中英對照讀新聞》South Korea hopes new speed train links will help boost birthrate 南韓希望新的快速列車將有助提高生育率

南韓總統尹錫悅3月29日主持首都圈廣域急行鐵道A線開通儀式。（路透）

◎管淑平

South Korea is launching a high-speed train service that will reduce the travel time between central Seoul and its outskirts, a project officials hope will encourage more youth to consider homes outside the city, and start having babies.

南韓開通首都圈高速地鐵服務，將縮短首爾市中心到其郊區的往來時間，官員希望這項計畫將鼓勵更多年輕人考慮住在市區以外，並且開始生兒育女。

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South Korea has the world’s lowest fertility rate, and its youth have often cited long commutes and cramped, expensive housing in greater Seoul as the main reasons for not getting married and starting a family.

南韓生育率是全球最低，該國年輕人常以通勤時間長且擁擠、首爾首都圈房價高昂為不結婚成家的主因。

Officials are now pinning their hopes on the Great Train eXpress (GTX).

官員現在把希望寄託在首爾首都圈廣域急行鐵道。

Land Minister Park Sang-woo told Reuters the GTX would allow young people to consider homes far away from the capital without having to spend hours commuting.

國土交通部長朴庠禹告訴「路透」，首都圈快鐵將讓年輕人考慮搬離首都居住，而不需花數小時通勤。

"With two-hour commute on the way home, for example, how can anyone make time for babies? The idea is to give people more leisure time after work," he said.

「例如，回家路程要花兩小時，誰能有時間生小孩？這個目的是要讓民眾下班後有更多休閒時間」，他說。

新聞辭典

cramped：形容詞，（時間或空間）受侷限的，擁擠的。例句：You have a cramped schedule today.（你今天的行程很緊湊。）

pin one’s hope on：片語，把希望寄託在某人或事上。例句： They pin all their hopes on the next generation.（他們把所有希望都寄託在下一代身上。）

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