联合国秘书长潘基文计划访问朝鲜

United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon is planning to visit North Korea this week, South Korean Yonhap news agency has reported, raising hopes for progress in relations between the two Koreas.

据韩国联合通讯社报道，本周联合国秘书长潘基文计划将访问朝鲜。潘基文此行将给朝鲜半岛两国关系带来改善的契机。

The surprise trip will be Mr Ban’s first trip to Pyongyang in his capacity as UN chief, a high-level UN source told Yonhap.

联合国高层人员透露，本次出行是潘基文首次以联合国首长的身份访问朝鲜。

It is hoped the UN chief’s trip will bolster efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear standoff.

人们希望潘基文此行能够缓解朝鲜核问题的僵局。

Recent reports that North Korea has declared a no-sail zone off its east coast have been seen as a possible indication the country could be preparing for a missile test-launch in the area.

近日有报道称，朝鲜宣布其在东面领海设立禁航区。这被视为朝鲜可能会在该区域准备进行导弹试射。

Sources from the South Korean government on Sunday told Yonhap North Korea declared the no-sail zone in the East Sea area near Wonsan from November 11 to December 7.

本周日，韩国政府有关人员宣称，在11月11日至12月7日，将在元山附近的东海设立禁航区。

The unidentified UN source told Yonhap Mr Ban was almost certain to meet with North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un, who is yet to receive a head of state since taking over from his late father Kim Jong-il in 2011.

身份不明的联合国人员称，潘基文几乎已经确认要和金正恩会面。金正恩在2011年从其父金正日手中接过朝鲜元首的头衔。

"There can’t be such a situation where the UN secretary-general visits North Korea and does not meet with the supreme leader of the UN member state," the source said.

该人员称：“如果联合国秘书长访问朝鲜，而未与其最高领导人会面，那么这实在不合情理。”

The UN spokesman’s office in New York has not commented on the reported visit and is yet to formally announce the trip including dates or other specific details.

联合国发言人办公室并未对与访问相关的报道发表评论，但其已做好正式宣布行程的准备，包括日期等一些其他细节。

Although Pyongyang gave no official explanation for revoking the invitation, it was seen as a response to comments the UN chief made at the time warning the North against raising tensions on the divided peninsula.

在五月份，潘基文曾计划访问朝鲜边境城市开城。开城市位于韩国的工业联合中心。但是朝鲜方面在最后收回了邀请。尽管潘基文对邀请撤销未发表任何官方解释，这被看做是对潘基文彼时警告朝鲜不要在半岛加剧紧张局势的言论的某种回应。

Mr Ban has repeatedly spoken of his desire to promote inter-Korean reconciliation and resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.

潘基文曾多次表达他迫切希望能促进朝鲜半岛两国和解，并化解朝鲜核危机。

It will not be his first visit to the North. He crossed the border to visit the joint industrial zone of Kaesong with a delegation of foreign diplomats in 2006 when he was South Korea’s foreign minister.

此次访问并非他首次前往朝鲜。在2006年时任韩国外长之际，他曾获外交授权，穿过朝韩边境访问两国联合工业中心开城市。

Two UN secretary generals have visited North Korea in the past. They include Kurt Waldheim in 1979 and, in 1993, Boutros Boutros-Ghali who met with then-leader Kim Il-Sung to discuss tensions over its nuclear ambitions.

过去，有两位联合国秘书长访问过朝鲜，包括1979年的瓦尔德海姆之行以及1993年的布特罗斯.盖里之行。布特罗斯.盖里还与当时的朝鲜领导接班人金日成一起讨论朝鲜核计划所带来的紧张局势。