North Korea will stop sending balloons filled with trash to South Korea
Listen to the story (Singaporean accent)
North Korea has decided to stop sending balloons filled with trash to South Korea.
Kim Kang Il, a leader in North Korea’s military, said that North Korea sent 15 tons of trash to South Korea in balloons. Kim explained that this was a reaction to South Korea sending balloons with messages that North Korea did not like.
Kim mentioned that South Korea now knows what it’s like to clean up a lot of trash from the balloons.
A South Korean official said they would take strong steps against North Korea for sending these trash balloons.
This person also said they might use loudspeakers at the border to send messages to North Korea. The loudspeakers haven’t been used since 2018 after the two sides made an agreement.
South Korea’s military leaders said the latest balloons from North Korea did not have anything dangerous in them. The first round of balloons had used toilet paper among other trash.
South Korea’s military, police, and other groups are working together to pick up the balloons and trash safely. They found balloons in many places, including Seoul, the capital city.
North Korea and South Korea have been separated since 1953. They are not at peace, even though there is no fighting.
North Korea does not allow things from other countries, like movies or books. People there can get in serious trouble if they are caught with foreign goods and media.
From 2017 to 2018, the relationship between North Korea and South Korea improved. North Korea was less strict about foreign media and allowed some pop culture from South Korea. However, things suddenly changed after that.
Vocabulary31 words
- Balloon
- ?;
- Trash
- garbage; waste; something you don’t want or need anymore and can’t be used
- Leader
- someone who is in charge of a group, organization or country; a boss or manager; a person who guides, directs, or commands a group
- Military
- armed forces; army; agency or department of a government for combat/war
- Metric ton
- 1,000 kilograms (kg)
- Reaction
- How someone feels or acts in response to something; behavior, a feeling or an action that is a direct result of something else
- Mention
- to briefly or quickly talk about something; to say something, but not talk in detail about it
- Official
- a person who works for the government or a government company and has power or authority; officer; executive
- Take steps
- To start doing something to solve a problem
- Loudspeaker
- A device/machine that makes sounds louder; ?
- Border
- the line that separates two countries; the line where two countries meet; the edge or outside part of an area
- Make an agreement
- To decide on something together; to agree
- Agreement
- an understanding; a plan or contract made between two or more people/groups
- Dangerous
- Not safe; can cause harm; can hurt
- Round
- A part or stage of an activity; Another time of doing something
- Used
- has already been used before; not new;
- Toilet paper
- Soft paper used for cleaning oneself after using the toilet; ?
- Among
- In the middle of; included in a group
- Capital
- the most important city or town of a country or region, usually the location of the government
- Peace
- When there is no war or fighting; When everyone is happy
- Even though
- although; despite the fact that; a phrase used to show a contrast or contradiction between two things;
- Allow
- permit; let; to give permission; OK
- Get in trouble
- When you do something wrong and someone, like a teacher, parent or boss talks to you about it and/or punishes you
- Catch
- To discover/find someone doing something wrong
- Foreign
- from another country; something from outside of your country; belonging or connected to a country that is not your own
- Goods
- Things that people make or grow to sell; merchandise; products;
- Relationship
- The way two people or things are connected to each other; connection; the way in which two or more people feel and behave towards each other
- Improve
- to make something better
- Strict
- severe; harsh; no flexibility; exact; strong
- Pop culture
- The popular entertainment and trends of a particular time;
- Suddenly
- quickly and without warning; at once; unexpectedly
Quiz
Answer key
1. Toilet paper 2. To respond to South Korea's balloons with messages 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
North Korea _____ decided to stop sending balloons filled with _____ to South Korea.
Kim Kang Il, a leader in North Korea’s _____, said that North Korea sent 15 tons of trash to South Korea in _____. Kim explained that this was a reaction to South Korea sending balloons with _____ that North Korea did not like.
Kim mentioned that _____ Korea now knows what it’s like to clean up a lot of trash _____ the balloons.
A South Korean official _____ they would take strong steps against North Korea for sending _____ trash balloons.
This person also said they _____ use loudspeakers at the border to send messages to North Korea. The _____ haven’t been used since 2018 after the two sides made an agreement.
South Korea’s military _____ said the latest balloons from North Korea did not have anything _____ in them. The first round of balloons had used toilet _____ among other trash.
South Korea’s military, _____, and other groups are working together to pick up the balloons and trash _____. They found balloons in many places, including Seoul, the _____ city.
North Korea and South Korea have _____ separated since 1953. They are not at peace, even though there is no _____.
North Korea does not allow _____ from other countries, like movies or books. People there can get in serious trouble if they are _____ with foreign goods.
From 2017 to _____, the relationship between North Korea and South Korea _____. North Korea was less strict about foreign goods and allowed some pop _____ from South Korea. However, things suddenly changed after _____.
Discussion questions
- What do you think would be the best way for South Korea to respond to North Korea's actions?
- Why do you think North Korea is so strict about foreign goods?
- What are some possible reasons why the relationship between the two Koreas improved briefly in 2017-2018?
- Do you think that sending messages through loudspeakers is an effective way to communicate between countries?
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