Month: March 2012

Corporate greed behind the Jeju naval base project: Gangjeong villagers’ statement

The Gangjeong villagers’ statement on March 27, 2012 shows the connection between the central and Island governments and Samsung C & T, One of the main contracted companies for the Jeju naval base project (So-called Beautiful Tourism port for mixed civilian-military use). Different from the original MOU by the ex-Island government and ex-ministers of the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of the Land, transportation and Maritime Affairs on April 27, 2009, of which the purpose was for the docking capacity for two 150,000 cruises along with military vessels, the currently flawed Harbor & bay layout by which even the military vessels cannot even freely enter, not to mention cruises, has been in big controversy since last October. The villagers’ March 27 statement provides an important clue that the project came from corporate profit-oriented greed rather than ‘national security.’

(Translated by volunteers) Emphasis is by the arbitrary.

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The Jeju Island government should not join the re-evaluation of the simulation test.

Only by that, it would avoid Island people’s suspicions on it.

We have doubt why the Jeju provincial government agreed with Korea Maritime University’s sailing simulation result that had exclusively been requested by the Samsung C&T Corporation. Even more suspicious of the government is that the illegitimacy of many criteria reflected in the report has been questioned. Especially for the re-evaluation, it is the prime minister office’s suggestion that the possibility of cruise operation is more focused than the adaptedness for a port facility so the changing the detail rule should necessarily be led as the result unless the operation itself is judged to be impossible. Only the possibility of putting into and out the port’ is to reckoned, not the moor stability, the very important function for the port. It means, in other words, that the Jeju Island government is involved in the decision highly likely to result in something that the navy has already framed. The Island government is subject to going through the channel in an approval for the way of construction that now the navy goes ahead.

<figure.1> The cover of Ship operation simulation and its report on Feb. 23, 2012

(# The report subject is described as the Korea Maritime University)

Let us look at some of the reasons the simulation report must not be accepted.

<figure.2> Project outline on ordering ship operation simulation

(# The ordering institute is Samsung C & T in the task period of Dec. 12, 2011 to Feb. 28, 2012.)

According to the report and outline above, on Dec. 12. 2011, Korea Maritime University was requested for the sailing simulation by Samsung C&T corperation. The report says the simulation has been done by suggestions made by the technology verification committee which we adequately think was in charge of the prime minister’s office of which the verification committee has been the only existing committee on the verification on putting out/into the port for 150,000 ton cruise.

The technology verification committee, however, held their meeting on Jan. 26. 2012 and on Feb 15, the report with proposals of the technology verification committee was submitted. How can then it be possible to place an order for outsourcing on Dec.12. 2011, 2 months before the report the committee proposed? There should be behind the scene between the interested parties as seen by the simulation stated with 27 knots which has originally been claimed to be the standard of the maximum wind velocity for a safe port in the Jeju island. The report is cooked otherwise.

Another question is raised that the ordering client is Samsung C&T corporation, not the Ministry of National Defense. The client should be the Kunil Engineering which set up the master plan for the construction and took a charge of outsourcing If not the Ministry of National Defense, but how come Samsung C&T corporation only responsible for the construction site #1 in the port facility for the naval base did those instead. The report is nothing but a reference provided it is made not by the design agent, but the construction company. Why did the prime minister’s office make a choice of the report? Was the office without condition supposed to go along with what the global trader, Samsung does?

On [Jan. 21], 2011, the Jeju Island government signed a memorandum of understanding with Samsung C&T corporation to boost the export. The unveiled terms and condition in the MOU caused many suspicions. We cannot but to ask if there is a relation between the Island government and Samsung which could possibly make the simulation with 27 knots.

Lastly, ‘Jeju Naval Base subcommittee’ of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts of National Assembly advised last October to the prime minister’s office that the technology verification committee be organized with the same number of appropriate experts recommended each by both the government party and opposition party in National Assembly, Ministry of National Defense, and Jeju province. The simulation must be done with the advice mentioned as such. No one our province suggested is found in the committee whatsoever.

This report should in conclusion not be and cannot be accepted. We can say that there is no use trying the re-evaluation based on the result from this report. In the meantime, Samsung C&T corporation committed illegal businesses twice for the caisson conveyance with a barge which did not undergo the safety inspection and pushed ahead the unlawful construction yesterday by drilling to blow up the Gureombi rock at night and attempting blast at dawn. The Jeju Island government must for now turn down the re-evaluation, carry out the hearing held on 29th and issue a stop order for the construction.

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Tomorrow, we will address the issues on the illegitimacy and short of design criteria in this report.

March 27.2012

Gangjeong village Association

( # Translated by volunteers)

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# For more on the MOU between the Jeju Island government and Samsung C & T on Jan. 21, 2011, please see:

‘Jeju Island government had made contract for partnership with Samsung C & T to achieve export of 1trillion won on Jan. 21, 2011.

It reported that the Jeju Island and Samsung made contact to collaborate on scouting for bright export goods, supporting for foreign marketing and inheriting on export know-how for the Jeju Island government officers.

The Samsung C & T is told to be the matrix of Samsung with its total sale price exceeding 10 trillion 876 billion won last year, which is near four times of the Jeju Island budget for [2011]. It was also told that all the information and resources acquired during the process of execution on the agreement conclusion would be ‘absolute secrete.’ (Please mouse down of the source site)

March 30, 2012
[Immediate Release] Repeal the deportation order against Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter!

Photo by the village international team/ Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter in the Dongbu police station on March 14, 2012.

Photo by the village international team/ On March 14, 2012, In front of the Dongbu Police station, Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter are met by the Jeju Immigration Officers who noticed them that they would carry the two to the Jeju Immigration Office to get investigated on the matter of deportation

[Immediate Release] Repeal the deportation order against Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter!

By the Gangjeong Village International Team, March 15, 2012

(Translated by Jooyea Lee. See the Korean statement here.)

On March 14th, Jeju District Public Prosecutor’s Office released 13 who had been arrested two days before, but requested an extension for the arrest of Ms. Seri Kim. At around 4:00 p.m., they transferred the French activist, Mr. Benjamin Monnet and the peace activist from the U.K., Angie Zelter, to Jeju Immigration on the basis that they would decide on deporting these two activists.

Lawyers for Democratic Lawyers’ Association, along with the Gangjeong International Team had previously met up with the three individuals at 10:00 a.m. Ms. Seri Kim was wearing a neck support for the injury that occurred when two Daerim contractors violently restrained her. In addition to her neck pain, Ms. Kim complained of pains on her left shoulder and also on her knees. The toes on her right foot were also twisted, according to her. At 2:00 p.m., Mr. Benjamin Monnet visited the local hospital, also complaining of the pains caused by injury when Daerim employees pushed him: on his legs; the back of his neck; muscle pains on his upper and lower back. The inside of his left knee occurred when Jeju coast guard overturned Mr. Monnet’s kayak and rapidly advanced the guards’ rubber boat. Doctor said it will take two weeks for the injury to heal completely.

On March 12th, both Ms. Seri Kim and Mr. Benjamin Monnet had crawled under into the barbed wire side of the Gureombi rocks, where they sustained 2 and half hours on an excavator, in order to avoid potential violence from the Daerim employees. As for Ms. Angie Zelter, she had cut the barbed wire—installed illegally by the Korean navy. The Police charged Ms. Kim for obstruction of business on March 12th, as well as for obstruction of traffic on March 7th—she had held out in front of the vehicles, which belonged to those who set barricades, to stop the blast). For Mr. Monnet, the police charged him with: unlawful interference with official duty (for the event that occurred on Feb. 27th); misdemeanor, infliction of injury, obstruction of business (March 12th). For Ms. Zelter, misdemeanor for entering into the construction site over the fence (March 9th); so called group damage with dangerous tool (* which means wire cutter to cut the wire razor fence) and misdemeanor (March 12th).

All these allegations are arbitrary and malicious interpretation/application of the law, considering the customary violence against the villagers and activists who protested against the naval base construction. No action has been taken towards Mr. Benjamin Monnet’s lawsuit against Daerim employees and the police respectively—Mr. Monnet was beaten on Nov. 9th 2011 by Daerim employees; and by the Police on Dec. 26th, 2011. On April 6th, 2011, despite the police assault against the film critic Mr. Yang Yoon-Mo, no investigation so far, as for the accountability. Mr. Monnet only pushed the policeman in order to protect himself, rather than injuring the police as he had been charged as such. As for the charges that were brought upon himself regarding the incidences on Feb. 27th and March 12th, Mr. Monnet strongly claims that they are lies and excessive charges.

On March 6th, Jeju Provincial Governor Mr. Woo Keun-Min, jointly with representatives of Jeju—both the ruling and the opposition parties—had requested the provisional pending on the Gureombi blast as well as for the construction itself, expressing regrets at the unreasonable execution of the construction with all the design errors. But the navy, ignoring the needs of these Island representatives forged ahead with the blast to destroy Gureombi—Korea’s one and only costal wetland and the bedrock inhabited by where rare flora and fauna; an area that deems to be connected to Gangjeong Stream that provides 70% of drinking water to Seogwipo residents. The construction site is the country’s only UNESCO soft coral habitats and also where Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins make appearances, which are designated by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as endangered species.

The three individuals—Seri Kim, Benjamin Monnet, and Angie Zelter—devoted themselves through consistently non-violent and peaceful measures under international law: the principles of peace: against the construction of naval base and militarization, they simply tried to prevent the destruction of the Earth through another military base.

But the Jeju Immigration Office, after investigating nearly three hours ordered deportation for Mr. Monnet at 8:00 pm, when ten Immigration Office employees entered the office. Female employees, as if they had been prepared to do so, started collecting evidence with their cameras. The three-hour investigation on Mr. Monnetwas all an act. Lawyers for Democratic Society representative, appalled by this, urgently raised the complaint but the staff arbitrarily transferred Mr. Monnet, unfed and still in his prisoner’s uniform. Their excuse was being that Mr. Monnet should be on the last flight out of Jeju.

Angie Zelter, who is also confined at the Jeju Immigration Office will be investigated around 3:00 p.m. on March 15th. Around 11:00 am or 1:30 pm, Seri Kim’s case will be examined to issue an arrest warrant against her. In solidarity with the film critic Mr. Yang Yoon-mo, Angie Zelter is temporarily fasting. Benjamin Monnet is also fasting in the prison of Hwasoon Immigration Office, Gyunggi province against illegal destruction of the Jeju naval base project and illegal arrest.

We strongly condemn the Lee Myung-bak government who, in addition to the illegal construction (destruction) and arrests, is forging ahead with the forceful deportation of international activists who are dedicating themselves to protect the Island of Peace, Jeju. Lee Myung-bak regime’s human rights abuses are unscrupulous, as it ignores the potential diplomatic criticism. In addition, the construction and the human rights violations in relation to the construction cannot be explained without the United States’ undue desire for domination as it tries to utilize the Jeju naval base as a springboard to contain China. It is also the move to undermine the international solidarity against the Jeju naval base construction. The struggles against the Jeju naval base construction has already evolved into international struggle. Capitalism and government and any other forces that resist the contemporary needs for peace cannot be sustained.

Immediately release those arrested and;
Repeal the deportation order against Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter;
Stop the illegal naval base construction immediately!

March 15th, 2012

Gangjeong International Team

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We have just heard that the entry by the three members of the Veterans for Peace, US. Who were supposed to visit the Gangjeong village on March 14 has also been denied. We strongly denounce the Lee Myung-Bak government who shamelessly commit violation on human rights internationally.

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Reference articles and videos

Video by Dungree: Letter to deported Benjamin (April 18, 2012)

Articles

http://space4peace.blogspot.kr/2012/03/people-keep-coming-to-gangjeong.html

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

PEOPLE KEEP COMING TO GANGJEONG

http://www.space4peace.blogspot.com/2012/03/deportation-from-jeju.html
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 2012
DEPORTATION FROM JEJU

http://www.space4peace.blogspot.com/2012/03/three-vfp-leaders-denied-entry-into.html
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 2012
THREE VFP LEADERS DENIED ENTRY INTO JEJU ISLAND

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2012/03/117_106941.html
Arrest warrants sought for 2 foreign protestors on Jeju
03-14-2012 18:31

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2012/03/14/14/0302000000AEN20120314007800315F.HTML
Police seek first arrest warrants for foreigners in naval base protests
2012/03/14 17:15 KST

March 15, 2012
Save Gureombi! Save Yang Yoon-Mo!

Jeju Sori, March 5, 2012 (with a video)
People’s press conference in the morning

On March 5, 2012, the Island governor expressed his position demanding on temporary reservation of the naval base construction (destruction). However, it is very likely that the Seogwipo Police station under the central government scenario would allow the navy to blast the Gureombi rocky coast. People are being intensely organized to fight against the blast on uncertain but coming-soon day. Please pressure more the Island governor Woo Keun-Min. The life of Yang Yoon-Mo who is identified with the Gureombi rocky coast and who hits the 28th prison fast as of March 6 may depend on your help: Please save Gureombi and Yang Yoon-Mo!

(1) Save Gureombi, Save Yang Yoon-Mo!

March 5 began with people’s determined press conference in front of the Seogwipo Police Station around 11 am amid rain drops. It was rainy all day. Villagers and people from the Island, nationwide, and international (Angie Zelter) demanded the authorities to stop the plan on the blast of the Gureombi, to stop construction immediately and appealed to save Yang Yoon-Mo who has been told that he would cut even water and bits of salt if the coast begins to destroyed in earnest by the naval base destruction. (For photos/ video, see an attached photo and those in the links)

(2) The Island governor demanded a temporary reservation on the naval base construction (destruction) and ‘fair verification,’ on base layout.

Around 1pm, the Island governor Woo Keun-Min made public his position, in the form of four people’s joint statement. The statement was titled ‘press conference statement by the four demanding a temporary reservation on the construction [of naval base] for fair verification.’

The four are, beside governor Woo: Oh Choong-Jin, chairman of the Jeju provincial council, Kim Dong-Wan, chairman of the Jeju branch of the Saenuri Party (* former Grand National Party, the current ruling party of South Korea) and Kim Jae-Yoon, chairman of the Jeju branch of the Democratic Unity Party

You can see the whole original Korean script, here:

The point of the statement is, in a word, that the four cannot accept the position of the Central government that currently enforces the Jeju naval base construction. The four’s main demand is a ‘fair verification’ that should be a prior task before any continuing construction (destruction) regarding the current controversy on the fatally flawed base (harbor & bay) layout, on the premise of the so called ‘beautiful tourism port for mixed civilian-military use,’ where free entry & exit of the 150,000 cruise are guaranteed.

While the villagers, of course, oppose the idea of so called ‘beautiful tourism port for mixed civilian-military use,’ which is only a fake, the governor’s such statement was positively interpreted by many people in the sense that it ‘provided a ground for the peaceful settlement of the naval base issue though being late, since it was declared amidst impending matter of the blast of the Gureombi rock.’ (A part of the comment by the United Progressive Party, March 5)

A Jeju media interprets such Island government and politicians’ position that the central government has brought upon itself by its unreasonable enforcement on naval base construction ignoring even the opinion by local government, not to mention the villagers and Jeju Island people.

(3) Despite the Island government’s position, the navy’s enforcement on the blast on the Gureombi is very likely. More pressure on the governor Woo Keun-Min is indeed needed.

Above all, there is little possibility that the measure authorized by the highest decision frame of the national policy control meeting of the central government, of which the content was stated by the Prime Minister on Feb. 29, following President Lee Myung Bak’s open announcement to enforce the Jeju naval construction (destruction) on Feb. 22, is to be changed.

A bad sign can be glimpsed by the Island governor’s failure to meet the very two- chief of the Jeju Provincial Police Agency (Chung Chul-Soo) and chief of the Seogwipo Police Station (Lee Dong-Min)-who were absent in their offices at the time of the visit by the governor himself and Oh Choong-Jin, chairman of the Island council who had wanted to deliver their faced wish to them to pose on the plan on the blast of the Gureombi.

Chung and Lee, the chiefs of the Jeju province and Seogwipo City police agencies are told to say only later that they would “make a decent decision, (following laws and ordinances) on the matter of allowing [the navy-contracted companies] on the use of gun powders by March 8 (* the police answer-due date for any civilian appeal is given five days, except for weekends. The companies have applied for it on March 2)

(4) The navy-contracted companies have already drilled more than 45 holes in the Gureombi rock to put the gun powders. People are intensely organizing themselves to stop the disaster on the first day of the navy’s conduct of the blast. If carried, the blast is planned to go for five months. People here have to endure very difficult time at least for a month then.

The Seogwipo Police station, after its start on the review on the companies’ application document, entered on field investigation of the naval base construction area in the afternoon of March 5.

According to the Jeju Domin Ilbo:

‘The total amount of the gun powder applied by the navy-contracted companies is 44ton. For the blast, the Samsung C&T will be charged of the 1st construction work area in the land part, while the Daelim Industry and its sub-contracted companies are charged of the 2nd construction work area in the coast.’

The companies are to make the caisson-building area after blast. The caissons of huge cement blocks will be laid on the site of sea-dredging, killing the UNESCO-designated soft corals and the IUCN(International Union of Conservation on Nature) endangered Indo-Pacific bottle nose dolphins.

(5) With your more pressure on the Island governor who has the right to cancel the navy over the license to reclaim the public water and its adjacent surface and who has the right to rescind over the ex-Island government’s wrong decision to cancel the absolute preservation area in Dec. 2009 (* The absolute preservation areas in the Gangjeong village are: the Joongduk coast of which we call most part as the Gureombi and the vicinity area of the Gangejong stream), the plan on the blast of the Gureombi can be at least postponed. It would also save the life of Yang Yoon-Mo who has declared that he would cut even water and bits of salt upon the main destruction of the Gureombi rocky coast.

Please remind his words:

‘If Gureombi (the sacred rocky coastline) lives, I live. If Gureombi dies, I die. Do not cry for me. Cry for the future generations who may not be able to feel the beauty of Gureombi. Gureombi is the medium to connect myself and the sky. The self, the sky, Gureombi have become one. This commitment is a call from God.’

(Note by Mary Beth Sullivan upon her visit of Yang Yoon-Mo on Feb. 28)

Source

To write a letter to Woo Keun-Min:

Mr. Woo Keun-Min
Governor
The government of Jeju-do
312-1, Yeon-dong, Jeju-si, Jeju-do
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Fax: +82 64 710 3009
E-mail: jejumaster@jeju.go.kr

Also please consider to write a protest letter to:

Mr. Lee Myung-Bak
President
1 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu
Seoul, 110-820
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Fax: +82 2 770 4751
E-mail: foreign@president.go.kr or president@cwd.go.kr or president@president.go.kr

Mr. Kim Kwan-Jin
Minister, Ministry of National Defense
No. 1, Yongsan-dong 3-ga
Yongsan-gu, Seoul
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Tel: +82 2 748 1111
Fax: +82 2 748 6895
E-mail: cyber@mnd.go.kr

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Image source:

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References

1. People’s press conference in the morning, Catholic mass in the afternoon, police alignment on the day

[Photos/ Video]

http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=111953
경찰서로 향한 강정주민들 “발파시 총력 대응”
2012.03.05 12:36:49

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=143899
“구럼비 발파는 대국민 태러 행위…즉각 중단하라”
강정마을회-범대위, 구럼비 발파허가 반려 촉구 기자회견
“상부의 지시 아닌 서귀포경찰서장이 직접 판단해야”
2012.03.05 12:09:55

http://www.seogwipo.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=76982
“구럼비 발파 허가, 파국을 불러 올 것이다”
해군기지 반대 측, 5일 서귀포경찰서 앞 기자회견
“폭파는 도민 모욕이자, 서귀포시민 식수원 위협”
2012년 03월 05일 (월) 12:49:41

http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/area/522095.html
‘구럼비 폭파’ 눈앞…제주 강정 ‘폭풍전야’
2012.03.05 20:48

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articlePhotoView.html?idxno=143946
강정마을 곳곳에 경찰 배치…긴장감 고조

[현장]구럼비 발파 앞두고 공사현장-강정포구에 경찰 배치
“무슨 계엄상황도 아니고 정부 방침에 치가 떨린다”
2012.03.05 16:13:15

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2. Governoor Woo Keun-Min’s press conference at 1pm and visit to the police stations after it, March 6

http://www.jejudomin.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=28785
“재검증전까지 해군기지 공사 보류하라”
우근민 지사, 제주도 참여 크루즈 시뮬레이션 재실시 요구
강정마을엔 해군기지 정책수용여부 묻는 ‘주민총회’ 제안
새누리당 도당 참여 눈길 “총선정국 피해가자는 의도 아니”
2012.03.05 13:42:17

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=143953
정부 방침 ‘거부’ 초강수, 해군기지 공사 중단될까
[해설] ‘마지막 승부수’, 우 지사 ‘4인 공동입장’ 배경과 전망
정부 일방적 발표 큰 반발 자초…검증요구 수용여부 관건
2012.03.05 17:47:11

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=143914
“해군기지 설계검증 때까지 공사 보류하라”
우 지사-도의회-여야 ‘4인 공동’ 기자회견…정부방침 ‘수용 거부’
“공정한 검증이 먼저…강정 주민총회 후 수용여부 결정하겠다”
2012.03.05 13:27:37

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=143917
[전문] 우근민 지사 등 ‘4인 공동’, 해군기지 공사보류 요청 기자회견
2012.03.05 13:30:56

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=143929
우 지사 “구럼비 발파 안될 말…직접 나서겠다”
경찰에 발파허가 보류요청…경찰청장 ‘자리 없고’, 서장면담도 ‘불발’
2012.03.05 14:59:09

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=143931
통합진보당 “우 지사 공사 일시보류 요청 환영”
2012.03.05 15:05:01

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=143954
“청장도 없고, 서장도 없고”…우 지사 머쓱
우 지사-오충진 의장, 구럼비 발파허가 보류요청 경찰서 방문 ‘냉대’?
2012.03.05 17:54:50

http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=111977
지사-도의장 도착 10분전에 자리 뜬 경찰서장
2012.03.05 15:38:14

http://news.khan.co.kr/kh_news/khan_art_view.html?artid=201203052215235&code=950313
“해군기지 공사 보류해달라” 우근민 제주지사 공식 요청
2012-03-05 22:15:23

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3. Detail on the navy plan on the blast of the Gureombi

http://www.jejudomin.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=28779
구럼비 발파허가 여부 6일이후 판가름
서귀포경찰서 “물리적으로 오늘안에 허가 판단 어려워”
화약 신청량 총 44톤 가량
2012.03.05 12:43:16

March 6, 2012
Jeju Council members and Jeju-based National Assembly men oppose the blast plan

Re-blogged from the Organizing Notes, March 4, 2012, ‘From This to This’

Which view do you like? Which vision of the future do you support?

Below Sung-Hee Choi brings us the latest twists from Jeju Island. Things are moving swiftly. You see the internal debate raging in South Korea. Please know that what we each do in our own community to support the villagers on Jeju Island will have some impact.

Sung-Hee Choi writes:

On the matter on the blast of the Gureombi, the Island provincial council would have an emergency general informal gathering at 11am on March 5. Three National Assembly men based on Jeju Island warned the Lee government. The Jeju regional branch of the Democratic Unity Party warned the possibility of the 2nd Yongsan tragedy, as well.

Upon the navy’s plan on the enforcement on the blast of the Gureombi, the Island council members and Jeju-based National Assembly men are all together denouncing the central government.

1. Oh Choong-Jin, chairman of the Jeju Island Council said in his interview with the Headline Jeju that “In the government measure this time, the opinion of the Jeju was harshly cut. The central government declaration on the enforcement of construction (destruction) is very disdaining of the Island people. In our meeting, we would seek for our own measures and would strongly urge the government to stop construction as the Island governor has rights to stop it.”

If the members of Saenuri Party (Former Grand National Party, the ruling party) are passive or express their opposition on such move, confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties are expected. Currently in the Jeju Island Council, the numbers of the ruling party members are smaller.)

2. Kang Chang-Il, Kim Woo-Nam, and Kim Jae-Yoon, three members of the Jeju-based National Assembly (All are members of the Democratic Unity Party) warned the central government in their joint statement, saying that, “If the Gureombi Rock is blasted , bigger disaster will come. The Seogwipo Police Station should not approve the navy’s blast on the Gureombi Rock.”

“The navy has re-applied for the blast of the Gureombi Rock to the Seogwipo Police Station, riding on the Lee government’s drastic measure. It is told that the matter has already been decided in the ‘secret meeting’ by the related offices of the Prime Minister Office, excluded of the Jeju Island. The Lee Myung-Bak government is showing an attitude of through ignorance on communication, full of arrogance and self-righteousness in its drive for the Jeju naval base.’

“How much more pain the Lee government is to inscribe into the Island people, by its enforcing of the construction masking the naval base as a ‘civilian-military combined port of call,’ ignoring the opinion of the National Assembly and villagers? How many people in the Gangjeong village should be arrested, taken away and imprisoned under the charge of obstruction of business for the government to pay attention to the voice of the Island people?”

“The Jeju Island and all the Island people have constantly demanded the central government to stop the enforcement on the naval base project and to form the objective and neutral verification committee on the layout. The police should never approve the navy’s blast of the Gureombi Rock.”

3. The Jeju branch of the Democratic Unity Party demanded the navy and its contracted companies to immediately stop their attempt to blast the Gureombi in their emergent statement on March 3.

The Democratic Unity party members said,

“In case of the blast on the Gureombi rock, the Gangjeong matter could bring an unexpected results and further concern on the possibility of the 2nd Yongsan tragedy has been raised. (The Samsung and Daelim companies who are leading the base construction, both were involved in the 2nd Yongsan tragedy in January, 2009. At the time five men resisting against forceful eviction were killed by the SWAT teams. These corporations were bulldozing entire neighbhorhoods and building high rise building that they would control.)

“The fact that the National Assembly has cut most of this year’s [base construction] budget with the agreement by the ruling and opposition parties is because the National Assembly has publicly acknowledged the problems of the currently driven Jeju naval base business. If the Lee Myung-Bak government is to drive the business despite that, it is a behavior thoroughly ignoring the National Assembly, the representative institute of the People.”

“In the condition when the ‘continuous business,’ is not guaranteed even though the construction including the blast of the Gureombi is enforced, it may remain disgrace of the totally unreliable national business that remains only a serious wound.”

“ The Jeju Island having publicly announced that the justification on the business has been in fact damaged though it is a national policy, has to make all the efforts to stop the blast of the Gureombi as a manager on the public water and its adjacent surface.”

March 5, 2012