South Korean Officials Try to Keep Lid on Kim Jong Il Health Rumors
韩官员为有关金正日健康传闻降温

　
North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is still nowhere to be seen, more than a week after South Korean intelligence officials revealed the belief he is recovering from a stroke. South Korean officials are trying to cool down a sizzling media demand for rumors and speculation about the North Korean leader's condition.

韩国情报官员相信北韩领导人金正日中风并正在康复已经一个多星期了，但金正日仍旧没有露面。韩国官员试图为媒体对有关金正日健康状况的传闻和揣测的热情降温。

South Korea's main Cabinet minister in charge of North Korean affairs warned lawmakers Thursday to keep matters related to the health of the North's leader, Kim Jong Il, discrete.

韩国统一部长官金夏中星期四警告韩国议员们说，不要把有关北韩领导人金正日健康状况的消息对外泄漏。

Unification Minister Kim Ha-joong says spreading reports could lead to confrontation.

金夏中说，传播这个消息会引发对抗。

He says it is inappropriate to pass on reports, even credible ones, that have not been officially confirmed by North Korea. He says Pyongyang could eventually view such behavior as slanderous and antagonistic.

“没有被北韩正式确认的消息，即使是可信的，也不应该到处传播。北韩方面可能最终会认为这是诽谤和对抗行为。”

Kim Jong Il has not been seen in public since last month, and was most notably absent from a military parade this month marking the country's 60th anniversary. South Korean intelligence officials told lawmakers last week they believe the North Korean leader is recovering from a stroke.

金正日从上个月起就没有公开露面，而且引人注目地缺席本月纪念北韩建国六十周年的阅兵式。韩国情报官员上星期对韩国议员们说，他们相信金正日中了风，目前正在康复。

North Korea has officially denied all reports of their leader's ailing health, calling them a worthless international conspiracy. South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo told Cabinet ministers this week to avoid provoking Korea by discussing intelligence. He reminded them that nobody knows how the situation with the North Korean leader will progress at this point.

北韩官员正式反驳了所有有关金正日健康的报导，称这些报导是无用的国际阴谋。韩国总理韩德洙本星期要求内阁部长们避免因为讨论情报而挑衅北韩。他提醒部长们说，现在没有人知道金正日的健康状况会怎样发展。

South Korean media reports have included details from unnamed sources ranging from alleged convulsions being suffered by the North's leader, to speculation about whether or not he is able to brush his teeth by himself.

韩国媒体的报导包括没有透露姓名的消息人士提供的细节，从金正日患了痉挛到他是否还能自己刷牙等揣测，不一而足。

For South Koreans, Kim Jong Il's health is no matter of petty gossip, but a national security issue of the first order. He has absolute personal control of North Korea's secretive government, and he has never publicly named a successor. Any compromise of his health is viewed as potentially destabilizing to the North Korean system - and even to peace on the Korean peninsula.

对于韩国人来说，金正日的健康状况可不仅仅是闲言碎语，而是首要的国家安全问题。金正日对北韩政府实行绝对的个人控制，也从来没有公开指定一名接班人。金正日的健康如果出现任何问题，都会被认为可能影响到北韩体制、甚至朝鲜半岛的稳定。

Unification Minister Kim called reports of a possible post Kim Jong Il collapse of North Korea unhelpful Thursday, and warned they could further aggravate the already sensitive North-South relationship.

统一部长官金夏中星期四称有关金正日身后北韩可能会垮台的报导于事无补，并警告说，这些报导可能进一步加剧北韩与韩国之间已经很紧张的关系。