intolerance for any ridicule of the country's young leader.

Inside North Korea, Kim Jong Un, like his late father and grandfather, is depicted as infallible.

The state-controlled media jubilantly reported that he won an election to the Supreme People's Assembly last year with 100 percent of the vote. Of course, his was the only name on the ballot.

So it is not surprising that North Korea is angry about “The Interview,” a dark comedy that ridicules the leader before depicting his assassination. The Foreign Ministry in Pyongyang called the film an act of war and promised retaliation.

Kim Yong-hyun, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University in Seoul, South Korea, says Pyongyong is very protective of its leader’s image.

“North Koreans react to satire very sensitively and there were some cases that they complained about it harming the dignity of their leader in the past,” says Kim Yong-hyun.

North Korea protested the movie “Team America: World Police” that comically depicted Kim Jong Un’s father, Kim Jong Il, when it came out a decade ago. But the country never took any provocative action in response.

That may have changed with the cyber attack on Sony. Pyongyang denied any involvement, but the unknown hackers who released confidential company information had threatened to release more unless the studio cancelled the release of “The Interview.”

Korea analyst Victor Cha with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington says Kim Jong Un’s weeks-long disappearance earlier in the year and the execution of his uncle indicate the young leader may be struggling to solidify his grip on power.

“The leadership transition is now three years old. We still don’t know if it’s entirely complete. There continue to be purges inside the country, which gives one the sense that there’s some turn inside the system,” he said.

Cha says lampooning Kim Jong Un’s carefully managed image can undermine the regime in a way that sanctions or hostile actions cannot.

“They can always rally the people around western hostility but western ridicule is harder for them to rally their people around because it raises questions about the leadership,” Cha said.

The commotion over a comedic film is adding to the tension in the region as international talks to curb North Korea’s nuclear program remains deadlocked and the United Nations continues to pressure the regime on charges of human rights abuses.

詞匯解析

recognize

難度：4星核心詞匯，屬常用3000詞

英漢解釋

vt.承認(rèn)；認(rèn)出；意識(shí)到；表示感激；識(shí)別

參考例句

用作及物動(dòng)詞 (vt.)

His thorough knowledge and competence were recognized.

他的淵博的學(xué)識(shí)和工作能力得到了承認(rèn)。

The firm recognized Tom's outstanding work by giving him an extra bonus.

公司發(fā)給湯姆一筆額外獎(jiǎng)金以表彰他出色的工作。

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private

難度：5星基本詞匯，屬常用1000詞

英漢解釋

adj.私人的；個(gè)人的；私下的；私有的；緘默的

n.士兵；列兵

參考例句

用作形容詞 (adj.)

The public is fascinated by the private lives of public figures.

公眾對(duì)社會(huì)名流的私生活具有濃厚的興趣。

用作名詞 (n.)

Soldiers are classified as Private, Specialist Sergeant and Master Sergeant.

士兵分為列兵、專業(yè)軍士、軍士長(zhǎng)。

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impression

難度：3星常用詞匯，屬常用6000詞

英漢解釋

n.印象；感覺(jué)；模仿

n.印跡；印刷

參考例句

用作名詞 (n.)

Her gentleness has given me a deep impression.

她的親切給我留下了很深的印象。

The first edition of this dictionary has an impression of 10,000 copies and the total price is 1,000,000 yuan.

這部詞典第一版印刷一萬(wàn)冊(cè)，碼洋為一百萬(wàn)元。

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storage

難度：4星核心詞匯，屬常用3000詞

英漢解釋

n.保管；貯藏；倉(cāng)庫(kù)；保管費(fèi)；[計(jì)]存儲(chǔ)器

參考例句

用作名詞 (n.)

The best place for storage of money is a bank.

銀行是存錢最好的地方。

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poetry

難度：4星核心詞匯，屬常用3000詞

英漢解釋

n.詩(shī)歌；詩(shī)意；詩(shī)集

參考例句

用作名詞 (n.)

Poetry helps to interpret life.

詩(shī)有助于闡釋人生的意義。

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petroleum

難度：3星常用詞匯，屬常用6000詞

英漢解釋

n.石油

參考例句

用作名詞 (n.)

Indonesia is abundant in petroleum deposits.

印尼的石油蘊(yùn)藏量豐富。

Any new source of energy will be welcome, as there is a shortage of petroleum.

由于石油短缺，任何一種新能源都會(huì)受歡迎。

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defend

難度：4星核心詞匯，屬常用3000詞

英漢解釋

v.防守；防護(hù)；辯護(hù)

參考例句

用作動(dòng)詞 (v.)

Some players are better at defending.

有些運(yùn)動(dòng)員較擅長(zhǎng)打防衛(wèi)。

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