Following the nights of Oct. 30, 31, Nov. 1, Nov. 2 when there were no construction trucks entering into the construction sites so people’s no night time protests, there were no construction trucks entering all day on Nov. 3, Saturday. Village was unusually quiet. All the policemen and police buses that have always parked near the bridge disappeared.
People’s routine works went on: 7am, 100 bows, 11am, Catholic mass, 3pm, protestant mass, 8pm, candle vigil. Sitting, watching and keeping gates amidst cold wind from 7am to 9pm. The peacekeepers who daily make efforts to serve coffee and distribute public material kept the gate from 7am to 6pm, too. Monitoring went on, too.
One could see many workers leave the construction site probably for weekend’s rest. One could hear loud voices of some Vietnamese workers. They are already working on construction inside the Gangjeong naval base construction area. About 100 Vietnamese are told to have come. The navy -contracted companies have also employed Some Sweden technicians, too. Their business are international.. hm.
During the day, you could see destruction is endlessly going on beyond the white navy fence. ‘They are making a dock in the coast to carry the caisson to the floating dock on the sea.” Inside the caisson frame, workers are busily working on. The 24 hour construction will starts on Monday, Nov. 5 again as the workers have already set up the bottom plate to build caisson, people say.
Nov. 3, 2012Nov. 3, 2012
Sunday break is bliss. But it is a like a quiet night just before the storm again.
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Video by Navi, Scenes of caisson production area on the Gureombi Rock and Sea, around 2pm, Nov. 3, 2012
The National Assembly inspection on Oct. 24, 2012 exposed that at least 22 high-ranking police officers have been reemployed as high staff members of the employment-limited corporations, such as Samsung C & T, the main contracted company of the Jeju naval base project. Is it still strange that the police are loyal to get order on their performance from the construction and security companies in the Jeju navy base project? The Oct. 24 exposure must be an only tip of iceberg.
Photo: Jeju Sori, Oct. 26, 2012. Jang Jeon-Bae(50), the new Jeju Provincial Police Agency chief as of Nov. 1, 2012. He was a former Jeollabuk-do Provincial Police Agency chief. According to the Headline Jeju, Oct. 31, he firmly stated that , he ‘’would NOT CONCEDE’ regarding the daily conflict with people in front of construction gates especially since the start of 24 hour construction( on Oct. 25) . He also clarified his will to continue to operate police teams for the photo/ video collection of protesters in the protest fields, which people have claimed to be illegal inspection.
Given the material on the status of reemployment of public officers that the Ministry of Public Administration and Security (MOPAS) has submitted to Lee Sang-Kyu (United Progressive Party), member of the Administrative and Safety Committee of the National Assembly, on Oct. 24, 22 retired high ranking police officers above the rank of police superintendents have been reemployed in the employment-limited corporations during recent five years.
The public notice No. 2011-51 by the MOPAS limits provincial police chiefs to be employed by the highly business-related companies, on which they perform the authority of permission, monitoring and supervising, such as construction or security companies.
According to the material, among 22, 8 got the jobs in the construction companies while 7 in the security companies.
In case of a Senior Superintendent General who retired the Chief post of the Daejeon Provincial Police Agency, he got the job as a full-time employment consultant in the Samsung C & T in charge of the Jeju naval base project, in less than 2o days of his retirement in 2009.
In case of ‘S’ corporation, a representing South Korean security company, it has reemployed former high-ranking police officers above the rank of police superintendents in rows EVERY year. In case of current Secretary of Security Association, he came from a former Provincial Police Chief.
National Assembly man Lee stated that, “In case of high ranking officers above the Police Superintendents, management should be strengthened on them so that they should not be reemployed to the enterprises of highly-related business, to prevent them doing unjust arbitration and impurity before and after retirement.”
See also a former policeman’s quite different story. Mr. Han Yong-Gi was employed by a Samsung insurance company as a worker but now became a fighter against the big corporation, Samsung, to recover the rights of workers.
Ahn says, “yes, naval base, unless I access to ‘high class’ information.”
On Nov. 2, Ahn Chul-Soo (independent), one of the big three Presidential candidates along with Park Geun-Hye (ruling Saenuri Party that is also called, New Frontier Party) and Moon Jae-In (Democratic United Party), for the 18th South Korean President election, dropped by the village for less than an hour, after his visit to the April 3rd Peace Park in the Jeju City. He was the first of the three who visited Gangjeong. For the background of Ahn, see here.
Lots of media reporters that we have seldom seen during our years’ protests. From where did these reporters come while there have been only a few of them during the years the village has suffered?
Photo: Jeju Sori, Nov. 2, 2012 People picketing as Ahn walks out of the village office, pickets shown in the above photo read, “108th police’s roughing out and beating! Come to the construction gate,’ “Save the Jeju as the world peace Island!,’
In the talk meeting with the villagers in the village association hall at 11am, he is told to have stated that:
“It seems that, in the Jeju naval base project, there have been many problems in the process, including removed procedure seeking for the agreement with the villagers. The President [Lee Myung-Bak] and government personnel should apologize to [the villagers], visiting the Gnagjeong village themselves. ‘If I am elected as President,’ I, myself, will be the first to apologize to you, visiting your village again, even though it would be the affair by the predecessor government.”
Sounds good. Right? However, his ignorance shines here. Never new. He has already repeatedly mentioned this all along this year:
“There exist difficult points for general citizens to decide whether the naval base is needed or not. By now, various [precedent] governments reached to same conclusion. Even though I am not in the possible situation to access to the ‘high class’ information, if [the past governments] have reached to the same conclusion despite different ideologies and international situations, I cannot but agree with [the talk] that naval base in the Jeju is necessary for national security.’
Some says his words are calculated not to provoke the conservatives. However, Cheong Wooksik, representative of Peace Work has criticized on Ahn’s such remarks. See here. The below is a translation of parts of Cheong’s writing in July, this year.
I feel very sorry to hear ‘Ahn Chul-Soo who said that “If the four [ex-] governments of different [political] characters had reached to the same conclusion that naval base is necessary, it is right to accept the decision when there is no other information.”
Above all, he is lack of correct understanding on the facts. Even though it is a fact that the Jeju naval base project has been ‘examined’ from the Kim Young-Sam government (*1993 to 1998), it is fully different from ‘decision.’ Even though the project was reflected in the National Defense mid-term plan 1997-2001 in 1995 as its need was newly decided in the meeting of Joint Chiefs of Staff Council in 1993, it was merely that the military authority asked to the government.
Even though many projects are included in the defense mid-term plan, there are also many projects that are excluded during the government policy decision process and National Assembly discussion process on budget. In case of the Jeju naval base project, it was decided to be suspended at the ending term of Kim Dae-Joong government (1998-2003) in December, 2012. It was only 2006~2007, at the ending term of [ex-Roh Moo-Hyun] government that the project on which the military request and government suspension had been repeated was finally decided.
To be sorry, Ahn did not even grasp such basic facts. Therefore he became to conclude that the four ex-governments made “highly politic decision based on the information and resources related to the difficult national security matters,” regarding the Jeju naval base project and to assert that we should accept it. It is far from ‘responsibility’ that he emphasized himself. Further he could have gotten “other information” without limits if he had a little further laid one’s heart such as contacting with Gangjeong villagers.
On Nov. 3, the next day of his visit, villagers stated as the below. See the original Korean script here. (translation in parts)
If numerous problems such as matters of procedure, environment, conflict, base layout, [navy’s] failure to carry on National Assembly’s attached conditions, human rights violation, US base, had already made public, Ahn should not have covered various critical minds only with the reason of [so-called] national security that has not been verified, reasoning no access to ‘high class’ information yet.
Will there be any national disturbance if the Jeju naval base is not completed before 2015? He should have at least talked on the measure of solution on problems after tentative construction stop. It is because if construction is not stopped NOW, there is a high possibility that we meet irrecoverable situation. If then, consolation to villagers and ‘correct decision,’ that candidate Ahn says could be empty words with no meaning as a result. In that vein, we are DISSAPOINTED that candidate Ahn TURNED DOWN the village’s repeated urgent request on construction stop.
Am I wrong if Ahn reminds me little Obama? What does he mean by the words of ‘high class information?’
While Ahn is focused, the hard situation of field is under reported by the media.
When Ahn visited the village on Nov. 2, many young peacekeepers that could not sleep many days since the start of 24 hour construction on Oct. 25 were heartbreakingly fighting and roughed out by the police. A male peacekeeper was twice choked in his neck by the police on the day. His sleeve was torn. While a young female peacekeeper was crying appealing pain on her shoulder after the police roughed out people, an old policeman laughed looking at her.
Personally I saw three female activists were crying in an hour…I say, in an hour. A female activist says her upper cloth was lifted during the police’ roughing out people. Peacekeepers are suffering. They fall back while their shoulder joints are in great pain during the police roughing out of them. Their hearts are being broken with increasing bruises due to repeated police’s human rights violation on them.
It is told that navy and their buses were parking in the parking lot from the morning (emergency probably because of Ahn’s visit?) while many policemen were mobilized, too. It is told that a monstrous construction vehicle loaded with many funnels entered into the construction site early in the morning.
Nov. 2, 2012/ Young peacekeepers are making pickets upon Ahn’s visit. As they heard that Ahn may not come to the construction gate, they appealed and protested to Ahn, “Come to the gate. We are already experiencing 108th police roughing out and beating (since the start of 24 hour construction).”
In the front yard of the village hall where Ahn was meeting with the villagers, some of female peacekeepers were writing slogans on the cardboard with markers. They were crying with hoarse voice. “Ahn Chul-Soo, please come to the construction gates,” “Today, it is already 108th police’s roughing out and beating (since the start of 24 hour construction on Oct. 25)
To people’s fury, many media reports did not even know the location of construction gates.
Nov. 2, 2012/ People including Catholic fathers eat lunch in front of construction gates
The important thing is the wisdom and will of people. Politicians will not save us. Their steps depend on the power and demand of people.
Nov. 2/ As Ahn left construction gate, police arrive to rough out people, People could not even finish their lunch.
And invisible though, we have still five prisoners.
As of Nov. 3
Kim Bok-Chul (No. 598): 144 days in prison since June 14
Rev. Jeong Yeon-Gil (No. 187): 58 days in prison since Sept. 6
Mr. Park Suk-Jin (No. 188): 58 days in prison since Sept. 6
Mr. Park Seung-Ho (No. 290): 49 days in prison since Sept. 14
Fr. Lee Young-Chan: 11 days in the detention room of the Jeju Police station since Oct. 26
(Please mail to Jeju prison, 161 Ora-2 dong, Jeju City, Jeju, the Peace Island, Korea)
Nov. 2, 2012/ In the candle vigil in front of construction gate at 8pm, people console one another with massages. Here is Gangjeong where police do not attack them when a high politician comes. But as soon as the politician leaves, people’s lunch time is even robbed off by the police.
Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ First Caisson built on Gureombi. . . Bigger caissons (8,800 ton)have been built on Hwasoon port. Now the floating dock has located near Gureombi rock to move caissons to Gangjeong sea. For more photos of Cho Sung-bong, see here.
It was Oct. 30 that the first 3,000 ton caisson supervised by Daelim Co. was made on the Gureombi Rock. To build this one, there was 24 hours construction since Oct. 25. No night construction for three days of Oct. 30, 31 and Nov. 1, as the workers needed time to dry it, move it to the coast near to a floating dock on the sea, and resetting for building new one.
On the same day of Oct. 30, Jeju Island government submitting to the central government(Prime Minister Office) its final opinion on the simulation verification on the entry & exit of 150,000 cruise, related to the Civilian-Military Complex for Tour Beauty (Jeju naval base project), stated that it requested to the central government not to execute construction on stationing caisson until there is a simulation of which the Island government opinion is accepted. What the Island government should do is to immediately ORDER the navy construction stop, not delaying its critical decision without delusion on the so called civilian-military port (which is in fact a pure military-only port)and 150,000 ton cruise. (See here)
What was the cost of the 1st caisson? The navy-contacted company, Daelim plans to build 82 numbers of 3,000 to 4,000 ton caissons to put into the Gangejong Sea, the UNESCO-protected soft coral zone. Given that it takes 5~6 day to build one, it needs minimum 410 days’ 24 hour construction because of cement character, no choice, the navy says (See here)
However, villagers’ rights to sleep in the night have been robbed off. It was at the price of human rights violation. There have been at least 6 people who were carried to hospital during 24 hour construction so 24 hour protests from Oct. 25 to Oct. 30. See here and here. Many were injured, too. The waste of tax to mobilize 500 policemen every night is speechless. If it was a righteous and reasonable construction, the government does not need to mobilize such stunning numbers of policemen. It is for the navy to get the budget on the naval base project, 2013 (the Ministry of National Defense has proposed 200 billion won for the Jeju naval base construction in 2013) by rapidly moving up construction (destruction)! The navy has promised the National Assembly last year that it would not get the budget if its work rate does not reach 30 % this year.
It was also at the price of nature environment destruction. See here.
In the field, many young peacekeepers’ painful efforts go on. Some sketches during the day of Nov. 1 here.
Around 11am, Nov. 1. Bishop Kang U Il held the mass in front of construction gate. Recently a Catholic priest, Fr. Lee Young Chan was imprisoned on Oct. 25. interview with an international reporter.Around 2:30pm, Nov. 1. Music and dance are people’s positive way to overcome the police violence that they would go through during the police’s roughing out them.Around 3:37pm: Fr. Kim Sung-Han and Catholic sister nicknamed Joan D’arc. Right before police’s roughing out people.Around 3:30pm, Nov. 1. Another police’s roughing out people. We saw at least two young female activists had tear in their eyes… Many women peace keepers are upset when they are circled around by male policemen. The policewomen are insensitive to the same sex women peacekeepers. Why they are so slow when women need them? Scratch by policewomen nails have been usual … Male peacekeepers commonly appeal pain in their right shoulder. Two of them have been carried by ambulance for it. The photo is the scene that the police take apart people in front of construction gate.Around 4pm, Nov. 1. After police roughing out, eating roasted tangerine is a joy though.Around 4:30, Nov. 1. Another police’s roughing out people. For 4~5 detained women, there are only three policewomen shown in the photo. The others are policemen who walled against us with multiple layers. The policewomen were to exit often but we protested to them so that they should be with us.Around 8pm. People’s candle vigil. Massage one another.
How you can help us? Please pressure the ROK National Assembly members to cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project. For example, ENGLISH@ASSEMBLY.GO.KR or Moon Jae-In, Permanent Advisor, Democratic United party, Presidential candidate: moonriver365@gmail.com.
Video by Navi
Scene of caisson on the Gureombi Rock and a floating dock that is to station caissons in the sea around 2pm, Oct. 31
” As the navy enforces construction with unreasonably accelerated process, it ignores most of consulted contents in the Environment Impact Assessment [..] The construction site in the coast of the Metboori(east tip of the naval base project) facing the Beomseom (Tiger Island) less than 1 km from it is covered with muddy water and the silt protector layers installed to supposedly block such contaminated materials during construction were damaged and useless.”
The Beomseom (Tiger Island) itself is the UNESCO Geology Park (Oct. 2010). The vicinity sea area of it is a UNESCO biosphere reserve (2002) and ROK government-designated natural memorial No. 421 (2000) for the soft coral habitats.
‘Dr. Katherine Muzik, a member of the current team researching the Navy EIA, says this: “I can state unequivocally, based on my personal observations and a review of pertinent scientific literature, that Jeju’s octocoral assemblages are unique, spectacular, and worthy of special protection. They form the largest and most spectacular temperate Octocoral forests known on Earth.” (See here and here)
The below is the translation of a Headline Jejuarticle:
Given the photos presented by the KFEM, one can see even in one’s naked eye that the muddy waters are occurring to the degree that the color of sea water is changed because of naval base construction.
Photo: KFEM, Jeju/ Jeju naval base construction site. One can see even in one’s naked eye that the muddy waters are occurring to the degree that the color of sea water is changed because of naval base construction.Photo: KFEM, Jeju/ Jeju naval base construction site. One can see the left part of silt protector installed on the sea is empty while muddy water from the construction site is flowing.
The KFEM says, “Even though the sands and stones in the construction field are supposed to be washed on the land, it is not kept. Scattering dusts are seriously blown whenever dump trucks pour down sand and stones. The vicinity coast is being changed into muddy water.” And “Even though there should be daily check on the damage on the silt protectors and related construction should be stopped if damage is confirmed, the navy is enforcing it in violation of the EIA.”
‘The sediment site that has been formed beside the east breakwater of the Gangjeong port (west tip of the Jeju naval base project) was reduced without notice and is losing its function. The navy has executed construction to widen the width of bank as the bank has been even collapsed and muddy water was leaked through the vicinity coast. The navy has relocated tetra pods within the construction site. Therefore the size of the sediment size has been reduced more than half compared to March when it was formed.”
“According to the consulted agreements of the “Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)” it is supposed that sediment /undercurrent site should be 13,000 ton size to prevent leaking of earths and sands. However the size of the sediment site inside the naval base construction area, in fact, cannot satisfy that.”
“Even though the Jeju Island government mattered it and made the navy pose construction process for a while, it does not even recognize the problem in present.”
Regarding scattering dusts:
“Scattering dusts are being blown all over the construction site and filed up earths and sands are covered with dust-protector layers only in part while most of them are left alone. The dusts are blown often toward the vicinity olle trails, residential areas and fruit farms. And the concern about leaking of earths and sands by rain is neglected. Even though earths and sands are filed up like a big hill just above the caisson production site, there is no dust protector cover on them.”
‘The navy’s reckless construction enforcement is linked to illegal construction ignored of consulted contents in the EIA. Such things have happened since last year but became more often recently. However the Jeju island government is not even aware that such things are happening.”
It emphasized that “The Jeju Island government having press conference in the hall of the WCC event last September has shown its position that it is having post environment inspection often and there is no legal problem in the navy’s construction. It must not have said that if it is really thoroughly managing post inspection. The related authorities including the Island government should immediately stop construction and urge legal performance on the related items.”
Photo: KFEM, Jeju/ Jeju naval base construction site/ The size of the sediment site has greatly been reduced from the past.Photo: KFEM, Jeju/ Jeju naval base construction site/ In the photo, earths and sands are exposed without dust protector cover.
Let’s Cut the 2013 Budget of Jeju Naval Base project, 200,900,000,000 Won (200.9 billion Won): Campaign for complete budget cut by SPARK
No budget on the Jeju naval base project, 2013! (made by the SPARK)
Otherwise, Rebecca Kim reports:
I started a one-person protest in front of the National Assembly today. With a simple slogan: “Absolutely Oppose the (Jeju) Naval Base”. I’m planning to go on with this protest everyday from 12 noon to 1 PM until the presidential election day. Some of my friends already promised to join when they’re available, and we’ll try to create an anti-naval base voice loud and effective enough to make the lawmakers think again before passing the next year’s budget for the construction.
Another news: About 10 non-Koreans (mostly young, in activism, in 1-year master’s course called ‘MAINS’ at Sungkonghoe Univ.) including one Amnesty Intl. Korea’s staff member are trying to draft a kind of petition based on the existing human rights recommendations made on the Jeju naval base by OHCHR or Amnesly Intl., Friends of the Earth or WCC, etc., to present to the public while they join the Grand March through 2nd and 3rd Nov. We have a ‘strategy meeting’ tonight. Will get back to you with the result on 2nd Nov. Courage to you all, great people!
Photo by Rebecca Kim, Oct. 31. Starting one-man protest
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How you can help to cut budget on the naval base project? Please pressure the ROK National Assemblymembers to cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project .For example, ENGLISH@ASSEMBLY.GO.KR or Moon Jae-In, Permanent Advisor, Democratic United party, Presidential candidate: moonriver365@gmail.com.
Photo: Headline Jeju/ A worker, Ryu Yoon-Sun exposes on the problems in the caisson production in Hwasoon.
It was on May 12, 2012 that the Jeju Sori first reported about unidentified informant’s words and visual proofs about unreliable caisson production in Hwasoon. The village made a statement on it on May 22. See the statement and summary of the Jeju sori article, here.
In the press conference on Oct. 30, 2012, the people including the Gangjeong Village Association raised on the matter of unreliable caisson construction again along with the matter of the breakwater design.
Remarkably, a former caisson worker testified on the unreliable caisson production in Hwasoon port on the day. On the same day, the superintendent committee of the naval base project soon made a refuting statement saying that “the claim on the unreliable caisson production is false and distorted.” However, the next day of Oct. 31, the village association made a statement again proving that the superintendent committee’s asserts are totally wrong. You can see the village association’s statement in Korean here. The below is the summary translation of Jeju media articles regarding the press conference on Oct. 30.
A worker exposes on the unreliable caisson production
On the day’s conference, Mr. Ryu Yoon-Sun(45), a former worker in the caisson production site in the Hwasoon port, Andeok-myon, Jeju, testified on the matters on unreliable production of caissons. The work site, under the supervision of Samsung C & T, is producing 8,800 ton caissons that would be used for the frame of the breakwater in the 1st work area of the Jeju naval base project. The total caissons that would be produced there are 57 and each costs 1.5 billion won.
Mr. Ryu with 30 years work career has been an employee of a construction company, a sub-contacted company of Samsung since last April. During his term of working at the Hwasoon caisson production site, he raised the problems of the caisson production process but was ignored. Since then he has taken photo records to secure the proofs. He left Hawsoon work site at the end of September.
Recently he visiting the Gangjeong village association along with other three workers, accused on the company’s unreliable construction behavior.
The focal point of the workers is that the navy and contracted companies are carrying out unreliable construction to move up construction, shortening the caisson production period into a week, which usually takes 15 days.
According to him, a caisson divided of many rooms that would be filled with concrete is being designed without installation of reinforcing bars in the parts of 50 H-beams of which two H-beams are in each room working as column, which makes caisson weak to the outside shock.
Photo: Media Jeju, Oct. 30, 2012 (Original source: Gangjeong village)/Not only joint part is short but tie is weak.
Also, even though it was designed that the gap between the reinforcing bars is to be 20cm, it is 50cm in reality. The space made for the workers’ passage is not filed with reinforcing bars therefore it would be the first site to be cracked in concrete during the typhoons.
Regarding foreign workers, he said, “In case of reinforcing bar construction in caisson production, the workers are divided of two teams, working 12 hours each in shift. Since April 26, foreign workers were put in but they are not managed well because the numbers of Korean artificers are only 12 who are the chiefs of the teams. Most of the foreign workers are not artificers.”
Ryu also explained that another reason of cracks in concrete is because the company, for the purpose of moving up construction, has reduced the putting numbers and amounts of retarding element when it is put into concrete.
“When you pour concrete, you should operate a tremor plate so that the density of concrete is heightened and there should be no bubbles. However, I saw myself that holes occurred like an osteoporosis diseased bone on the concrete plane after the concrete cure because the operations of tremor were not done enough.”
“The 1st caisson was the least destroyed by the typhoon at the end of last August. That was the best made.”
Ryu also stated that “I have never seen a superintendent comes and checks the process inside the construction site for six months. Superintendent daily come once but only glance the process, circling around outside the caisson concrete cube. That’s it. He can never have chance to see the construction on the reinforce bars and concrete construction inside caisson.”
All the seven caissons that Samsung C & T have made were destroyed by the typhoon Bolaven at the end of August therefore new ones are being made again.
The Gangjeong village demanded that the Government punish the related personnel and the National Assembly cut the whole budget on the naval base construction in 2013.
2. The village raised on the matter on the navy’s reduction of sea wave height in the harbor and bay layout.
The village reminded that the element of wave height in design is an important variable to predict the intensity of breakwater, fixed temperature of port, and mooring safety; that it is custom that setting the standard with the strongest wave height among the wave heights observed for last 20 years is custom, ; and that all the military ports in Korea have been designed to be equipped with the ability of prevention against inner side and cross-over sea waves, by setting up one design sea wave as standard.
According to the village association, it is only in the Jeju naval base project that the design sea wave has been set up by sections with lower size than 13.7m, the highest sea wave at the time of typhoon Bolvan.
The design sea wave of A section in the west breakwater is 8m, while A and B sections in the east breakwater is merely 6.5 m and 5.4 m each.
The village stated that [the navy and navy-contracted companies] have designed reducing the design sea wave, concerning the over-excessive occurrence of construction cost.”
According to the ‘outer facility plan’ in the report on the basic plan of the Jeju naval base, written in January 2010, it reads that ‘the south breakwater has to be secured of construction and safety element at the time of sectional plan regarding the plane arrangement plan, and as it is expected that [the south breakwater] occupies 60~65 % of harbor and bay construction fee, construction, safety and economic element should be considered above all.’
Otherwise, Jang Hana, Jeju-born member of the National Assembly, Democratic United Party, also making public the inside accusation material on the unreliable naval base construction, criticized that ‘it is not accidental that 7 caissons were destroyed by the typhoon Bolaven. And it turned out that it was an inevitable result that the Samsung C & T that has connived and backed unreliable construction brought on itself. “
Jang scolded that “Now in Gangjeong village, 24 hour restless construction is being processed so that the navy could advantageously get the approval on the budget by the National Assembly by raising construction rate. And the villagers and peacekeepers are taking sleep on the ground in front of the construction site. What is the difference between this unreliable construction and four river project by which many workers have died?”
Jang stated that she would carry the inspection on the caissons with the media reporters being present and would drive to take all the legal measures such as cancellation of business of the Samsung C & T and construction-supervising committee according to the law on technical management, if it turns out that there has been done unreliable construction.
3. Issues on foreign workers and wages.
Otherwise regarding the matter on employing foreign workers, it is interesting to read the statement by the naval base project superintendent committee. According to it, “Among the 180 Vietnamese workers working in Hwasoon, about 10 Vietnamese who are very well in Korean and 8 Vietnamese whose communication in Korean is possible are arranged in work site. There is no problem in the communication between the domestic and foreign workers since a team chief takes a role as a translator.”
The superintendent committee also mentioned on the unpaid wages that Mr. Ryu Eun-Sun complained. The committee said that “there were no cases that the wages have been delayed even though there were loopholes during the tuning process between the section chief and workers.” It also said about the wage system that wages were negotiated with workers for change and there was no unilateral change when the wage system was changed from the monthly to daily.” The committee said that they would strongly take legal measure against Ryu.
However, the village stated on Oct. 31 that “When Mr. Ryu visited and talked with us, we witnessed in person that the company continuously called him and paid him three days’ delayed wages among more days’ through his bank account. Ryu also testified that not only him but most workers who quit the job experienced same. The three workers who came with Ryu also acknowledged it.”
Photo by Kim Sung-Hee/ Sungshim laid down her body on the roadway then the police soon arrested her, around 3:30 pm, Oct. 30, 2012.
Sungshim, a Jeju native and Catholic follower (Lucia), was arrested around at 3:30pm, Oct 30, 2012 then released on the same day. It is a brief report based on the collected phone talks with her, chairwoman of the Gangjeong Catholic house, Taena’s mom, and Joan. Some of us dropped by her in the Seogwipo medical center around 10 pm on Oct. 30 but could not see her since she was deeply sleeping. Thanks, many people who helped our research on this.
For reference, let us briefly remind you on the situation on Oct. 29. It was around 3:30 pm, Oct. 29 that Sungshim who having climbed up onto the top of construction gate right after a police roughing out and releasing of people, ran down her body in fury from the top to the concrete ground when the navy-contracted company thug ridiculed her rosary prayer. Despite the protest of shocked people who were watching her outside and demanding the company thugs to open the door, the thugs did not open the gate for a while, ignoring people’s appeal and protest for her. The police are also responsible for that accident since they left her alone even though they saw her climbing up to the gate. Sungshim was eventually carried to the Seogwipo Medical center by ambulance after about 30 minutes and as a result of twice x-ray, got the diagnosis of a doctor who said that she has a crack in the hill bone of her right foot and needed more precise medical inspection in the both feet. She was also recommended to be hospitalized. However, Sungshim wanted to return back to the village and stay there while she had bandage in her both feet and crutches. She could not stand that naval base entering into her Island, Jeju, the Peace Island. Around 9:30 pm, she laid herself down on the road in front of the naval base building complex. The police wanted to arrest her but people prevented them to do it and she got consolation from the Catholic sisters later, sitting on a chair, for people’s recommendation. She is told to have slept in front of construction gate at that night.
The next day of Oct. 30, she was doing a prayer in front of construction gate around 3:30pm. The rosary prayer is composed of total five chapters and she was processing chapter 3. She was infuriated that her prayer was interrupted when she was roughed out by the police with her injured feet.
When the police released their roughing out of people for the entry of cement mixer trucks, she crawled and laid her down in the middle of the roadway in protest. Then less than 5 minutes, Ku Seul-Hwan, an infamous Security director of the Seogwipo Police station said to her that the police arrest her under the charge of violation on the law on road traffic. She was stunned that the police who did not take any measure leaving her alone when they saw her crawling toward the center line of the road then arrested her when she laid down her body on it. Later she was also infuriated that she got investigation in an office section in charge of crimes of violence while she was arrested for the charge of violation on road traffic.
When she maintained her right not to speak including her identity during the police investigation, her female investigator told her that, ‘Since you can hear, I suppose you have heard everything,’ and that she would submit file against her to the upper police department. Sungshim made a back talk to her saying, ‘Since you can see, you know I have bandage on and crutch next to my legs.’ The female police investigator could not say anything.
It was around 5:30 pm that the chairwoman of the Gangjeong Catholic House and Taena’s mom visited the Seogwipo Police station to request the police to meet Sungshim. The policewomen rejected them to meet with her without explaining reason but saying, ‘No, without condition.’ When the two waiting women happened to see Sungshim behind an accidentally opened office door, they tried to meet her but the chief of the section in charge of crimes of violence chased away the aged chairwoman. So Taena’s mom protested to the policemen. The two delivered Sungshim and the police words of Fr. Mun who said she should be hospitalized since she is sick. However the police obstinately insisted transference of her to the Dongbu Police Station in the Jeju City.
When Taena’s mom called the hearing inspection office of the Seogwipo Police Station later, delivering situation and appealing to its personnel that Sungshim is sick and need to be hospitalized, the inspection office personnel wanted to talk with a police staff in the investigation room. When Taena’s mom asked the chief of the section in charge of violent crimes, the chief bluntly replied to her, “Why I have to get call?” So his subsection chief received the phone. And amidst that situation, the police were to forcefully transfer Sungshim to the Dongbu police station so Taena’ mom and Chairwoman of the Catholic house earnestly held them back. Suddenly, the police changed their words that they would ‘release her.’ When Taena’s mom phoned with the hearing auditor again, the auditor said, “You have misunderstood. The police were saying that they would release her but you were mistaken to hear that they would transfer her to the Dongbu police station.’ Taena’ mon was stunned and infuriated by the attitude of the police who distort the facts.
Eventually Sungshim was hospitalized in the Seowgwipo medical center with the agreement of the chief of the investigation support section. The police checked Sungshim’s identification asking a nurse there. What the Seogwipo medical center! The same doctor who has recommended Sungshim to be immediately hospitalized on Oct. 29 said to her that he would hospitalize her ‘since the police allow it.’ Is he saying that she is qualified to be hospitalized since the police corresponded her. Gosh.
Sungshim was eventually being moved to a treatment room around 7pm (No. 219, Seogwipo Medical Center)
The spiritual and physical wound of Sungshim who cannot stand her Island to be a war base! Don’t you feel that the pain and aspiration of the Jeju are condensed there? Don’t you see the anti-historic and anti-human nature of the Island police that oppressed Island people, sided with the US military regime during the 4.3 massacre and uprising on the trace of the Japanese imperialism, in the attitude of the Seogwipo police who trample down the aspiration of the Island people, look down on them, distorting facts and overissueing punishments on them?
Jeong Dawoori and director Cho Sung-Bong thankfully took photographs on her on Oct. 29. Click herefor many poignant photos of her on the day. Her desperation to save her Island is remarkable. She has a disease in the thyroid gland. Still she says, “I am OK to die today, only if my Island is saved.”
Photo by Jung Dawoori/ Sungshim on Oct. 29/ For more photos of Oct. 29 and 30 by Jung Dawoori and Cho Sung-Bong, click here
The night in Gangjeong is sleepless. Only on the day of Oct. 29, three people were carried to hospital during their protest, following another 3 people on the 1st night of Oct. 25. The police violence against people are more dangerous in the night. Concern and information spreading is urgently needed!
The navy has planned to use 78 billion won as of September but it could actually use 50 billion won by then. The remaining 28 billion that the navy could not use up was thanks to the peacekeepers’ daily dedicated protests in the field. The peacekeepers’ hard efforts to delay construction (destruction) even 1min. has never been in vain. It is in fact a pain to risk themselves to be ‘limp doll’ (according to an expression by a peacekeeper Sanho) during the police roughing out them since the policemen and policewomen would mercilessly carry away them forcefully folding down their arms and legs and even pinching and hitting them to their bruise and scratches.
‘There is an urgent need for more people to go to Jeju to help offer support to the villagers. There is urgent need for people to call the South Korean embassy in your country and tell them to stop the Navy base construction. There is urgent need to help spread the word about this fight.’ (Source: here)
Please pressure the ROK National Assemblymembers to cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project. For example, ENGLISH@ASSEMBLY.GO.KR or Moon Jae-In, Permanent Advisor, Democratic United party, Presidential candidate: moonriver365@gmail.com.
Around 10:30am, Oct 29th Mon. Police come! Two peacekeepers that stayed overnight play a Ggeunggari (percussion instrument) and dance!Around 10:30am, Oct 29 Mon. Police came! Peacekeeper Deulkkot plays an ukulele, a music instrumentAround 10:30 am Oct 29. A reverend protested to a policeman who allowed other policemen’s taking photos of protesters. The reverend demanded him to identify his name but the policeman refused saying it is not in the law. Which law? The policeman could not answer. Otherwise, a woman peacekeeper protests to the policewomen, “why do you pinch and are severe to us while you can do gently to us? 3 cement mixer trucks and 1 automobile came in while 10 cement mixer trucks 4 material-loaded trucks and 2 automobiles came out.The police should put their nametags in their cloths but it is ignored by the policemen who come to the village to rough out people to back navy enforcing construction (destruction). A sign made by one of peacekeepers.Around 11 am Oct. 29. A Catholic mass … Fr. Kim Sung Han is alone… an empty place of Fr. Lee young Chan, who was imprisoned since Oct 24.Oct 29 Mon. a doll of Fr. Lee Young-Chan made by a peacekeeper Deulkkot keeps the protest site instead Fr lee who has been imprisoned since Oct 24.Around 12:05 pm Oct 29. police roughing out again 3 cement trucks, 2 material-loaded trucks, and 2 automobiles came out while 4 cement mixer trucks 2 material loaded trucks , 1 oil truck, and 2 automobile came in. the word Hyundae is clear in a truck Hyundae , the company is where president Lee Myung-Bak came.Emergency around 3:20pm, Oct 29, Mon. After 3:10 police roughing out, Jang Sungsim, a woman climbed up to the top of gate (about 2 m hight) and made a prayer with Catholic Rosary. When the company thug inside the gate ridiculed her, she ran down from the gate top to the concrete floor in fury. The thugs abandoned her despite people’s protest outside to open the door, even ignoring police request. The police are also responsible since they had left her alone even though they saw she was on the top of gate. Around 4 pm, she was carried to a hospital in Seogwipo city and was taken with x ray. She has problem with the backsides of hills and doctor said she needed close medical investigation and being hospitalized.Sungsim right before falling down inside the gateAround 7 pm, Oct. 29, 2012. Photo by Kim Sung-Hee. Candle vigil.
Around 7pm, Oct. 29, 2012. Photo by Rev. Choi Hun-Kook. Oct. 29 Dinner with instant noodles.
Around 9:10pm, Oct. 29. A male peacekeeper (30s) was carried to a hospital by ambulance due to violent police roughing out even without warning broadcasting in the night, following another male peacekeeper (40s) at 7:20pm. Both appealed pain in their right shoulders after the police roughing out of them. Only on Oct. 29, it is already three people who were carried out to the hospitals: a woman at 3:10 pm and two male peacekeepers.Around 9:30 pm, Oct 29. The same woman who got medical cure because of injury when she ran down from the top of construction gate returned back to the village, rejecting doctor’s recommendation to be hospitalized. She wanted to get close medical inspection later. Back in the village, she occupied the roadway to the naval base project committee building complex to block the trucks. While she is a patient and has bandage in her foot and leg, the police only wanted to arrest her, to the people’s fury. She is a Jeju native who cannot stand war base to enter the Jeju, the Peace Island.Around 9:40pm. Oct. 29. The woman sat on the chair and Catholic sisters are consoling her. However, the police would be more ignorant and uncouth. Many people are being stunned and infuriated for the police violation on human rights.Around 11:10 pm, Oct 29. Another police roughing out. the police are roughing out elders including a catholic father one by one from a fire stove. Many people have been keeping the site. Two people from Mir yang, Gyungssangnam-do province made a solidarity visit and brought a box of chocolate cookies. Miryang is a community where small population, mostly composed of elders are fighting against nuclear power plant fueled transmission tower that would destroy their village. The Great March for Life and Peace team has visited Miryang on Oct. 12. See photos by Lee Wooki here and here.Around 11:10 pm, Oct 29. Many young peacekeepers lied in front gate of the naval base project business building complex to stop trucks. the police took them apart one by one. it is infuriating to see the police carelessly throw them down into the police detention circle. many young peacekeepers appeal pain after police roughing out them…Around 11:20pm, Oct 29. People gather in front of a stove again roasting tangerines after release from police detention circle.Around 01:09 m Oct. 30/ Photo by Cho Sung-Bong. For more photos on the night, see here.Around 3am, Oct. 30/ After the 3am roughing out, villager uncle Jonghwan and his son Joongdeok are to sleep together. They will even stick together even though the police will take them apart/ Photo and caption by Park Young-In (translated)Oct. 30/ ‘Sleepless Night in Gangjeong’/ Photo and caption by Cho Sung-Bong/ A graffiti written by Sanho, a peacekeeper. In front of the construction gate. With the turning on light in the police search light, a group of police come across the Gangjeong bridge. After they finish their duty to pass the cement mixer trucks and return back again, the light turns off again. It took 11 min. 6 sec.Around 4am, Oct. 30, 2012/ Photo and caption by Rev. Choi Hun-Kuk/ ‘I fell asleep during street sleep. The police tossed me sleeping inside the sleeping bag away to the side to pass construction trucks. The Gnagjeong peacekeepers cry sleepless and try to get a sleep on the cold ground.”Around 05:05am, Oct. 30/ Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ Sanho could not sleep for 3 days. Is she a plant? Animal or human being? “Sorry, Joongdeok, I am so powerless.” Uncle Jonghwan muttered to his dog.Around 4;12 am, Oct. 30/ Photo by Young Jae Kim/ In the Gangjeong Sea, Not only a caisson dock is being moored in front of the caisson production area, but also dredge barge stealthy working during the darkness without light. The caisson, a concrete lump made of the merciless violence, arrogance and lies of government, navy, Samsung, Daelim and US would be put into the Gangjeong Sea..
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Video: For the serious police human rights violation against people, watch the video on Oct. 28: Click here and mouse down.
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Solidarity photo from Okinawa
via twitter Henokohama Tsushin Okinawa Christian are now singing Gospels at the gate of MCAS Futenma, showing their strong will against US violence. 普天間野嵩ゲート前ゴスペルによる抗議 辺野古浜通信twitterより (Post by Masami Mel Kawamura)
On Oct. 27, Sat., it heavily rained during the daytime in Gangjeong, following the daytime rain on Oct. 26. Sometimes even the lightening. Still the construction (destruction) did not stop. So the suffering of protesters went on, too.
Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ protestors tightened themselves together to block the construction trucks. See more on his photos, click here.Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ Mr. Oh Chul-Geun who has done three steps one bow for months during last winter recently started it again from the gate to the port. Mr. Oh Chul-Geun continues the practice even in the heavy rain.
Though the rain stopped in the evening, overnight construction went on so 24 hour protest in shift went on, too. It was 2ndtime that people’s daily peaceful bow at 7am was interrupted by the police on Oct. 28, following Oct. 26. See the below.
The below is the brief record from 9:20 pm, Oct. 27 to 7:15 pm, Oct 28.
Around9pm, Oct. 27, Sat.
Around 9:20 pm, Oct 27: About 500 policemen just to block tens of protesters. Whenever the police appear in the night, it is like a lightened stage. The 500 policemen ate told to come from Seoul and Busan ( policewomen). To the waste of our tax, the navy mobilized 500 policemen for the exit of only two trucks, entry of two trucks and an automobile.Around 9:20 pm, Oct 27: Mayor Kang protests to the police
Around 11pm, Oct. 27, Sat.
Around 11 pm, Oct 27: Police are mobilized againAround 11 pm, Oct 27: Police, we are ready to welcome you.Around 11 pm, Oct 27: Police you may do your best to take apart each of us.Around 11;50pm, Oct. 27: Mr. Kim Jong Hwan, a villager and cook thankfully brought brief food of instant noodle and Kimchee. Everyone’s joyful time.
Around 1 am, Oct. 28, Sun.
Around 1 am, Oct. 28, Sun. Another police roughing out. But everyone is in great positive and determined spirit-yes team spirit.Around 1 am, Oct 28: People were infuriated during the police roughing out since some policemen were especially provoking. Those kinds of policemen love to hit and even pinch isolated protester. They also pretend to mistake woman as man. You should shout them that you are a woman then! (In Korea, men is supposed to be dealt by the male policemen while women, by the policewoman)
Around 3:10 am, Oct. 28, Sun
Around 3:10 am, Oct. 28: To a policeman who said he belongs to the Jeju provincial police agency, Mr. Kim Jong Hwan, a villager, shouts, “Bastards, recover the Gureombi rock!”Around 3:10 am, Oct. 28: When a male peacekeeper who had been with female peace keepers when the police came, he had to shout to them, ‘ I am a man.’ (In Korea, it is supposed that males are dealt by the policemen while female are by the policewomen). But as soon as he said it, the police grabbed his neck from the behind and twisted his arm. Otherwise, people protested to the police on the lights that the police intentionally shined to people inside the detention circle.
Around 5am, Oct. 28, Sun
Around 5 am, Oct. 28: Cement mixer trucks come out again. Peacekeepers that had a short sleep on the tents and cars etc. appeared again with tiredness. Violent police roughing out began again. A young male peacekeeper appealed later. When the police carried out him, they happened to drop his head so he had to elect his upper body himself. When he appealed his pain to the policemen, the police dragged one of his leg.. And after he was detained inside a police circle, isolated, the police grabbing the front and backside of his jumper in the neck made him breathless. Further, even though it might be just accidental, he felt as if some policemen are hitting him with their fists. The thin and small young male peacekeeper could not understand why the policemen inhumanly dealt with him as such as he wasn’t doing little resistance to them. There were only three trucks coming in and two trucks coming out. What a mad construction! What a waste of people’s money to mobilize 500 policemen and to commit human right violation.Around 5:30am, Oct. 28: People are still keeping the gate amidst cold and strong wind.Around 6am, Oct. 28: It was seen that workers enter the gate from 6: 30 am amidst cold wind and darkness. Can you imagine 24 hour/ 7 days construction (destruction)? It means people here can seldom rest.
Around 7:15am, Oct. 28, Sun.
Around 7:15am, Oct. 28: The police even interrupted 100 peace bows that is held daily. The police have interrupted bows for the 1st time on Oct 26, with the start of 24hour constructionAround 7:15 am, Oct. 28: When even the peace bows were interrupted, two female peacekeepers who stayed overnight for struggle tried to block the two cement mixer trucks with their bodies in the gate.Around 7:15 am, Oct. 28: Still the peace bows go on: The graffiti on the gate reads, “Peace to Gangjeong, Love you, Gureombi,”Around 7:15 am, Oct. 28: After the police disturbance, the 100 peace bows were continued in front of the naval base project committee building complex. Recently the Jeju local court made a decision on ‘no-guilt,’ on a young peacekeeper who was accused to bite the shoulder of a policemen during his resistance against illegal police roughing out of people. The judge said that the police performance at the time cannot be considered as the fair carrying of government affairs so the charge against him cannot be established. See here. The people made copies of the court decision document and put them on the fence.
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Otherwise Rebecca Kim posted on her and her friends’ protest in Seoul at 11 am, Oct. 27. See the note on the protest at the bottom of here.
‘8 people got together today in Gwanghwamun Square to protest the 24-hour sheer madness happening in Gangjeong. (Tom Smith, Fielding Hong, Adit Satrya, Alfian Tahir, Akihiro Togashi, Jonghwa Rhee, Jung Jo, and me.)’
