Save Jeju Now

No War Base on the Island of Peace

Month: November 2012

  • Jeju Region Professors’ Open Inquiry to the Two Presidential Candidates

    Photo: Hankyoreh, Nov. 28, 2012/ ‘Banners for candidates for the Dec. 19 president election in Seoul’s Eunpyeong district. Nov. 27 was the official start of campaigning. (Ryu Woo-jong, staff photographer)’

     

    The Presidential election in South Korea is on Dec. 19, 2012. Only 20 days are left from now on. On Nov. 27, a day before the ruling Saenuri Party’s violent unilateral railroading of budget on the 2013 Jeju naval base project (about 201 billion won) in the National Defense committee of the National Assembly on Nov. 28 (The budget bill is now passed to the Budget and Balance Committee of the Assembly for final talk on it), the Jeju Region Professors’ Association to Stop Construction and to Discuss Again on the Jeju naval Base’  made public its open inquiry to the two big Presidential Candidates: Park Geun-Hye (bio) in the ruling Saenuri Party and Moon Jae-In in the Democratic United Party, the main opposition party (bio). It is clear that the two big candidates have a common position on the Jeju naval base that it should be dual form of the civilian and military, even though their measures on the currently, clearly illegal, law-evasive construction (destruction) may be different. The professors, pointing out the whole process of the Jeju naval base project has been a deception, chase the two Candidates to make their clear positions regarding current big exposures. You can see the original Korean statement, here.

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    Open inquiry to two Presidential candidates of Park Geun-Hye and Moon Jae-In, on the Jeju naval base project that betrays citizens

     

    From today, [Nov. 27, 2012], official election campaign for 22 days [until Dec. 19] to elect the 18th [ROK] President starts. We expect that Park Geun-Hye, candidate of the Saenuri Party and Moon Jae-In, candidate of the Democratic United Party would stage fierce two-power confrontation this period. The Jeju Region Professors’ Association to Stop Construction and to Discuss Again on the Jeju naval Base’ (‘JRP,’ afterward) truly hope that the two candidates enter for fair and clean contest, centered around policy matters.

    Even though the whole country enjoys a festival to elect the President, there happen endless daily conflicts around the enforcement of construction in the Gangjeong village, Jeju. Various law-evasive enforcements of construction and violation on human rights are being staged there. From Jan. 2010 to Oct. 2012, 650 people have been taken away and arrested. Among them 22 people were imprisoned and 480 people were indicted. Recently, 24 hour construction was enforced for the navy to secure the 2013 budget on the naval base project therefore the clash between the police and Gangjeong villagers has become intensified, which resembles a battle field. While the country is holding a festival, an atmosphere of a morning house fills the Gangjeong village, Jeju.

    We, the JPR is to openly inquire on the positions of two candidates, Park Geun-Hye and Moon Jae-in on the Jeju naval base project that is being enforced deceiving the South Korean citizens.

    The Government has driven construction quibbling that the Jeju naval base project is to build a Civilian-Military Complex for Tour Beauty for 150,000 ton cruise to freely enter and exit. The Government basis of the justification for the construction drive was the ‘Result and Measure plan on the Technical Verification on the entry/exit of cruise (‘report,’ afterward),’ reported by the ‘Technical Verification Committee on the Cruise Entry/Exit of Port in the  Civilian-Military Complex for Tour Beauty (‘Technical Verification Committee,’ afterward). However, it is unfortunately turning out that the report is of falsehood and betrayal.

    To recollect, a question was raised whether the Jeju naval base project is not the Civilian-Military Complex for Tour Beauty but in fact, of building a [pure] naval base or not, in September, 2011 when Kang Chang-Il, a [Jeju-based] National Assembly member and a member of the Democratic United Party, exposed the fact on the conclusion of so called dual MOU (see the below reference). Thereupon, the ROK National Assembly recommended to the Government to form a verification technical committee and to objectively and fairly disclose truth. Following its recommendation, the Office of Prime Minister has formed the ‘Technical Verification Committee on the Cruise Entry/Exit of Port in the Civilian-Military Complex for Tour Beauty (‘Technical Verification Committee,’ afterward). Since then, the Office of Prime Minister has written ‘Result and Measure plan on the Technical Verification on the entry/exit of cruise (‘report,’ afterward),’ in which the content was that cruise entry and exit of port is possible, based on the activities by the technical and verification committee meeting. It was Feb. 29, 2012 that the National Policy Control meeting supervised by Kim Hwang-Sik, Prime Minister, decided to drive the Jeju naval base construction based on the report without setback. Since then construction (destruction) has been enforced in earnest (* including the blast of Gureombi Rock for two months, from March 7)

    Reference: In Sept. 2011, It has been disclosed by Kang Chang-Il in the ROK National Assembly that while the MOU owned by the Jeju Island government was titled as the ‘Memorandum of Understanding Related to the Construction of the Civilian-Military Complex Tour Beauty Harbor (Jeju Naval Base),’ the MOU owned by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) was titles as the ‘Jeju Naval Base.’ For the translation of the MOU on April 27, 2009, see here. For the news article on dual MOU, click here. See another reference article on Feb. 20, 2012, here.

    However as Jang Hana, National Assembly woman made public the meeting minutes of the technical verification Committee, a question was raised that the report had been framed. The suspicion raised by Jang Hana, National Assembly woman, turned out to be factual by the testimony by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou(Korea Maritime University) who has joined the technical verification committee meeting, in the inspection by the Administrative and Self-Governing committee of the Island Council on Nov. 19. According to his testimony, the report by the technical verification committee meeting was written in the condition of induced meeting result for the Government to avoid the change of base design and construction stop.

    Eventually, the Government enforced law-evasive construction betraying citizens as if the Jeju naval base is a Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, based on false basis for the enforcement of construction by now, while committing shameless acts of barbarism violating the human rights of Gangjeong villagers and peace activists who make effort to stop it.

    We truly ask to two candidates: Do you really think it is a just project that the Government drives committing the law-evasive and human rights violation and betraying citizens even though it is a national policy project related to national security?

    Candidate, Park Geun-Hye, has said related to the issue of the Jeju naval base that she would “certainly raise the Jeju as a Cruise tourism herb by which two interests of security and Jeju development can be both captured. And Moon Jae-In, Presidential candidate of the Democratic United Party said that “the form should be that of co-existence of civilian port for possible cruise entry of port and military port purposeful of port of call, as the National Assembly decided.” And he would “stop construction and re-examine the project content according to democratic procedures.” Should the Jeju naval base construction be enforced even though situations and truths have been disclosed? Does candidate Park Geun-Hye think the current construction should be a tour herb that covers security and Jeju development? Does candidate Moo Jae-In think it would be a beautiful port where civilian and military port purposed for port of call can co-exist?

    We, the ‘JRP” has claimed that the Jeju naval base construction should be stopped and the matter on the continuous process of the construction should be decided through discussions again. Given the disclosed facts that the construction has been processed based on false basis, our claims have become more firm. We hope that the two candidates state your true opinions regarding our position. We also ask you to disclose your positions on the measures on the Government that deceives its citizens and violates their human rights.

     

    Nov. 27, 2012

     

    The Jeju Region Professors’ Association to Stop Construction and to discuss again on the Jeju Naval Base

     

    Photo by Jeju Sori, Aug. 10. 2011/ The Jeju Region Professors’ Association to Stop Construction and to discuss again on the Jeju Naval Base(JRP)
    Presidential election promotion posters in the village, Nov. 2, 2012

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    Regarding Kyle Kajihiro’s letter(April 25, 2012) to Koreans, a critique of Park Geun-Hye’s remark on Jeju both as tourism and military base, based on the model of Hawai’i, see here.

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    Reference

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165874

    “해군기지 문제 어떻게 생각하나” 대선후보에 공개질의

    제주교수협, 박근혜-문재인후보에 질의서 전달

    2012.11.27  15:36:17

  • Gangjeong Rises Up in Anger at Lack of Budget Cuts for the Jeju Naval Base Project

    Police attack, a Jeju islander on top of a van in front of the naval site main gate. Image: Carole Reckinger

    In response to the news that the Jeju Naval Base project budget for 2013, 200,900,000,000 Won, was passed completely without any cuts by the National Assembly and the majority holding Saenuri Party, Jeju citizens, villagers, and activists rose up in anger with direct action. Three people were arrested.

    An activist chained beneath a van. Image: Carole Reckinger

    Two vehicles were parked in front of the gates to the naval base site and people chained themselves underneath. At one gate, Anglican priests held a prayer service and at the other another person climbed on the roof of a van wrapping himself in barbed wire. People surround the vehicle with their bodies, firewood, junk, and whatever else they can find as usual. Soon hundreds of police arrived. They surrounded the Anglican prayer service so that they couldn’t leave and join the other gate’s struggle. Then they moved to the main gate of the construction site.

    The van is towed away. Image: Carole Reckinger

    There police surrounded the people and made their usual “gochak” detention circles to throw the people in, blocking them from blocking the gate. One by the one, people were dragged away and thrown in the detention circles. Then they roughly knocked down the person on top of the van, without regard for his safety. He was arrested. Then they cut the chains off the person under the van and arrested him along with a person who was simply accompanying to check his condition, totaling three arrests. Finally the van was towed away and the cement trucks went in and out. But it took almost an hour and a half.

    It was a very heavy struggle which left many villagers and activists in tears. The police, seemingly indifferent, soullessly did their jobs and walked away.

    Tomorrow, in response to the lack of budget cuts their will be protests in Seoul and several people including Father Mun Jeong Hyun and Gangjeong Village Mayor Kang will shave their heads and begin fasting. The budget will now go to the final stage, the Budget and Balance Committee.

    A Gangjeong villager mourns the unceasing oppression and destruction of his hometown. Image: Save Jeju Now

  • Samsung Tugboat Hits Broken Caisson

    Photo by Jeju Sori, Nov. 26, 2012/ A tug boat in the red circle submerged. See more photos by Jang Hyun-Woo, click HERE

     

    1.  A tug boat belonging to Samsung C & T hit a broken caisson and submerged during the night construction, spreading gasoline oil on the sea

     

    In the early morning of Monday, Nov. 26, the news on the illegal night time naval base construction on the sea rang the media.

    A 45 ton tug boat belonging to the Samsung C & T submerged beginning with its bow  around 12:10 am on Nov. 26 in the Gangjeong Sea where the navy-contracted companies are working for building the naval base. The sea wave and wind were strong during that night. And the accident site was about 100 meter distant from the coast of construction area.

    Photo by Jeju Sori, Nov. 26, 2012

    It was later confirmed that the tug boat hit a 8,800 ton caisson (a concrete structure of 20.4m height and about 8 stories apartment building size) in the sea, which has been one of seven caissons that have been broken and damaged  by the typhoon Bolaven at the end of this August and abandoned in the sea since then . The tug boat was to return back to Hwasoon port ( *40 minutes car distance from the village) after the caisson floating dock’s makeshift stationing of another 8,800 ton caisson

    It is weird that the company contacted the Seogwipo Coast guard after seven hours of incident.

    In the tug boat, there were 7 crews including captain. All those were rescued thanks to a dredging barge nearby. But the coast guard could not rescue the boat as of 9am.Nov. 27.

    Photo by Jeju Sori, Nov. 26, 2012

     

    The Seogwipo Guard mobilized security and express ship on the sea. It was known that about 10,000 liter of gasoline had been loaded on the boat. Despite prevention work for any oil leak, oli was leaked to the worry of environmental contamination.

    A peace activist, Jo Yak Gol writes:

    The navy and Samsung  were in emergent to brought kitchen cleaning material of 800 liter (about 60 bottles of 13 liter) to remove oil leaked in the Joongdeok Sea, Gangjeong village. It means they would pour  such chemical material into the Gangjeong Sea. [..]

    Seven caissons of which total production costs are 35 billion won and which have been abandoned in the sea four months ago by the typhoons greatly threaten maritime safety, being like reefs in the sea. Still the navy does not take any measure on those.

    The Gangjeong fishermen are angry, saying it is too dangerous for them to navigate fishing ship during the night since the navy has not equipped any proper safety facilities in the naval base construction. The fishermen says they were also at the risk of accidents many times. They say the navy keeps silent even though they protest to the navy on it. The navy-contracted workers themselves know it is too dangerous for them to navigate ships here so they cannot even retort back to Gangjeong fishers’ protest.

    The navy and Samsung’s reckless enforcement of construction has eventually bought another accident[..]

    The Gangjeong Sea located in the corner of  typhoon is improper for naval base because of powerful current of water and wind even in the routine time. Further the Government made a base design for US nuclear aircraft carrier, [nuclear submarines], and Aegis Destroyer. The Office of Prime Minister has even lied and manipulated a mere reference (*made by the Ministry of National defense) [as if it is the technical verification committee’s official report ] for cruise  to forcibly fit into the base design even though it never fits to it.

    According to the testimonies by the workers, the caisson have been unreliably built short of standard and cannot properly function. Won’t the caissons be trashed when they are buried as those unreliable are roughly stationed in the strong sea wave and wind, according to false layout?

    Reckless construction (destruction) even during dangerous nights has brought such incident. Is it weird that we have heard some crews were sick the other day but they were secretly cared for by visiting doctor and nurses to the barge? And how about the maritime environmental destruction? The rushing construction(destruction) is bringing such human and nature disasters. Cut all the budgets for the Jeju naval base project!

    Please remind:

    The Samsung C & T has been accused to the Prosecutor Office for its illegal operation on floating dock without inspection in the beginning of this year

    The Samsung C & T floating dock has hit three fishing ships of which two ships became to submerge and one ship sunk down on March 11, 2012 when it was to moor in the outer port of the Hwasoon port.

     

    Reference :

     

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122988
    [속보] 삼성물산 예인선 제주해군기지서 침수
    2012.11.26 08:45:54

     

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=123008

    삼성물산 예인선, 8천톤급 케이슨과 ‘충돌’ 침수

    2012.11.26 11:50:17

     

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165737
    제주해군기지 공사현장 예인선 침수…선원 7명 구조
    해경, 경비함정 7대 투입 배수작업 전개
    012.11.26 09:10:52

     

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articlePhotoView.html?idxno=165780

    제주해군기지 공사현장 예인선 침수원인 “케이슨과 충돌”

    바지선에 연결해 침몰 막아…기름유출 우려

     

    http://www.mediajeju.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=137051

    해군기지 예인선 침수 원인은 케이슨과 충돌

    2012.11.26 12:56:14

     

    2. Meanwhile, the villagers made a statement on the Samsung C & T’s demand on the amount of loss for the delay of construction. Here is a statement(translated)

     

    Regrading the Samsung C & T’s demand on the amount of loss for the delay of construction

    It has been known through media that the Samsung C & T demanded 23 billion won for the loss and additional cost by the construction delay of the Jeju naval base (so called Civilian-Military Complex Harbor for Tour Beauty), while Daelim, another main-contract company of the naval base project is told to plan to demand on the loss, too. And it is informed that the Samsung C & T reported that the delay of construction occurred because of activities by opposition groups.

    To say in a word, it is like ‘the thief turns on the master with a club.’ The Samsung C & T got the order on the maritime construction of the outer facilities such as breakwater, becoming in charge for the 1st construction work area. If there was any  people’s activity of obstruction on construction, it was to point out on the uninstalled silt protectors, the measure on the reduction of floating materials, following the Environmental Impact Assessment. People were just stopping illegal construction since [the Samsung C & T] has enforced construction (destruction) even without proper installation of  immobile silt protectors among the double-layered silt protectors.

    If the Samsung C & T had proceeded construction with proper installation of silt protectors from the beginning and still there were activities of obstruction of construction, the Samsung C & T is right to assert its claim. However, its construction delay happened because it has been disclosed of its illegal constructions (destruction) so has gotten correction orders many times from the Jeju Island. The construction delay was more caused from the maritime condition that has not been ready due to strong wind such as typhoon.

    If it is a construction delay happened due to natural condition, it is righteous that a service order agency that has miscalculated the days of impossible construction for natural condition takes responsibility for it. If construction delay occurred because illegal construction was driven and disclosed, it is righteous that applicable company is punished, rather than the company says so and so on the compensation on the amount of loss. Therefore if the Navy Headquarter or Ministry of National Defense demands a right to indemnity against local residents, the world will laugh on it.

    Even though the construction might have been delayed because local residents repulsed back against construction, the state should naturally compensate for the construction delay. It is because the state has the responsibility for smooth construction with its [responsibility] of persuading local residents in its driving for a national policy. Further it is a [so called] security project in the words of the Government. The Government should be responsible for all the loss and legal disadvantage that have occurred, being awakened that the project has become rather destroying security, not only destroying a local community but even dividing citizens’ opinions on it.

    Gangjeong Village Association

    Nov. 26, 2012

     

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    Reference

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165795

    “해군기지 공사지연 손실금 구상권?…천하가 웃을 일”

    강정마을회, 공사지연 손실금 청구 입장표명

    2012.11.26 15:21:03

     

    3. Otherwise there was an event called, Consolidate Solidarity for No Jeju Naval Base Campaign and Asia-Pacific Peace Movement

    Source: PSPD. Click HERE

     

    PSPD, Cafe Tongin (1F)/ PM08:00 Nov. 26 (Mon), 2012

    Sponsored by the People’s Solidarity for participatory Democracy

    The Story tellers who were invited were: Dr. Song Kang-Ho, Fr. Mun Jun-Hyun, Kang Dong Kyun, (Gagjoeng village mayor), Joseph Gerson (US), Liu Yintuo (China), Corazon Fabros (Philippines), and Kawasaki Akira (Japan)

    For more on it, click HERE

    (Post by Fielding Hong)

     

    4. 24 hour construction and 24 hour protest are continued 

    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ Barricades to block the cement trucks. For more photos on 24 hour protest by Jang Hyun-Woo, click, here and here (Post by Regina Pyon)
    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ 100 bows in the morning. For more photos on 24 hour protest by Jang Hyun-Woo, click, here and here (Post by Regina Pyon)

     

    Video by Jo Yak Gol (Source: Click here)

     

    Video by Ki Gami/ 11pm, Nov. 27 (Source: Click here/ post by Regina Pyon)

  • Gangjong Villagers’ Unity Day and other weekend stories in Gangjeong

    Gangjeong is alive. Its vivid life seldom stops despite ongoing construction inside the construction area during the weekend. Here are some sketches and stories of Gangjeong on Sunday, Nov. 25 by the early dawn of Monday, Nov. 26. Meanwhile  our friends in Okinawa had a Mangetsu Matsuri (Full Moon festival on Nov. 24, Saturday. You can see the full report and pictures here.  You can also see the solidarity messages and pictures from Jeju to Okinawa here. 

     

    1. Gangjeong Villagers’ Unity Day

    Nov. 25, 2012/ Gangjeong Villagers’ Unity day. People in tent across construction gate cheers the villagers. For more photos, see here.

    There was a Gangjeong villagers’ Unity Day event amid the rainy afternoon of Sunday, Nov. 25. The event started at 5 pm. About 30~40 villagers gathered in rain coats. The villagers marched to the Jeju naval base project committee building complex with the flags that read ‘no naval base,’ and ‘The Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty is a FRAUD.”

    In front of the committee building complex, mayor Kang Dong-Kyun said, “We should call it not the base project committee but a fraud group.” He also emphasized villagers’ task to inherit the Gangjeong stream nearby it to their descendants as it is, without environmental contamination by the destruction of naval base-building.

    There was a lecture by Prof. Cho Young-Bae, a Gangjeong native and currently a reverend, too. The subject was about the ‘co-existence and harmony’ for the Gangjeong community. He said the importance of saving community beside the task of stopping the naval base project. His speech reflected villagers’ greatest pain of broken community between con and pro on the Jeju naval base project.

    The village proud of 400 years old history had been well preserved of its traditions: Respecting elders and caring children through various traditional community events. However, one of such most exemplary communities has suffered near for six years by now because of conflict and division between the con and pro opinions on the naval base. Almost every villager became to have their opponents within the members of their family or relatives.

    It is worthy to note that the Jeju has relatively well preserved the protocol of traditional Korean culture and spirit. The community spirit has been expressed in a word, ‘Sooneuleum (수눌음),’ a Jeju dialect.

    ‘In the spirit of Souneuleum, people help those of the sick, with no parents and disable first. All share their stuffs for the people in poor and difficult situation. It is the tradition of Jeju to overcome its barren nature environment [of wind and stone] and to live together for more than a thousand year…Sooneuleum is a kind of exchange work that is called as Pooamashi(품앗이) by which people help in rotation one another in fishery, agriculture and cattle breeding . “While Pooamashi needs compensation in exchange, the Sooneulem is based on ‘no condition,’ in helping the people in difficult situation.” (Han Gong-Ik, President of Jeju branch, Korean Culture Centers’ Association) (Source: Click here)

    Prof. Cho Young- Bae says it is not the navy that we should really fight against. It is more of struggle against self-righteousness and exclusiveness inside us. We should not hate the betrayers like Mr. Yoon Tae-Jung, ex-mayor of the village who betrayed majority of villagers who are opposing the naval base project, but criticize their crimes of self-righteousness and exclusiveness that contradicts to the spirit of co-existence and harmony, Prof. Cho emphasized.

    In the kitchen, village women cooked warm meals of boiled pork (a traditional Jeju food) and Bibimbab, a meal of rice mixed with vegetables.

    After the meal, there was a performance of Korean traditional music by professional performers.

     

    2. Song concert by the Gangjeong Flower band

    The diligent Gangjeong flower band never takes rest. Visiting and consoling the three key spots of the village (Natgiriso,  the sacred source of the Gangjeong stream; Gangjeong port; and construction gates near the Gangjeong stream), the band sang for life and peace. You can  here their recent song titled ‘Kimbab from the Paradise ‘that calls for whole budget cut on the Jeju naval base project.

    Photo by Hwang Hyun-Jin, a member of the Gangjeong Flower band on Nov. 25, 2012

    Here is a short remark by a member of the band. “We just finished part 2 of our music concert in the Gangjeong port. People lie, sit or stand and say hello to the Gureombi Rock. We are the ones who love the Gureombi Rock in each one’s own way.“(Hwang Hyun-Jin, post on Nov. 25)

     

    3. We don’t want to confront against foreign workers

    News from the protest field around 3:10 am on Nov. 26 (Fwd. translated)

    Photo by Park Yong-Sung/ Two reverends during Sunday. The letters on the chairs in front of construction gate read: “Let’s save the Gangjeong village.”

    ‘During the weekend, the construction(destruction) inside the naval base project area was continued. The villagers and activists are keeping the gate 24 hours. It was this dawn (around 3 am) when  only two people were in the gate: Workers and thugs brought about 10 Vietnamese workers who roughed out us. Imagine that we are surrounded by 10 Vietnamese workers who seldom know the situation and with whom language communication is not possible. The Vietnamese friends say to us smiling us ‘hello’ in Korean as if they think it is a play. How horrible I felt on it to face their pure eyes.

    A knocking situation. Two of us tied our bodies to a lumber with a chain saying to them no vehicle should  enter until this situation is informed to the responsible personnel in the construction site and police promise us no recurrence of such situation. Not to mention illegality of construction, the companies order foreign workers to do such job which has been done by the police. I hate to think of any possible violent situation [in which I face against the foreign workers)

    The beginning of long week after a weekend break like X-mas started again.’ (Park Yong-Sung)

     

    4. A story by a graduate of the ROK Military Academy

    Mr. Song Chang-Wook is a graduate of the ROK Military Academy. He was admitted to it as the top in its passing examination more than 25 years ago. He is  a strong and cheerful peace activist now. He has been arrested many times for his non-violent protest to stop the construction vehicles in front of the naval base construction gates. He tells a remarkable story.

    Photo by Cho Sung Bong 
    Song Chang-Wook sleeping in front of construction gate during the night time protest early November. Director Cho mentions on him, ‘There will be no other man who can sleep in such proud form, giving up all his stuff to empty himself and fill himself again’

    ‘In Seoul, I happen to be invited to dinner by my same year graduate friends in the ROK military Academy. I ran by taxi to Itaewon (* A part of the Itaewon is very popular among the United States military personnel, known as the GI town. See here). I told to my friends on the reasons of opposition against the Jeju naval base project. My friends  are currently working in the Defense Security Command, Aviation Operations Command, Graduate School of Korea National Defense University, ROK-US Combined Forces Command. And one of my friends has worked in the trade business in the past. They looked very shocked by my telling. They told me they have been never aware how the project is being driven in such shameful ways.

    A friend told me that the Graduate School of Korea National Defense University (KNDU) has formed a relationship with the Gangjeong elementary school tens of years ago. According to him, one day a man who claims himself as a village representative ( * It is very likely that the man was ex-village mayor, Yoon Tae-Jung) came to the KNDU and appealed to them to please help him saying that ‘professional protesters,’ from the outside  have come to the village and make propaganda to and divide the villagers while the villagers desperately want the naval base construction. So my friend who have thought that the situation the man told was true told me that he was sorry to hear me. My friends told me that they are my side and encouraged me. Even though I am tired to drink with them,  I feel warmhearted by their words. We should make more efforts to spread truth following my friends’ advice.” (Song Chang-Wook around 2 am, Nov. 26)

     

    5. Solidarity in Japan, Iwakuni  and Nagoya (Post by Yoshio Nakamura on Nov. 24 and 25)

    Mr. Kim Jong Il, member of Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, showed his solidarity to people in Iwakuni who oppose consolidation of US bases there. He spoke about history of military relationship between US and South Korea and up-date of struggle against naval base on Jeju during AWC-Japan’s anti-US base rally in Iwakuni on November 23-24   (Post by Yoshio Nakamura on Nov. 24)

    Post by Yoshio Nakamura on Nov. 24/ Mr. Kim Jong Il, member of Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea made a speech in Iwakuni, Japan on Nov. 24

    Mr. Kin Jong-Ill shared anti-naval base struggle on Jeju in Nagoya, Japan (November 25, 2012)

    Post by Yoshio Nakamura on Nov. 26/ Mr. Kim Jong-Il, member of Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea made a speech in Nagoya, Japan on Nov. 25

     

    6 Gangnam style???…pfff……Gangjeong style!!!!: Video by Carol Reckinger

    Visit her great blog that includes wonderful pictures and stories on the current struggle against the naval base. Click here

    Gangjeong Style from Carol Rekinga on Vimeo.

     

    7. The nature as it is

    Gangjeong Stream of November. . .Photo by Cho Sung-bong. For more photos, see here. (Post by Regina Pyon)

  • Village mayor’s lawsuit against the Prime Minister to demand 0.9 cent solatium

    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ On Nov. 23, village mayor Kang Dong-Kyun filed a lawsuit against the Prime Minister to demand on 0.9 cent solatium for betraying citizens.

     

    On Nov. 23, 2012, Kang Dong-Kyun, Gangjeong village mayor, filed a lawsuit against the Prime Minister, Kim Hwang-Sik, to demand 1 won solatium. 1 won is 0.9 cent by the US currency standard. Why? The below translation explains the purpose of the lawsuit that is hoped to be extended into citizens’ campaign to demand the Prime Minister to make an official apology, stop construction and cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project.

    Prof. Shin Yong-In, Professor of the Law School of the Jeju University and legal advisory to the Village Association mentions in relation to it:

    “With the exposure by Jang Hana, National Assembly woman, on the technical verification committee meeting minutes and testimony by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou, member of the technical verification committee, in the Island Council inspection, it became completely clear that the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty is a fabrication. Therefore any justifications for construction drive and budget allocation have become disappeared [..] If that part becomes certainly AN ISSUE, our struggle will have tremendous power to bring construction to be stopped and whole budget to be cut [..] We should demand the Prime Minister to make an official apology for his deception to people and to stop construction (destruction). And the Presidential candidates should make public their positions on the Government that cheats  people”

    ( Korean language source: Click here)

    The Prime Minister should make an official apology to the people for his deceiving of them!

    Stop construction (destruction)!

    Cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project!

    ………………………………………………………………

     

    Mayor’s statement

    : Filing a lawsuit against the Prime Minister, Kim Hwang-Sik, to demand 0.9 cent solatium

     

    1. On Feb. 29, 2012, ‘the result and measure plan on the technical verification on the port-entry & exit by cruise,’ related to the Jeju Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, was discussed in the National Policy Control meeting that Kim Hwangsik, Prime Minister, presided over. As the result of meeting, the participants in the meeting told to confirm that it is possible by and large for 150,000 ton cruise to enter and exit port of the the Jeju Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, decided to drive the construction such as dredging in earnest, to complete construction by 2015 as planned.

    2. Since then, the site of Gangjeong was transformed into a situation being alike a battle field where endless daily clashes occur between the navy that enforces construction (destruction) with the mobilization of police and peace activists that make efforts to stop it. For a year of 2012 alone, about 390 people have been arrested.

    3. However, on Nov. 19, 2012, it was exposed through the inspection by the Administration and Self-Governing Committee of the Jeju Island Council that the report by the technical verification committee meeting supervised by the Office of Prime Minister was framed on the condition that the Government doctored the meeting result to avoid layout alteration and construction stop, which was through the testimony by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou, Korea Maritime University, who has joined the technical verification committee meeting. It has  turned out that Government personnel [in the meetings of technical verification committee] raised [different opinion of] whether there is a firm need to change a harbor and bay design when as much as 150 billion won is more needed for the layout change for cruise to enter the port. It also turned out that the chairman of the technical verification committee meeting induced conclusion into the way that no construction stop is to be realized, he saying in person that it is the basic measure of the Government to conclude the verification matter, when various matters such as the talk that even the entry of military vessels are difficult, not to mention cruise ships, were raised in the meetings. It is also told that the Government changed the 2nd simulation result report by the Ministry of National defense as if it is the report that the technical verification committee has officially acknowledged even though it was a mere reference material. Prof. Kim Gil-Sou told in conclusion that he considers the base design was not for the civilian-military complex port from the beginning.

    4. Otherwise, according to the movie that Park Won-Chul, Island Provincial Council member, obtained, it turned out that the simulation was done with the use of four not two tug boats, different from the Government assertion. The government lied from the beginning to the end. As a result, it has become clear that the Civilian-Military Complex Port that the Government and navy have made so much propaganda is merely a fraud play against their citizens.

    5. In the old age of history, Confucius has told that three elements of security, economy and people’s trust are important in doing politics. He has also said if one should unavidably abandon one, the first should be security, second is economy, then the last one is people’s trust. The people’s trust to Government is the most important element for the Republic of Korea to exist. The Government cannot exist if it is not be trusted by people. Still the Government has thoroughly betrayed people as if it is the Jeju civilian-military complex port while it is in fact Jeju naval base. How can you trust the Government that betrays people. It should be an example that the Government who betrays its people is thoroughly punished so that Government cannot betray its people again.

    6. Since the decision by the National Policy Control meeting supervised by Kim Hwang Sik, Prime Minister, is based on the result of the inducement and manipulation of the result from the technical verification by the technical verification committee, Kim Hwang-Sik, the Prime Minister cannot avoid his responsibility for his intention or fault on it.

    7. Since I have been forced to take speechless mental suffering due to the decision of construction drive by the intention or fault like above, Kim Hwang-Sik, Prime Minister, is responsible for the compensation of solatium for my mental suffering.

    8. Now I became to make decision to demand solatium to Kim Hwang-Sik, Prime Minister, on my mental suffering. Even though I long to demand hundreds millions of solatium to him, as I, upon the naval base construction, became to have more than 150,000,000 won debt since I have had no time to spare to care for my household, my health has become worse, physically, too, and I suffer for insomnia, I made decision to demand only 0.9 cent to him in the hope that all the citizens join this lawsuit for solatium, and in symbolic sense as well.

    9. I demand Kim Hwang-Sik, Prime Minister officially apologize to deceive people even now and cancell the decision on the resumption of construction, based on the falsified technical verification report. If Kim Hwang-Sik, Prime Minister neglect my demand and continuously ridicule citizens, I will extend my lawsuit to demad 0.9 cent solatium into all citizens’ movement.

     

    Nov. 23, 2012

    Kang Dong-Kyun, Mayor of the Gangjeong village, as the starting runner for the lawsuit to demand 0.9 cent solatium

    (Korean language source: Click here)

    …………………………………………………………………………………..

    See also the Jeju Weekly, regrading the decision by the Office of Prime Minister on Feb. 29, 2012 and blast of the Gureombi Rock on March 7, 2012.

    http://www.jejuweekly.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=2444

    Seoul plans 1.7 trillion won investment in Gangjeong

    Naval base contractor gets police go-ahead for explosives use

    Friday, March 09, 2012, 09:21:06

     

    See also here on the  villagers’ refusal to accept the proposal by the Office of Prime Minister

    http://savejejunow.org/you-cannot-buy-us-with-money/
    “You cannot buy us with money!” Villagers dissipated the Prime Minister Office presentation again.

    Oct. 26, 2012

    …………………………………………………………………………………….

    People’s 24 hour protest and completion of the 3rd caisson

    Meanwhile, people’s 24 hour protest to stop construction vehicles went on. The night time entry/exit of cement mixer trucks resumed on Nov. 19 after 10 days ‘ absence. The 24 hour mobilization of police and people’s 24 hour protest resumed again, too.  Despite the weekend break, the whole scene will restart on Monday, Nov. 26, again.

    Photo by Lee Woo Ki/ People carry stones over night to stop the night time entry/exit of trucks . For more photos on night time protest by Lee Woo Ki, see here.

     

    Scene of violent oppression on protesters in the night of  Nov. 20.

    Video by Yange Gon (Source: Click here)

     

     

    Scene of the caisson production area on the Gureombi Rock, Gangjeong village , around 7am, Nov. 24, 2012, Saturday

    Video by Navi (Source: click here)

    The 3rd 3,300 ton caisson has been recently completed and is in the condition of being dried at the cost of human rights violation and environmental destruction during 24 hour construction that started on Oct. 25.

  • Samsung C & T demands additional construction cost of 23 billion won, reasoning of delay, for people’s protest

     

    Photos by Lee Woo Ki/ During the 24 hour construction that started since Oct. 25, people slept in front of construction gates to stop the construction vehicles. For more photos by Woo Ki Lee, See here(Night) and here (day)

     

    It was confirmed on Nov. 23 that Samsung C & T that is in charge of the 1st work area of the Jeju naval base project has demanded the Ministry of National Defense (MND) additional construction costs of about 23 billion won, reasoning that its work in the naval base project is being delayed because of opposition groups’ obstruction of construction. According to Sisa Jeju, the personnel in the Samsung C & T have started to discuss on it with the MND about a month ago.

    Hearing that, the Gangjeong Vllage Association and opposition groups strongly refuted on it, saying it is illogical that people’s taxes are to be wasted by giving additional costs on illegal construction.

    The Samsung C & T reasons people’s protest for the delay of construction

    According to the Jeju Sori, the Samsung C & T said to it on Nov. 23 that it “is consulting with the MND regarding the payment on construction fees etc since the naval base construction has been delayed more than a year.”

    The Samsung C & T that is building the outer breakwater of the naval base has gotten from the MND project right on the 1st work area of the Jeju naval base project, which is about 300.7 billion (300.751,000,000) won sum of money for construction, as of Jan. 2010 standard.

    The 1st work area is of a large size project on constructing west breakwater of420 meter and south breakwater of 1,076 meter. Currently the Samsung C & T is preparing for the construction of breakwaters, building 8,800 ton caisson for each in the Hwasoon port, Andeok myon, Seogwipo City. See the map below.

    Source: See here/  Naval Base construction layout

    The matter raised by the Samsung C & T is about the delay of construction. It asserts that construction is being delayed since the Gangjoeng village Association and opposition groups against the naval base have obstructed the entry/exit of construction vehicles and invaded into the inner side of the construction site.

    In fact, the Samsung C & T started construction from February 2011 which was a delay from its original plan. Its current work rate reaches only about 20% (39.1 billion won), far behind its purpose of 80 % (248.7billion won) for November, this year. According to the Jeju naval base project committee, the total work rate as of November currently reaches only to 24.4 % (239.5 billion won) by the standard of executed budget, among the total construction cost of 980.5 billion Korean won. The work rate by the Daelim in the 2nd work area is known to be only 21.4%.

    It has been known that the Samsung C & T, analyzing that it could not carry out construction for more than 15 months because of obstruction on construction by the opposition groups against the naval base project, earmarked 23 billion won in the name of labor and construction material costs.

    It is known that the loss price has become bigger following the construction postponement as the rent fee for the expensive maritime dock facility that the Samsung C & T has taken for the west breakwater construction amounts 200,000,000 to 300,000,000 won a day.

    Navy personnel resonates to Samsung C & T, “the construction has been delayed about 14 ~15 months as the opposition groups occupied the Gureombi Rock area by the early period of September last year and obstructed construction by blocking construction vehicles and interrupting  barge movement since then, too. We will decide the matter of preservation on loss price by contacting each construction company through legal examination.” The completion year of the Jeju naval base project has been postponed from 2014 to 2015.

    Regarding the Daelim industry that is in charge of 2nd work area of mooring dock, east breakwater and formation on land area, the Sisa Jeju reports that the Daelim industry is demanding  the MND to preserve 1.5billion won of loss following construction delay, while the Jeju Sori reports that it has not demanded additional construction cost.

    Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ 14th caisson that was made by Samsung C & T in the Hwasoon port is entering the Gangjeong Sea at the cost of environmental destruction on Nov. 15.  The vicinity of the Beom Island in the background of the photo is the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve  with the UNESCO-designated soft coral habitats.  The Island itself is the  UNESCO-designated Geology Park. Stationing caissons without verified simulation  is  a total ignorance of even the Island governor’s demand. For more, see here.

     

    People, even the National Assembly members, refute against corporate greed

    Upon such behavior of navy-contracted companies, not only the Gangjeong villagers but even the Jeju-based/origin National assembly members are infuriated using the phrase of ‘the thief turns on the master with a club.’ in their remarks.

    Kang Dong-Kyun, the mayor of the Gangjeong village said, “The Naval base is illegal construction. It was without proper procedure. And environment is being destroyed. “Billions of caisson that have become scrap irons ( due to unreliable construction) tell that.” (# One caisson is told to take production cost of 5 billion won)

    “The naval base construction project itself  has been filled with serous problems from the beginning process of location selection to the performance during and after environmental impact assessment. It is righteous to stop illegal destruction. “

    “You should not appropriate billions of construction costs with people’s tax again because illegal construction fee has been delayed. The 23 billion won that the Samsung C & T has demanded is absurd.” ”

    Go Gwon-Il, chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base also pointed out. “Is the Samsung C & T really qualified to demand additional costs? The Samsung C & T has enforced construction without the installation of silt protectors on the sea last year. If the Samsung C & T had driven construction observing the law, it had not arrived into this situation. Wrong national policy cannot but be repulsed back by citizens’ resistance on it. The injustice of naval base construction should be first examined.

    Jang Hana who has constantly raised problesm on naval base emphasized that ‘The villagers and activists have stopped naval base construction since it is illegal. The demand by the Samsung C & T is like to “Save a stranger from the sea, and he´ll turn your enemy.”

    Kim Jae-Yoon, National Assembly man said, “Whole matters occurred because the MND has not properly carried out the subsidiary opinion of the National assembly. The Ministry of National Defense is constructing naval base under the cover name of civilian military complex port for tour beauty.”

    He also said that “The social costs of villagers’ suffering are much bigger than the large sum of money of construction that the Samsung C & T asserts. The MND should compensate the villagers not Samsung.”

    In case the Ministry of National Defense pays for additional construction fee to Samsung C & T, there could be raised of a claim for damage against the opposition groups such as the Gangjoeng Village Association. If then, it could be expanded to lawsuit war.

    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ Catholic priest Moo Kyu-Hyun protests against illegal construction. See more photos on people’s protest, see here.
    Photo source: PSPD (People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy)  Hankyoreh newspaper, Nov. 22 Advertisement: People’s campaign to stop construction(destruction) and to cut whole 2013 budget on the Jeju naval base project. See the related site here
    4,582 citizens joined to fund the newspaper advertizement campaign.

    ……………………………………………………………………….

    Reference

     

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122917

    삼성 공사방해 수백억 요구, 강정 “적반하장”

    2012.11.23  10:04:19

     

    http://www.sisajeju.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=165085

    제주해군기지 시공사, 공사지연 손실보전 230억 요구

    “해군기지 반대측 방해로 공사 늦어져”…국방부, 손실액 보전 법률검토

    2012.11.23  11:17:10

     

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165519

    삼성, 국방부에 ‘해군기지 공사지연’ 손실 230억 요구

    “230억 물어내라”…강정마을에 구상권 청구목적?

    2012.11.23  09:46:49

    http://www.jejudomin.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=36535

    삼성, 해군기지 공사비 230억 추가 요구

    반대단체 방해 이유…강정마을회 등 강력 반발

    2012.11.23  12:48:56

  • We Want to Arm Gangjeong Village with Literature

    “Writers Action 1219” held the “Gangjeong Village Peace Library Proposal Ceremony” in front of the Jeju Naval Base project construction gate on November 21. 23 representatives from the group attended and joined the civil disobedience campaign, joined by activists, villagers, and Catholic fathers. Below is their official statement made at the ceremony. Click here For further details and pictures.

     

    We Want to Arm Gangjeong Village with Literature:
    Proposal for the Creation of a Gangjeong Village Peace Library


    As we stand here today each of us carries a book. We know that fire could turn this book to a handful of ashes. Water could turn it to a lump of batter. It could also be torn to pieces and scattered by the Gangjeong wind. But we know that it is the son of a tree, so it is the breath of the forest and the heart of nature. We know that the salamander and the red-foot crab live together in it, and the Aster Yomena and Cladium chinensis Nees plants grow together, and we know that life and anima are connected like the stonewalls of this village. Above all things, we know that the heart of this book is like the Gureombi Rock.

    Therefore, today, we would like to launch this villager and civil group cooperative project, the “Creation of the Gangjeong Village Peace Library”. For the red-foot crab to crawl, the Cladium chinensis Nees to sway, and for the natives’ laughter to be heard by those that pass through Gureombi. For the Sarangbang [a type of traditional Korean guestroom] of beautiful life to protect and live with this sea longer than billy clubs, guns, swords, and cannons. We will arm this village with hearts of hope, peace, and solidarity against their arms of domination, hegemony, and war.

    But literature does not occupy peace through destruction and replacement. We will not “build a library in Gangjeong Village” but “build Gangjeong village into a library”. We will clean and repair an old and empty house and connect homes to each other so that the whole village can be a library. We will create a library where adults can read books, children can dream, and together they can share stories, creating a presence of peace. This project will not end in a moment but will be forever with Gangjeong village.

    We are going to put our effort into creating the Gangjeong Village Peace Library.

    One, we will let everyone know about the meaning and necessity of the Peace Library through paper and action.
    One, we will share everything necessary for creating the Peace Library and actively participate in the particulars of preparation.
    One, we will steadfastly contribute to the Peace Library, the literature we have published thus far and will publish in the future.
    One, we will participate joyfully in various literature events, lectures, and etc., which the Peace Library will hold in the future.

    As we stand here today each of us carries a book. Tomorrow, we will become these books and protect this place as that book. Each letter in the book will crawl out like the Japanese mitten crab, wanting to see a recovered Gureombi, recovered lives, and a peaceful, beautiful Gangjeong Sea again. Because we believe literature is the food of Peace and solidarity for hope.

    We desire that villagers and civil groups participate together in the preparation of this project and our will is that this project will lead to the total annulment of the Gangjeong Village U.S. Naval Base.

    November 21, 2012
    Seong-ho Ham & Sun-woo Kim
    Gangjeong Village Peace Library Project “Writers Gathering” Preparation Representatives


  • Coast Guard Illegally Blocks Boats in Public Gangjeong Port

    On Tuesday, November 21, several members of SOS (Save Our Seas), the Gangjeong ocean observation, monitoring, and action team, reunited after several months of focusing on other activities (and several members months long imprisonment). Four members, decided to take two kayaks, one turned into a homemade sailboat, out to the sea to observe the construction. Their plan was to circle the construction site legally from the outside, observe and take pictures and video. They also just to go out to sea for the first time in several months.

    The weather was a bit cold and overcast, but it was not dangerous or excessively windy and there were no sea weather warnings. All four members are excellent swimmers and kayakers as well as licensed divers. They also all wore heavy winter wet suits, both for warmth and safety. The members brought their kayaks to Gangjeong port, a small public port, and put their boats in the water. Upon doing so, the coast guard ran to them and began questioning them about their plans and motive. Since Korea is supposedly a free democracy and not a police state, the members merely replied that they were going to the ocean and felt no further need to give more details.

    Coast Guard boats intercept the kayaks

    As the SOS members got in the Kayaks and took off, they were suddenly surrounded by Coast Guard ships and officers. Without any announcement or information, the coast guard officers jumped in the water and began blocking the kayaks. They then grabbed the kayaks and began pulling and pushing them back to the shore. SOS members struggled nonviolently with the coast guard who continued to attack them and restrict their rights and freedom without any explanations.

    Finally after a lot of struggle, one coast guard official began to announce through a microphone that because there was a the construction site nearby, it might be possible that the SOS members would go inside and doing something illegal. He even referenced the June 30 action when Kim Dong-Won climbed a crane doing illegal dredging. Of course, this is outrageous as not only was Kim Dong-Won not aboard a Kayak but also his case is still currently on trial, meaning he is still innocent until proven guilty. Further it was outrageous that simply because there was a construction site in the area (hundreds of meters away, no where near where SOS was blocked while doing something completely legal in a public place. With that reasoning the police can stop anyone from doing anything if there is ever a chance of something illegal happening, which is always and everywhere!

    Coast Guard thugs block a swimmer.

    The struggle continued on and the SOS members went back to shore and then attempted to enter the water at several other places, every time illegally blocked and assaulted by the coast guard. They continued until it began to grow dark. At which point they returned to the land.

    It was an outrageous display of police stupidity and power (there were more than 20 coast guard officers to the 4 SOS), and total trampling on the rights of the SOS team members. It is clear that not only is Gangjeong a police occupation, but that the coast guard and the police are nothing more than free taxpayer paid security for construction companies, Samsung and Daelim. Many Korean coast guard members are very nationalistically proud of themselves for being in the coast guard, but they have nothing to be proud of. They are complicit in the destruction of Gangjeong Village, its people, heritage and culture, and the destruction of the environment, including the very sea that they are sworn to protect. This is both pathetic and shameful.

    More pictures available below:

    SOS members prepare their homemade sailboat kayak.
    Entering the water, ready for the journey.
    Coast Guard officers block the sailboat kayak.
    Not giving up, the SOS members got out of the water and entered again at another location. They were blocked again, this time by even more coast guard boats and officers.
    While being trapped by the Coast Guard, the SOS members found an old damaged silt protector, which again raised concerns about whether the construction site is using the required environmental protection.
    The silt protector viewed from underwater.

     

  • Villagers state on Island Council exposure and step for legal suit against the Island governor

    Photo by Cho Sung-Bong, in his photo essay, Nov. 20, 2012. For contents, see No. 3

     

    1. People’s Nov. 20 statement on the exposure of the Island Council on Nov. 19

    ( Translated. Original Korean statement can be seen here)

     

    Title: The ruling and opposition parties should cut the whole 2013 budget for the Jeju naval base project as the decision on drive for the Jeju naval base project by the national policy control meeting turned out to be a clear fabrication!

    In the inspection by the Administrative Self-Governing Committee of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Island Provincial Council yesterday on Nov. 19, it was confirmed again that the government has doctored the meeting results of the technical verification committee to finish the committee’s technical verification committee report in the earlier period without design change and construction stop, thanks to the testimony by Prof Kim Gil-Sou who has participated as a member of the technical verification committee managed by the Office of Prime Minister. It was also exposed that there were models of 4tug boats not two boats in the 2nd simulation of which the report was made public by the Office of Prime minister. Further it was also exposed that the report was not the technical verification committee officially acknowledged but a mere reference.’

    The Office of Prime Minister has officially taken the 2nd report, asserting its basis that it was manifested following the recommendation by the technical verification committee. However, it turned out that the 2nd simulation report is clearly a fabrication in content and procedure.

    Therefore the decision to drive construction by the national policy control meeting on Feb. 29, 2012, which was held based on the report, is regarded as not valid from the origin, too. In detail, the decision of the national policy control meeting came out based on the 2nd simulation report and was concluded on the premise that it is guaranteed for 150,000 ton cruise to enter/ exit of port and to safely come alongside the pier. The premise was conditioned though, that west jetty dock is structured into the changeable and navigation route is changed by 30 degree angle. As the very basis of the decision turned out to be fabrication, the decision by the national policy control meeting can not be established as valid any more.

    It was also confirmed that three dimension modeling on the harbor and bay set up in the 2nd simulation was processed borrowing the harbor and bay model established in the 1st simulation. It is a serious reason of disqualification because even though the 2nd simulation is a test formed on the premise of 30 degree angle navigation route, it directly borrowed the area-detailed basic resource for the case of 77 degree angle (vicinity of navigation route, current, wind direction and wind speed). Because it is a test processed even without investigation on the area-detailed geographical and natural conditions in the vicinities of  the 30 degree angle navigation route, it is a test that lost even the value as a report.

    The matter is that there is a great concern that the revival of the 3rd simulation agreed between the Jeju Island government and Office of Prime Minister could be processed, borrowed of three dimension model used in the 1st and 2nd simulation. It is told that it takes six months only for collection of the area-detailed basic resource and for composition on the three dimension model for targeted ships and harbor & bay. Therefore, given the current situation, there is a high possibility [for the Prime Minister and Island government] to borrow the 1st and 2nd simulation models for the 3rd simulation,

    However, we claim that the test lay-out should be inevitably carried out on the ground of clearly collected area-detailed basic resources to take fair and objective verification that the Jeju island government has emphasized many times. Also the researchers who led the 2nd simulation that was proved out to be fabrication should be excluded in the selection of the researchers to join the tests. It is because objectivity and fairness cannot be secured if the tests are processed by re-employing the scholars who have abandoned their consciousness.

    [To conclude] the 2013 budget of the Jeju naval base project (Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty) of which only re-verification would take at least six months should be righteously cut.

    Thereupon, we demand like the below.

    Accepting the inspection result by the Administrative Self-Governing Committee of the Island Council yesterday(Nov 19), Governor Woo should revoke his position on the pass of the Jeju naval base budget and declare the demand on objective and fair simulation.

    We request the Island Council to deliver the inspection result of the Administrative Self-Governing Committee and to make efforts for the 2013 Jeju naval base budget to be wholly cut.

    To realize stop on construction and re-examination on project that Moon Jae-In, Presidential candidate has pledged, the Democratic United Party should not make any concession regarding the principle of budget cut before fair and objective verification

    Finally, the Saenuri party should agree with the whole budget cut for the 2013 Jeju naval base project , bearing in mind that it would be the critical elements in executing the national policy project to lose people’s trust on the Government and National Assembly to allocate budget for the project that does not secure fairness and objectivity such as of procedural flaws and in which unjust behavior such as layout flaws and unreliable construction would be confirmed.

    Nov. 20, 2012

    Gangjeong Village Association, Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island (26 groups), National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing the Naval Base in Jeju Island (125 groups)

     

    2. Villagers steps for legal suit on the reclamation matter

    ( Korean language reference: See here)

    Regarding the Island government’s license of the navy on the reclamation on public water and its surface in the Jeju naval base project (so called Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, the Gangjeong village entered for legal step on Nov. 20. The Gangjeong village delivered to the Island governor its application letter on the demand of the cancellation of the navy on the license on the reclamation on public water and its vicinity surface, demanding the governor to reply on his acceptance or denial of it by Dec. 5, 2012. The village said that if the Island governor rejects the application by the village or does not reply to the villagers by the defined date, it would enter the procedure on the lawsuit for the cancellation on the denial disposal on application, based on the law on the administrative lawsuit.

    On Oct. 22, 2012, the village has made public if Woo Keun-Min, Island governor does not cancel the navy of the license on the reclamation on the public surface and its water by Nov. 7, it would inquire him civilian and criminal responsibility for it.

    Reminder: The Navy Headquarter got the reclamation license on the public water and its vicinity surface from the Busan Regional Maritime Port Affairs and Port Office, without submission of diagnosis report on the date of March 3rd, 2010. It is an act that the Office permitted the reclamation license for the law-violating project, which is unlawful. Otherwise, the right to permission and cancellation on the reclamation construction on the public water and its vicinity surface was handed over from the Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime affairs to the Jeju Island in September, 2011.

    (See also Headline Jeju, Nov. 20, 2012 강정마을회, 제주도에 해군기지 매립면허 취소 요구)

     

    3. Illegal destruction of the Gureombi Rock  in violation of the EIA

     

    Translation of photo essay by Cho Sung-Bong on Nov. 20, 2012. See original Korean language version, here:

    ‘According to the ‘Agreed Contents of Environmental Impact Assessment,’regarding the Jeju naval base project, it reads that double-layers of silt-protectors should be installed during the maritime construction and use of Fall Pipes and land washing of sands and stones during the input of them into the sea should be carried out.

    However, construction(destruction) is being done with nothing above  is observed.

    Even though scattered dusts and maritime contamination have spread far wide, yet no measures have been taken.

    The article 26 of the law on the Environment Impact Assessment reads that ‘matter on the performance on agreed contents should be confirmed and necessary measures should be taken for the performance of it when agreed contents were not carried out.”

     

     

    4. Night time protest with the resumption of night time entry/exit of construction vehicles.

    Around 11 pm, Nov 20. it is common to be like this every night during night protest. But people don’t lose hope and optimism
    Around 11:20 pm Nov 20. Today small tower of stones. The police took away people’ stuffs of lumbers, bicycles, and other materials this evening. But people’s imagination will be unlimited. Tonight the police threw down all the stones, too, during their roughing out. so people built the stone tower again. it will be again and again over night.
    Around 3:30 am, Nov. 20, Police take away stones then the people will build the stone tower again. people are building stone tower repeatedly and the police are destroying them repeatedly, too.
    Around 7:30 am, Nov 21, People’s recovered tower, after police roughing out of them.

  • Technical verification committee member’s exposure: Lies on the simulation report by the Prime Minister Office were clearly revealed in the Island Council inspection.

    Photo source: Jeju Sori, Nov. 19, 2012(above) and Media Jeju, Nov. 19, 2012(below)/ They are the scenes of  movie on simulation on the cruise entry/ exit of port in the Jeju naval base project (So called Civilian-Military Complex port for Tour Beauty). In the scenes, it is possible for cruise to come alongside the pier only by the support of four tug boats, which exposes that the Office of Prime Minister has thoroughly lied and hid on the matter. The movie was open to public by an Island Council member, Park Won-Chul, during the Island Council inspection session on Nov. 19, 2012. The Office of Prime Minister, ignoring the opinions by the technical committee, has adopted the report based on such newly lie-exposed simulation.  The simulation had been requested by the Ministry of National Defense to the Korea Maritime University through the Samsung C & T, which resulted in the Feb. 23, 2012 report. To see the contents on it, see No. 2

     

    1. Budget talk was postponed again. Pressures on the members of the National Assembly, including those of Budget and Balance committee should be increased.

     

    On Nov. 19, budget talk was postponed again because of gap between the parties but possibility of vote was implied, which may bring the ruling party’s forceful sole disposal on budget.

    The talk in the National Defense committee of the National Assembly on the 201 billion won of the 2013 Jeju naval base budget was postponed again following Nov. 7-8, 12 and 16.

    The general meeting of the National Defense committee could not even talk on the Jeju naval base budget because of gap between the parties. The ruling party insists the pass of budget as the original (or at least partical cut) but the DP insisted the whole cut.

    The chairman ( Ryu Seung-Min, ruling Saenuri Party) and coordinators ( Han Ki-Ho, Saenuri Party and Ahn Kyu-Baek, Democratic United Party) of the committee decided to hold a meeting again prior to the day’s general meeting but the concrete schedule was not decided yet. If gap between the parties is not to be narrowed, there is a possibility of vote that was mentioned by the chairman of the committee on Nov. 19.

    If vote is enforced, there is a possibility of the Saenuri party’s forceful sole disposal, excluding the DP, [if the DP opposes the vote itself.] that will bring the creeping and clash in the committee. The proportion of the committee is 9 from the Saenuri Party, 7 from the DP, and 1 of independent among the total 17 committee members.

    If the proposal on the Jeju naval base is to be passed by the National Defense committee, it will be examined again by the Budget and Balance Committee of the National Assembly (whose schedule is not known yet) that will bring final result probably by the end of December, which is after December 19 Presidential election . The whole numbers of the Budget and Balance committee members  are 51.

    Continuous pressure on the members of the National Defense and Budget and Balance committees will be important.

    Protest against the Jeju naval base project, Gangjeong village, Nov. 19, 2012/ The sign reads, “Cut the whole 200.9 billion won of the 2013 Jeju naval base project!’

     

    2. Important exposure in the Island Council inspection: Construction should be stopped and budget should be cut as total lies by the Office of Prime Minister were clearly proved out.

     

    Meanwhile on the same day, important testimony by a member of the [base design-] technical verification committee meeting (Prof. Kim Gil-Soo, Korea Maritime University) and simulation screening that shockingly exposed government lies were held in the Island provincial council (Administrative self-governing committee) during its inspection on the Promotion Committee on the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty.

    Related to budget matter, the Island council inspection clearly proves out that the remark by the Office of Prime Minister that it would hold simulation ‘show‘, accepting the demand by the Island government, is only an excuse to appropriate budget on base project next year, shutting down all the critiques on its enforcement of naval base construction.

    The main testimony by Prof. Kim Gil-Soo was that: The report on the result of the 2nd simulation by the Office of Prime Minister [on Feb. 23] is different from the proper position of the technical verification committee (on the entry/exit of 150,000 cruises in the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty project) who adopted its proposal in its 4th meeting on Feb.14, after its session from January 26 to February 14.

    It was also ‘confirmed’ that the Feb. 23, 2012 report that had been ordered by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) through Samsung C & T was adopted as a simulation verification report by the Office of prime Minister. The villagers have raised a big suspicion on it in March 27, 2012. See here.

     

    Reference: It is useful to remind that

    1. The President Lee Myung Bak declared to enforce the Jeju naval base project in the 4th anniversary of his inauguration on Feb. 22, 2012)

    2. Based on the above Feb. 23 simulation report, on Feb. 29, 2012, the Office of Prime Minister claimed in its nation policy control meeting that the Lee Myung Bak government has made a final decision in September, 2008, to build the Jeju naval base as the civilian-military Complex Port for Tour Beauty where the civilian and military co-exist together. The remark by the Office of Prime Minister was criticized by the critics for distortion of facts because it added that the port had been built ‘as the Jeju naval base by the agreement from the villagers in 2007.’ There has been no agreement by the majority of villagers on the project whatever it was named. Additionally when the base building was first decided under the Ex-Roh Moo-Hyun government, it was under a cover called ‘civilian-military PORT OF CALL,’ not the ‘civilian-military Complex PORT for Tour Beauty, ‘ a new cover under the Lee Myung-Bak government (refer to Cheong Wooksik, Oct. 25, 2012)

    3. The first simulation by the Ministry of National Defense(navy) was in 2009.

    Finally, it was confirmed that, with the current base design, it is not easy even for military vessels, not to mention cruise, to enter and exit port. There have been numerous investigations by people themselves on it that back such confirmation.  One of them is by the villagers themselves. Watch the video here.
    Photo: Jeju Sori, Nov. 19, 2012/ Prof. Kim Gil-Sou, a member of the technical verification committee formed under the Office of Prime Minister on Jan. 26, 2012,  has been recommended as a member of the committee by the Jeju Island. He is also a member of the civilian verification task force team of the Jeju Island.

     

    The focus of the Island Council inspection on the base design were:

    Whether there was a pressure by the Office of Prime Minister  on the committee’s discussion result, also related to the 150 billion won mentioned to be needed for change of base design

    Whether the 2nd simulation report by the Office of Prime Minister properly reflects the position of the technical verification committee

    Whether the base was originally designed solely for naval base

    Whether the base fits even for military vessels, not to mention 150,000 ton cruise

    During the National Assembly inspection on the government offices, there has been a suspicion that has been strongly raised that the Office of Prime Minister pressured the committee to adopt the result report for the base design not to be changed.

    Here is the rearranged translation of the Jeju media, mostly from the Headline Jeju.

     

    Photo: Headline Jeju, Nov. 19, 2012/ Island Council members, Park Joo-Hee and Park Won-Chul

     

    ◇ “From the beginning, the design was not for the civilian-military complex port.”

    Prof. Kim Gil-Sou pointed out that there were problems in the simulation data by the Ministry of National Defense in the beginning.

     

    Question by Park Joo-Hee, Island Council member:

    In the meeting minutes, the members of the technical verification committee, recommended by the Island Council to be the members of the committee, lastly asked to the navy personnel in charge of simulation, pointing out ‘Why is it that the simulation data of wind speed 15 knot while it should be set up to 27 knot’ and ‘navigation route is wrong.’ And there was the remark by the navy personnel that ‘It is because it is hard for cruise to enter[the port] if the data is set up to 27 knot.’

    Does it mean that the base design was not for the civilian-military complex port from the beginning?

    Answer by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou, technical verification committee member

    “We understand so. But I don’t know how the navy considers it.”

    Question by Park Joo-Hee

    “Given the contents of the 4th meeting minutes, it can be seen there was an outside pressure from the Office of Prime Minister. There appear remarks such as that the verification matter should be finalized in the early period.”

    Answer by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou

    “(The measure to finalize the matter quickly) has been maintained from the start to the end.”

     

    ◇ “There was no outside pressure. But [the committee members] must have felt such mood in the meetings.”

     

    Question by Park Won-Chul

    “Was there outside pressure from the chairman of the technical verification committee (on Chairman, Jeon Joon-Soo, please see here) and the Office of Prime Minister?

    Answer by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou

    “It was the chairman who worried about the possibility of construction stop and made remark on it. It became clear in the 4th meeting that the most worrisome thing for those was on the possibility of construction stop. We sensed that Office of Prime Minister was afraid of the possibility of construction stop if something advantageous to the Jeju [Island government] is brought on in the verification meeting.”

    Question by Park Won-Chul

    “Is it proper for us to see the reason that the Office of Prime Minister avoids construction stop is because the port has been designed ONLY as a naval base and there would be additional design costs [if the design is changed]? Is it proper for us to see that the chairman of the verification committee was clearly aware of that part, given many problems [in the design]?”

    Remark by Park Joo-Hee

    “There was a pressure from the Office of Prime Minister. It is confirmed.”

    Answer by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou

    “There was no outside pressure. But [the committee members] must have felt the mood in the meetings.”

     

    ◇ “ The 2nd simulation report by the Ministry of National Defense(MND) is not [the committee’s] proper report.”

     

    The next questions were related to the MND’s submission of 2nd simulation report on Feb. 23, as soon as the technical verification committee adopted its result report on Feb. 14.

    On the question of Prof. Kim’s view on the matter that the Samsung ordered works on simulation already before the the committee’s adoption of  its own report, here are Prof. Kim’s answers.

    Answer by Prof. Kim

    “We did not acknowledge the [Samsung report]. At first, we thought it is for a new simulation but we found later that [the Office of Prime Minister] was to replace [ours] to it, which had already been ordered in December.

    “(During the meeting) the government personnel asked us to hear the MND 2nd simulation. When we said we would not do that, they asked us again to take it as reference material. It was not our proper document. However, the government personnel changed their words later. They say as if we, the technical verification committee acknowledged it, but it is TOO WRONG. The committee has NEVER officially acknowledged it. That is why we have continuously claimed on correct simulation. Correct simulation has to be done even from now on.”

     

    ◇ Cruises can barely come alongside the pier only with the support by four (not two) tug boats

    The central and Island government have argued each other on the ‘show’ of simulation, on the supposition that 150,000 ton cruise can safely come alongside the pier with the support of two tug boats of 3,500 horse power.

    However, in the 2nd simulation movie made public during the Island Council inspection by Park Won-Chul, Island Council member, there are scenes that a cruise ship barely comes alongside the pier supported by  four tug boats.

    Given the movie, it is confirmed that the simulation was carried on with four tug boats during the entry/exit of cruise in all cases in the conditions of wind speed 27 knot and west part jetty harbor as the changeable.

    However in the MND report on the result of simulation verification, it recommends to operate two tug boats with 3500 HP in case of more than 24 knot wind speed in the south breakwater; and to rearrange harbor structure and operate two 3500 HP all the time so that it would relieve psychological pressure of using jetty dock when big cruise is operated in the west breakwater (conditioned by maximum 27 knot of wind speed)

    Prof. Kim Gil-Sou stated watching the movie. “It is not common that four tug boats follow cruise.” He also stated that it is for the first time he got to know it.

    According to him,

    “ Since the size of water surface area of cruise is big, it is impossible for cruise to come alongside the pier without four tug boats in the condition of wind speed 27 knot or more. When I pointed out that the entry of cruise would be difficult in the condition of a jetty dock in the west breakwater, [the design of the jetty dock] was changed to the changeable. However, changeable dock is very difficult to build from the point of view of harbor and bay engineering technology. The reason that it was changed to the changeable is because the (government and navy0 wanted to maintain its original purpose (construction without  base design change)

    Park Joo-Hee, Island Council member said, “ The Island government should be furious together on the objectively proved out facts today that; The tug boats are four not two; it was originally a design purely for naval base; It takes additional 150 billion won to change the design; even military vessels are difficult for entry and exit/and  the chairman of the committee remarked that there should be no construction stop.” She demanded construction stop and space for true discussion by the Island people.

    Park Won-Chul also demanded construction stop pointing out that there have been as much as 22 cases of violations of the license regulation of Public waters Act (the law on the reclamation on the public water and its vicinity surface )since last October , which have not been properly asked of responsibilities with charges. Park also demanded thorough measure against unreliable caisson production of which seven have been demanded by last typhoons through fact checks

     

    3. Still 24 night time entry/exit of construction trucks resumed in 10 days on Nov. 19

    The night time entry/exit of construction vehicles that started on Oct. 25 has been posed since Nov. 10, 2010. For the background of it, see here. On Nov. 19, the nightmare of 24 hour police mobilization and 24 hour people protest started again.

    Around 9am. Nov. 19, 2012/ Protesters blocking construction trucks
    Around 2:30 pm, Nov. 19, 2012/The construction companies poured down dirty water toward outside gate. The dirty water flew into the Gangjeong stream, one of the absolute preservation areas along with the Joongdeok coast to which the Gureombi Rock belongs.
    Around 2:30 pm, Nov. 19, 2012/ Dirty water from the naval base project committee building complex flows into the Gangjeong stream.
    Photo by Dolgorae Goon, Nov. 17, 2012/  Such crime like above happened on Nov. 17, Saturday, too.  For many more photos on the day, click here.
    Photo by Carol Rekinger/ Around 11pm, Nov. 19, 2012. For many more photos, click  here.
    Photo by Carol Rekinger/ Around 11pm, Nov. 19, 2012. For many more photos, click  here.
    Photo by Yange Gone/ Around 3am, Nov. 20, 2012. Sleepless people
    Photo by Lee Woo Ki/ Around 5am, Nov. 20, 2012.  Protestors barely sleep between police roughing out of them.

    ……………………………………………

    Reference:

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122762
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    2012.11.19 13:38:12
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    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122722
    정부, 15만톤 크루즈 예인선 2척 필요도 ‘거짓말’
    2012.11.19 17:29:25

    http://www.mediajeju.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=136790
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    2012.11.19 16:41:55

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165256
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