U.K. Completes 'Brexit'

On January 31, the United Kingdom officially exited the European Union (E.U.).

After over three years of tense negotiations, the U.K. has finally achieved its goal of "Brexit" and is no longer a member of the E.U.

The relationship between the U.K. and the rest of Europe stretches back all the way to the end of World War 2.

In the aftermath of that devastating war, the nations of Europe devised a plan to prevent future wars on the continent by becoming more integrated, both economically and politically.

The result of this plan was the European Economic Community (EEC), which was established in 1957 and would eventually become the European Union.

Britain Joined the community in 1973 to trade freely in the common market.

Yet from that time, many in the U.K. have argued that this gives the E.U. too much power over local decisions.

In 2015, then-Prime Minister David Cameron announced a referendum to let the British public decide whether the U.K. should stay or leave the E.U.

During this time, concerns over immigration,refugees, and the long-term economic decline of British industry - all blamed on E.U. regulations -  led to a surprising victory for Brexit.

Unfortunately, leaving the E.U. would not be so easy.

The British parliament struggled for years to approve a withdrawal agreement that would benefit all parties involved.

Finally, however, Prime Minister Boris Johnson managed to push through a deal after winning last year's general election.

For now, many questions about the future of the U.K. remain.

Some observes fear that leaving the common market could increase trade barriers and hurt Britain economically.

Others worry that the U.K. will be too small and weak to negotiate successfully with big countries like the United Sates and China.

Only time will tell whether Brexit provides the British people with the freedom they desire.

 

• stretch stretʃ   (잡아당기거나 하여 길이폭 등을) 늘이다, 늘어지다  stretch back 이어진다    aftermath |æftərmæθ  (전쟁·사고 등의) 여파[후유증]

• devastate ˈdevəsteɪt   (한 장소나 지역을) 완전히 파괴하다 devastating 대단히 파괴적인, 엄청난 손상을 가하는 (=disastrous)

• devise dɪˈvaɪz 창안[고안]하다 (=think up)  continent |kɑːntɪnənt  integrate ˈɪntɪɡreɪt 통합시키다[되다]  integrated ˈɪntɪɡreɪtɪd 통합적인

• Yet from that time 그 이후로는  referendum  ˌrefəˈrendəm   국민 투표, 총선거  the British public 일반 영국 사람들, 영국 사회

• refugee ˌrefjuˈdʒiː 난민, 망명자  decline dɪˈklaɪn   (수가치품질 등의 지속적인) 감소[하락/축소]  / 줄어들다, 감소[축소/위축]하다[되다]

• blame bleɪm …을 탓하다, … 책임[때문]으로 보다  / 책임, 탓 (→credit n. (7))  led to ~로 이어지다   agreement  əˈɡriːmənt  협정, 합의

• withdraw wɪð|drɔː  (뒤로) 물러나다, 철수하다, 빼내다, 철수시키다 (=pull out)   withdrawal wɪð|drɔːəl 철회, 취소, 철수, 회수

• involve ɪnˈvɑːlv  (상황·사건·활동이 사람을) 관련[연루]시키다  involved ɪnˈvɑːlvd 관여하는, 관련된, 연루된

• manage to ~하도록 애쓰다  push through  (의안을) 강행 통과시키다, 끝까지 해내다, (애써서) 이룩하다. (=pass, shove; pass through.)

• observe əbˈzɜːrv  관찰[관측/주시]하다 (=monitor)  observation ɑːbzər│veɪʃn 관찰, 관측, 감시, 주시    observance əb|zɜːrvəns  (법률·규칙 등의) 준수