每日英語跟讀 Ep.787: About Korea: 無薪假威脅籠罩駐韓美軍基地 Furlough threat hangs over US military bases in S. Korea

The US is warning it will send furlough notices within weeks to almost 9,000 South Korean workers at US bases if the two countries don’t reach agreement on President Donald Trump’s demand for Seoul to increase dramatically what it pays for American troops.

美國正提醒南韓，若兩國未能就總統川普要求首爾應大幅增加其負擔的駐韓美軍經費達成協議，它將在幾週內，向將近9000名美軍基地的韓籍工作人員，寄發無薪假通知。

"Cost-sharing negotiations with allies are tough, whether it’s Korea, Japan or others," said Rexon Ryu, a former White House official and Pentagon chief of staff. "But a penny-pinching approach risks weakening fundamental strength of the alliance."

前白宮官員及前五角大廈參謀長雷克森．柳說，「與盟邦的經費分攤談判很棘手，不管是南韓、日本或其他國家」，「但斤斤計較的態度，會有削弱同盟的根本實力之風險」。

South Korean President Moon Jae-in is facing parliamentary elections in April and is wary of the political fallout if he agrees to a hefty increase, which has little support in his camp and among the general public.

南韓總統文在寅正面臨4月舉行的國會選舉，一旦他同意大幅增加（韓方的負擔費用），恐會遭受到政治後果，而在他的陣營內與社會大眾間，對此幾乎無人支持。

Seoul saw increase in eco-friendly vehicles 首爾環保車增加

The total number of vehicles licensed in Seoul last year saw a decrease for the first time in seven years while the number of eco-friendly cars increased, government data showed Thursday.

政府數據週四顯示，首爾去年領有牌照的車輛總數，7年來首次減少。但環保車的數量則增加。

The number of hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles and hydrogen vehicles in Seoul skyrocketed by 21 percent, 56 percent and 613 percent, respectively, last year from the previous year.

首爾去年的（油、電）混合動力車、電動車與氫動力車數量，相較於前年，分別暴增達21%、56%及613%。

By district, the largest number of cars was registered in Songpa with 240,559 （87.7 percent）, followed by Gangnam with 235,415 （7.54 percent）.

按區劃分，以登記在松坡區的汽車數量最多，達24萬0559輛（增幅87.7%）。其次為江南區的23萬5415輛（增幅7.54%）

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1348959;https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1348141