Photo by Rev. Cho Hun-Kook/ Release of Rev. Jeong Yeon-Gil and Mr. Park Suk-Jin from the Jeju Prison, on bail, on Dec. 12. Two have been imprisoned since Sept. 6, the opening day of WCC.
‘The National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island submitted individual complaints to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association and Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on human rights situation in Gangjeong. Human rights defenders including peace activists, religious leaders, villagers, and environmental defenders are continuously harassed by the government of the Republic of Korea, the navy and construction companies during their peaceful protest against construction of Jeju naval base.
Press statement was made in Korean but attachments are in English, so feel free to download the letter and case fact sheets from below link for your information 🙂
Scenes of release of Rev. Jeong Yeon-Gil and Mr. Park Suk-Jin (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)
Welcome back of two prisoners, Park Seok-jin 박석진 and Saltcandy Yohan 정연길. These two climbed up the caisson dock at Hwasun port with the other peace activists on September 6, opening day of World Conservation Congress in Jeju. They were released on bail on December 12. For more photos by Jang Hyun-woo 장현우 http://cafe.daum.net/peacekj/496a/729, http://cafe.daum.net/peacekj/496a/731
Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ People celebrate the release of two in front of the jeju prison on Dec. 12Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ Released Rev. Jeong Yeon-Gil (Saltcandy Yohan) is again surrounded by the police on the same day at the gate.Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ Celebration in the struggle field on Dec. 12
Welcome back to Gangjeong of two prisoners, Park Seok-jin 박석진 and Saltcandy Yohan 정연길. These two climbed up the caisson dock at Hwasoon port with the other peace activists on September 6, opening day of World Conservation Congress in Jeju. They were released on bail on December 12. Video by Dunguree 박성수
Update on the conscientious prisoners against the Jeju naval base project
As of Dec. 16, 2012
Mr. Kim Bok-Chul, 188th day (No. 598)
Mr. Park Seung-Ho, 93rd day (No. 290)
Fr. Lee Young-Chan, 53rd day (No. 407) Please send each letters of support with the prisoner number to the address at:
Jeju Prison
161 Ora-2 dong, Jeju City,
Jeju, the Peace Island, Korea
Image: Kim Bok-Chul, a former laid-off railroad worker and one of the leaders of the field struggle, with a humorous sign, ‘Break down the fence.’ For the photo source, click here.
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Dr. Song Kang-Ho was released on Sept. 28 (after 181 days). See here.
Villager Mr. Yoon Chung was released on Oct. 24(after 44days). See here.
Mr. Kim Dong-Won was released on Oct. 26 (after 118 days). See here.
Rev. Jeong Yeon-Gil and Mr. Park Suk-Jin were released on Dec. 12 (after 98days). See here.
On Dec. 1, while two young activists who were arrested on Nov. 28 and indicted by prosecutors since then were finally released by the court review on arrest warrant, the people who have started fast sit-in along with hair-shaving on Nov. 29 ended their sit-in in front of the National Assembly, after confirming many people’s solidarity and pledge by the politicians (See the below translated statement). Instead the sit-in will continue in the outdoor sit-in camp in the center of Seoul. Many people were happy at the good news that happened all together on the day. Today, Dec. 2 is Sunday. The Presidential election day of Dec. 19 is approaching soon. Construction vehicles passing the naval base project gates in Gangjeong stopped from the evening of Friday, Nov. 30 and people could take care life again after the high points of Nov. 28 and 29. However, in front of construction gate, the company thugs are removing people’s lumbers that people have filed up as barricade. Gangjeong can never rest. Anyway, here are the stories on Dec. 1.
Photo by Park Yongsung/ Two people who were arrested on Nov. 28 were finally released on Dec. 1. By the Dec. 1, all the three arrested on Nov. 28 were released.
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1. People’s statement ending the outdoor sit-in in front of the National Assembly on Dec. 1
Statement by the ‘Let’s live together’ Sit-In Camp Village:
The struggle to cut the budget on the Jeju naval base project and to stop construction will be continued
Mayor Kang’s overnight sit-in protest on the street without the tent in front of the national assembly in Seoul. . .enduring the coldest night with the vinyl. . .Photo by Park Rae-goon (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)
On Nov. 28, the Saenuri Party unilaterally passed the original budget bill on the 2013 Jeju naval base project that the Government has submitted, in the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly. The Jeju naval base is a project full of flaws from the design to construction process; such as suspicion on the unreliable construction, charges on manipulation and unreasonable construction have been endlessly raised. However, despite such numerous problems, the Saenuri Party committed undemocratic and unjust behavior confirming, without proper verification, whole amount of 209 billion won that the Government has submitted as the Jeju naval base project budget next year, .
Thereupon, to stop the 2013 Jeju naval base budget to be passed in the Budget and Balance committee of the National assembly, Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyun, mayor Kang Dong-Kyun, Fr. Mun Kyu-Hyun, Father Jeong Man-Young (Kolbe Chung), Mr. Song Chang-Wook (a Jeju resident), Park Soon-Hee (ex-representative of Nationwide Catholic Committee for the Justice) etc. decided hair-shaving and started fast sit-in, bearing an outdoor sleep amid the cold winter winds along with the friends of ‘Lets’ Live Together’ Sit-In Camp Village in front of the National Assembly.
When such hair-shaving and fast sit-in started, members of the Democratic United Party, Progressive Justice Party and United Progressive Party visited the camp and pledged the budget cut on the naval base. The Green Party members and Kim So-Yeon, Presidential candidate of the Workers also expressed their same will, having the outdoor sit-in together. Various human rights, civic labor movement, environmental groups supporting the cause of outdoor sit-in, also pledged to join the struggle to stop the Jeju naval base budget next year being passed in the National Assembly.
Currently it is told that the National Assembly tentatively agreed to postpone the [decision] by the Budget and Balance committee that decides the budget next year, to the afterward of the Presidential election. The politicians who visited the outdoor sit-in camp in front of the National Assembly and who promised that they would stop the passage of the Jeju naval base budget [in the National Assembly] must keep the promise without fail. If not, we would stage a struggle to inquire the responsibility for breaking their words not only to the Saenuri Party(* the ruling conservative) but also to the opposition parties including the Democratic United Party.
Now trusting their promise, we are to return back to the “Let’s live together Sit-In Camp Village” in front of the Daehanmoon [of the Deoksou Palace, in the center of Seoul]. However we make clear that our struggle does never finish with the ending of our sit-in in front of the National Assembly. Through the sit-in struggle extended in the “Let’s Live Together Sit-In Camp Village,” we will fight to the end for the whole cut on the 2013 Jeju naval base budget, and further, to totally revoke the Jeju naval base project.
The sit-in in front of the National Assembly is not the sit-in only for the Gangjeong villagers and activists who oppose the Jeju naval base. It is also an outdoor sit-in of the “Let’s Live Together Sit-In Camp Village,” being with the bereaved families of Yongsan, laid-off workers of Ssangyong automobile company and anti-nuclear activists fighting against the nuclear development. We who are evicted and pushed away are fighting in solidarity, feeling one another’s pain together. Our fighting is a joint action in life and solidarity in struggle to stop this cruel system that increases the wealth and power of the haves who take the bitter grievous tear and cry of the poor and powerless as manure.
We will fight together to the end until the day of total revocation on the Jeju naval base project with our power of solidarity and joint action. Our solidarity and struggle will continue.
Dec. 1, 2012
Let’s live together Sit-In Camp Village
(The original Korean statement(see here) was forwarded by Baek Gayoon, National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island)
Videos on Sit-In in front of National Assembly from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1
The 2nd night of Sit-in protest in Seoul urging the entire budget cut of Jeju naval base. . .Enduring the coldest night of this winter with the music. . .Lee Tae-ho, secretary general of PSPD, is playing the alto recorder(flute) ‘Gabriel’s Oboe’ of ‘The Mission’. . Video by Fr. Youngmin Choi, Jesuit priest (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)
Freezing night on the street. . .even the vinyl roof was not allowed for the sit-in in front of the national assembly bldg. . .After the catholic mass at noon on December 1, the overnight sit-in has closed as the budget and balance committee of national assembly was informed to be held after the presidential election on December 19 to decide the funding of Jeju naval base of 2013 finally. Flim by Dunguree Park Seong-su (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)
Other images in Seoul
Post by Christian Karl/ No naval base sign projected on the City Hall building, SeoulPhoto and caption by Emily Wang/ Festival in front of Deoksugung Palace. In front of the Deoksugung palace, a delicious and cheerful festival is going on. It’s a festival to give the solidarity to many social issues in Korea, including the budget issue of naval base. People are making the struggle cheerful in the cold winter in Seoul.
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2. All the activists were released by the evening of Dec. 1. However, abuse of state power has to be continuously raised as an issue.
Among the three arrested on Nov. 28, Mr. Kim Kook-Nam, a Jeju native who climbed up to a car wearing wire net at the risk of imprisonment was released by the evening of Nov. 29. However, Mr. Park Han-Baek and Mr. Park Jong-Hoon, two young men at their 20s and 30s who came from the main land were not released until the evening of Dec. 1. Mr. park Jong-Hoon was underneath a construction vehicle to stop the entry/exit of construction vehicles while 25 year old Park Han-Baek was just sitting in front of car with other people. Both of them were told to be charged with accumulated charges in the past, too, for their protests to stop the base project.
Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ The photo is Mr. park Jong-Hoon who was not released until Dec. 1. Mr. Park Jong-Hoon entered underneath a car to block construction vehicles on Nov. 28. See more photos by Jang Hyun-Woo, here.
Otherwise, in case of Mr. park Han-Baek, “The police carried a 25 year old young man away to a police car by an error judgment in presence of Lee Dong-Min, chief of the Seogwipo Police station(* A man from the main land and who ordered the blast of the Gureombi Rock, which went for two months, starting on March 7, this year). While the police acknowledged wrong order, the police and prosecutors were complicit to request imprisonment of him for investigation, charging him obstruction of business. See the below video.
On the unjust arrest of a 25 year old young man on Nov. 28
Photo and caption by Park Yong-Sung on Nov. 30/”Two men are now in the Dongbu Police station, Jeju City and there would be the court review on the execution on arrest warrant against them in the Jeju local court at 4 pm, Dec. 1.”
Upon the release of the two, peace activist, Park Yongsung wrote:
‘It is very clear that there is happening cracks among the police, prosecutors and court. I want to believe that the power of people can change politics. We want to believe that Gangjeong can change the world.
Two friends told running to us, “I am sorry to make you have worried on me. My conviction for Gangjeong and peace became stronger when I acknowledged that I may be imprisoned. It is thanks to you who made all the efforts for us. “
The lawyer is told to have succeeded to dishearten the infamous prosecutor, Park Kyun-Joon [who has seldom failed to send people opposing base project to the prison.’
Another peace activist, Jo Yak Gol mentions that abuse by state power to indiscriminately issue arrest warrant to people should be stopped. Here is his video and summary on what really happened on Nov. 28.
On the day of ruling party’s unilateral pass of budget bill in the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly, violent police oppression on the people’s non-violent civil disobedience happened.
Video and summary by Jo Yak Gol(Source: Click here)
Summary( translated)
1. The police are dragging an international peacekeeper to the ground. He was only taking photos. The police even lie that he fell down because he mis-stepped. The police even prevent people’s rights to free speech and report.
2. A peacekeeper(Mr. Park Han-Baek) was arrested by the order of the chief of the Seogwipo police station, Lee Dong-Min, with no reason given, during the police roughing out of people. While the police acknowledge that arrest of him was by an error judgement, the chief of the Seogwipo Police station escapes the site amid people’s protest. The young man is now facing the court review on arrest warrant against him.
3. The police arrest a peacekeeper(Mr. Kim Kook-Nam) who was just quietly sitting on the car with wire net in his upper body. The police threw down him to the police vehicle with no safety equipment around.
Eventually the man was injured by the wire net during the police’s violent arrest of him. (released on the night of Nov. 29)
4. A woman cries during the police roughing out of people, while she was pushed down here and there, with her under clothes exposed. The police just continue their job, ignoring the woman.
5. While a peace keeper(Mr. Park Jong-Hoon) underneath a truck with his hands handcuffed to the truck, Koo Seul-Hwan, the security director of the Seogwipo police stationorder his policemen to forcefully cut the handcuffs and take him away. Koo Seul-Hwan, the chief of the security director is the very guy who ordered to use hammer on March 19 and electric air saw on April 16 to cut the PVC pipes through which people connected their arms together to stop explosive cars and construction vehicles. Despite Park’s scream of pain, the police ignores it. The young man, Mr. Park Jong-Hoon in his early 30s is now facing court review on arrest warrant against him.
The police overexertion of crackdown in violation of human rights is only for the interest of navy and Samsung!
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
In this month’s issue: National Grand March for Life and Peace Comes to a close, outrageous findings in National Assembly inspections, Jesuit priest imprisoned, illegal security company hired to guard the construction site, 24-Hour construction begins and much more!
Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo, Catholic priests united facing the navy and police violence and insult in front of construction gate, Nov. 12, 2012. For many more resourceful photos on the day by Jang Hyun-Woo, see here.
Catholic priests unite against the navy and police violence
Since Fr. Lee Young-Chan(Jesuit) was arrested and imprisoned on Oct. 24, the Catholic priests have been holding a special mass beside their daily 11 am mass in front of construction site, every 4pm, Monday.
At 4 pm, Nov. 12, Catholic priests, clergy men and women who belong to the Catholic Solidarity for the Realization of Jeju, Peace Island, visited the village before the evening mass held by Bishop Kang U-Il in the Jeju City on the day.
It was about 30 minutes later that four buses marked with ‘Korea National Defense University: KNDU’ and ‘ROK navy’ were to visit the Jeju naval base project building complex. When their entry became impossible because of the mass, police were mobilized and the police roughed out and moved away priests from the site, saying that the priests were doing of ‘obstructing business.’ Priests were released only after the buses passed into the building complex despite people’s protests.
Photo By Jang Hyun-Woo/ The signs on the bus read, ‘Korea National Defense University: KNDU’ and ‘ROK navy’
The Catholic priests denounced the police and navy : “It never happens in the world that the police mobilize, stop the mass, and confine priests indiscriminately without notice while religious events are processed. The police have not made any reflection despite the incident of damaged Eucharist by such police behavior last August.”
People including Mr. Go Gwon-Il, Chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base denounced the police: “Though their identities are uncertain, some of them in military costumes or suits in the buses even derided the priests being detained in the police circles. The Catholic priests were shocked. However such scenes are happening everyday in Gangjeong.”
Photo By Jang Hyun-Woo, Nov. 12, 2012/ The young peacekeepers are suffering by the police’s roughing out of themPhoto by Catholic News Here and Now and caption by Regina Pyon/ Catholic Solidarity for the Peace island, Jeju, starts signature campaign until Dec. 2 (1st week of Advent) demanding ‘the release of Jesuit priest Lee Young-chan S.J and four other prisoners of conscience’ and ‘the overall re-examination of Jeju naval base construction’. . . In this photo, Catholic priests are blocking the cement mixing trucks after the mass of November 12 at the gate of Jeju naval base construction site.
Supporting imprisoned Fr. Lee Young-Chan, Bishop Kang U-Il makes a voice
“Peace is not merely having no war or guaranteeing balance between the hostile powers. Peace is a serenity of order. Peace is the result of justice and fruit of love” (Clause No. 2304, Catholic creed, read by Bishop Kang U-Il).
There was a ‘Nation Situational Mass to Release the Prisoners by the Naval Base project,’ in the Central Catholic Church, Jeju City at 7:30 pm, Nov. 12. The mass was sponsored by the 15 dioceses of the Justice and Peace Committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Catholic Human Rights Committee, Catholic Solidarity for the Realization of Peace Island, Jeju.
More than 20 Catholic priests and Catholic nuns have been arrested in their protests against the naval base project in the Gangjeong village. In March, Fr. Kim Jung-Wook was first imprisoned (released after about 40 days) as a Catholic priest and on Oct. 24, Fr. Lee Young-Chan was imprisoned. Both are the Jesuits.
Bishop Kang U-Il said, “The [projected] Jeju naval base is a strategic military facility for our country to be with the United States to dominate the superiority in the North East Asia, against China.”
“The situation in Gangjeong this time is the God’s homework and task given to the Korean churches to examine themselves, which have passively taken on God’s raised question on war. The God is inviting us so that we make all the efforts for peace.”
Photo: Jeju Sori, Nov. 12, 2012 Photo: Catholic News Now and Here/ Catholic mass for the release of Jesuit priest Lee Young-chan S.J. and prisoners of conscience. . .About 900 people attended the mass held in Jeju cathedral. (caption by Regina Pyon)
Nov. 12 poster by the Jesuits Korea (Caption by Regina Pyon): At 7.30 p.m. on November 12, Catholic mass is held officiated by Bishop Peter Kang U-il at Jeju cathedral for the release of Jesuit priest, Lee Young-Chan S.J, and imprisoned peace activists. It was organized by the Catholic Solidarity for Peace Island Jeju, that 15 national justice and peace commissions and representatives of lay and religious committees are participating. Bishop Peter Kang is also chairperson of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea.
Bishop Peter Kang U-Il’s homily on Nov. 12
Full text of Bishop Peter Kang’s homily “There is no just war.” can be read here.
Remembering Fr. Lee SJ and the four brave activists who are serving time in prison for their peace activities and putting their bodies in the way of trucks involved in the construction of a naval base which is destroying the coastal environment and the village community of Gangjeong.This base is being built in an already volatile region and will only serve to increase military tensions. . .this video was played during the Catholic mass at Jeju central cathedral celebrated by Bp. Peter Kang on Nov. 12. Video by Dungree (Caption by Regina Pyon)
1. Sit-in tent in the center of Seoul heats people’s war to cut the budget on the naval base project
The struggle to stop 24 hour construction and cut the whole 2013 budget of 200.9 billion won on the Jeju naval base project is not only held in front of the construction gates in the village but in the center of Seoul as well. Some people who joined the Great March for Life and Peace: Let’s live together! All are the SKY! (Oct 4 to Nov. 3) remained in Seoul and set up a sit-in tent across the City Hall to promote the campaign to cut all the budgets on the naval base project, 2013. The tent is also an expression of solidarity with the laid-off workers of Ssangyong Automobile Co. Mr. Kim Jung-Woo, leader of Ssangyong workers met his 31st day protest fast as of Nov. 9, 2012. Village mayor Kang Dong-Kyun, committed to widen and deepen the struggle through solidarity to revoke the Jeju naval base project and change the Government through December Presidential election became Mr. Kim’s strongest ally, as well as one of the symbols of people who are oppressed by the current government in the same vein of Capitalism, developmentalism and militarism.
Photo by Hwang Hyun-Jin, sit-in tent in the center of SeoulPhoto by Hwang Hyun-Jin, sit-in tent in the center of Seoul
On Nov. 9, Great news was told to the participants of the great march and people in the Gangjeong village. All the workers of the Hanjin Heavy Industry, Busan, who have struggled for years were all reinstated (Kim Jin-Suk is probably the most known symbol of the struggle). The march participants have visited the workers on Oct. 17, which happened to be the commemorating period (Oct. 17 to 31) on the two martyr workers, Kim Joo-Ik, Gwak Jae-Yol, 9 years ago. Dungree’s video reminds the event of Oct. 17 and emphasizes the importance of the solidarity among the oppressed.
Video by Dungree: Cut all the budgets on the Jeju naval base project, a fraud project in the name of national policy!http://youtu.be/ihgEsfZkxac (Source:Click here)
In the video, Mr. Kim Jung-Woo in his sit-in tent celebrates the victory of Hanjin workers and urges them to keep the democratic union and struggle field whatever happens in the future. In the next tent of the Gangjoeng village, Hong Ki-Ryong, executive Chairman of the Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island strongly says, “Whoever is elected as the President in December, if budget is passed in the National Assembly, no government can stop or control it. That is why we should struggle to stop it with all our energy. I want to send my sorriness and thanks to the peacekeepers in Gangjeong who currently put up with violent oppression. We will do our best by pressuring on whether it is the National Assembly and Presidential House.” The finale of the video is the song by the Gangjeong Flower band. “Please stop at the exit No. 2 in the City Hall station.” The title of their song is called, “Stop, stop!’ “If you oppose all the wars in the world, stop the naval base construction! If you want peace, absolutely no naval base construction! If you want peaceful Jeju, let’s stop the naval base!”
2. The law voice from the struggle field: Please come to Gangjeong! Let’s stop 24 hour constriuction and cut the whole budget, TOGETHER!
Here is a video made by a young female peacekeeper, Mooming, herself who has daily struggled in the field to stop the 24 hour construction vehicles without enough sleep but with unlimited optimism and humor. Her video details the human rights violation by the police, people’s joyful creation of events in spare time and emphasizes the urgency of people’s unity, by coming to Gangjeong.
“Please come to Gangjeong. For reference, the black and white pictures in the video are by Kon Ca. I take anger, cry and laugh everyday in front of construction gate. 24 hour construction, 24 hour police. I am sorry that I cannot wake up for 24 hours even though I wish to do being all the time there together with people. It is because even though the polices’ roughing out of us feels hard, the daily life there is GOOD as to the degree that I wish to record ALL.”
On Nov. 2, Presidential candidate Ahn Chul-Soo visiting the village remarked regarding the Jeju naval base project that the President Lee Myung Bak should apologize to the villagers in person. However, even less than 30 minutes of his leaving, police were mobilized. (*Young peacekeepers humorously call them as Baechoo (meaning cabbage) because of their light green color jackets, “The Baechhooes are seen with some rotten baechooes among them)
The police’s consciousness on human rights is near to zero.
Example: Policemen who obstinately drag a leg of a peacekeeper (00:25)
(Screams are heard, “Don’t fold down hand!) Example: Hand of Police who takes a man by the throat (01:10)
Example: For the police, the only concern is to remove the people from the site even though people’s cloths are taken off! (01:24) (Screams are heard, “Please, policewoman, I feel pain!”)
Example: The police use techniques to pull and lift up leg. They think our legs are big radishes! (01:36)
Example: The police use a technique of pressuring our body with their knees (02:24)
Example: The police (especially policewomen) grab our cloths rather than body parts. Then our cloths are taken off! (02:40)
(# In the early morning of Nov. 10, a female peacekeeper informs that policemen grabbed a woman’s legs widened openduring the process of removing protesters from the protest sites so that the woman cannot but feel insulted and have a feeling of shame.
However, the peacekeepers know how to spend their spare time building joyful and creative community between the struggles. The youngsters love computer game while some young artists sing together with guitar, draw painting on the fence and make necklaces for funding resource. A movie director prepares a set to record nearby.
Night time snack is another joy~! No Construction (destruction) but yes, night time snack!
And finally bonus for the audience: Dance with Gangjeong style. The changed lyric of the Gangjeong style from Gangnam style has become so popular. Even the police enjoy it. They must recite the lyric of Gangjeong style themselves! “Bastards, if you want to arrest us, arrest us! We will fight to the end!”
Catholic Mass for the release of Jesuit Priest Lee Young-Chan and for the realization of the Island of Peace, Jeju on November 9 at Jesuits Korea Center in Seoul. Image: Seo Kyung-Ryeol
“Jesuits Korea have dispatched several Jesuits members to Gangjeong village to protect peace and justice and preserve natural heritage, where its community has been destroyed and endangered due to the construction of naval base. In March 2012 Fr. Kim Jeong-Wook was arrested and imprisoned for 30 days. Br. Park Do-Hyun and Fr. Kim Sung-Hwan are facing trials. Fr. Lee Young-Chan has been arrested and detained since October 26.”
On Oct. 30 the Justice and Peace Committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea(http://english.cbck.or.kr/) also issued a statement calling for the release of Fr. Lee.
Reactions in the Catholic Church
On Oct. 30 the Justice and Peace Committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea(http://english.cbck.or.kr/) issued a statement calling for the release of Fr. Lee. The statement gives the reasons for the Catholic Church demanding that construction of the naval base should be stopped.
“First, the process of seeking the agreement of the Gangjeong residents did not utilize a democratic procedure. Second, construction is destroying the coastal ecosystem and natural treasures such as the Gureombi Rock. Third, it looks like this project can only increase the sense of military tension in the Korean peninsula and N.E. Asia and thereby instigate a crisis.”
The statement also cites the fact that a national audit carried out by the Korean Congress showed that the construction billed as a “Government-civilian joint tourism harbor” was from the start impossible and a mere cover-up for a exclusive naval base plan. It also refers to procedural illegalities that have shown up in the processes of site selection and construction. The committee states clearly “We want the immediate release of Fr. Lee Young-chan and the peace activists, and the end of the national authorities’ use of violence at Gangjeong Village in Jeju.”
The Korean Province of the Society of Jesus (http://jesuits.kr/) held an expanded consultation on 1 Nov and officially stated its position on 5 Nov. The statement cites the call issued by several general congregations of the Jesuits for Jesuit members to engage in struggles for justice, and work for reconciliation. The most recent 35th General Congregation states “We now want to deepen our understanding of the call to serve faith, promote justice, and dialogue with culture and other religions in the light of the apostolic mandate to establish right relationships with God, with one another, and with creation.” (Decree 3, art. 12) The Korean Province statement thanks Fr. Lee for his dedicated service and solidarity for promoting justice and peace, and promises him positive support for his action. It promises continued material and emotional support to the Jesuits engaged in the action at Gangjeong Village, and desires that this problem have more of an international dimension. “With the understanding that this problem is international in scope we will spread awareness of it and join in close solidarity with the Jesuits of North America and also to our own region, the Jesuits of the Asia-Pacific.”
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
Oct. 26: The day of the mix of intense happiness and sadness: 2nd day of 24 hour construction(destruction)
Around 3am, Oct. 27, 2012. Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun and others lying their bodies on the ground in protest to 24 hour construction (destruction) in front of the naval base construction gate, Gnagjeong village, Jeju Island. See the below.
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Kim Dong-Won was released!
Photo by Paco Booyah
On Oct. 26, we had happy news that Mr. Kim Dong-Won who has been jailed since June 30 was released. Paco Booya wrote:
‘Kim Dong-Won will be released! At 2 p.m. (30 minutes ago) Bail was set for Kim Dong-Won, who was arrested on June 30 when he climbed and occupied a dredging crane on a barge doing illegal dredging next to one of Gangjeong’s endangered soft coral forests. As of today he has been in prison for 118 days. The lawyer has gone to see what we must prepare for the bail and he will be released as soon as we prepare it which means today! Hoooooraaaay!!!!’
Photo by Paco Booyah/ Dongwon finally met his missed friends after his release.
However, Fr. Lee Young-Chan, a Catholic Priest is to be imprisoned.
However, we also got the sad news around 10:13 pm from the lawyers who had worked very hard for the release of Bokhee and Fr, Lee Young-Chan who have been arrested on Oct. 24. The Court made decision to release Bokee while accepting the prosecutor’s file on arrest warrant against Fr. Lee in its review on the practicality of arrest warrants on the two. The prosecutors’ accumulated charges against Fr. Lee are obstruction of business, obstruction of government affairs, and violence etc. He is very well known as Fr. Remicon (meaning Cement mixer truck) for his many times’ protests to climb on the trucks to stop the illegal Jeju naval base project. On Oct. 24, he was to save Bokhee who was being arrested by the policewomen. When he could not move because of the police’s tight grabbing of him, he bit an arm of a police in self-defense, which was accidental when he was very tired for daily struggle. It is known that he is suffering in his teeth because a policeman hit his chin very probably intentionally with his arm. It is told that Fr. Lee is having difficulty in taking foods and it will take for a while. Still, according to the visitors of him, he smiled them and encouraged them to continue struggles.
Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ Fr. Lee Young-Chan who has daily kept the struggle site eats meal during one of the days. The protesters used to hardly leave the site to save the village from the war base construction.
Mr. Park Suk-Jin ended prison hunger strike and got his own room in jail.
Photo by Lee Joon-Ha, Omynews, 2011/ Park Suk-Jin, a former member of a police special oppression unit has made a conscientious statement and rejected military draft in 1991 upon the death of a student, Kang Gyung-Dae, who was killed by the police during the students’ protest against the military dictatorship. Since then he became a peace activist. He has worked as a member of Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea. and has been joining the struggle to stop the base project in Gangjeong since last year.
Otherwise, we also heard that Mr. Park Suk-Jin who was in hunger strike in a punishment room of about 5.9 m2 in the Jeju Prison was moved to a solitary room as he has requested and ended his fast in the morning of Oct. 27 as his family members protested to the Jeju Prison for unreasonable oppression measures against prisoners. See here.
2nd night of 24 hour construction, 24 hour police watch and 24 hour protest
Bokhee with guitar , Oct. 26, 2012 in the left side of the photo
Otherwise, the first place Bokhee who was released from the police station, Jeju, around 11pm, Oct 26, visited was the protest site of the naval base project gate. She was again in protest to the base project, singing, laughing, struggling with friends together, by the next day of Oct. 27.
On Oct. 26, there was a rain during all the day, to the suffering of peacekeepers. Some of them have kept the protest site of the gates of the base construction site even from the morning of Oct. 25, the 1st day of 24 hour construction and police watch. See here.
Photo by Cho Sung-Bong, around 6pm, Oct. 26, 2012. “We strongly oppose the US imperialism navy base against China!!” “No Jeju US navy base of US Nuclear Aircraft carrier!”
The rain became to be little from the evening. But the police were again in the gate under the artificial lights that the navy- contracted companies and police have installed for 24 hours’ construction.
There were five times police roughing out of people from 9pm to 5am, the next morning. The police would rough out people every 1 hour 50 minutes to allow a cement mixer truck each roughing time to pass the gates from the people’s protest to stop those.
It was greatly encouraging that about 20 members of the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea joined on the day to support the Gangjeong villagers and peace keepers’ 24 hour protest.
The police in front gates 9: 26 pmAround 3am, the police took apart the protesters who tied one another with their arms to stop the trucks. It was one of the police roughing time that were carried out five times from 9pm, Oct. 26 to 5am, Oct. 27. Because of many lights the companies and police have installed for 24 hour construction and measure against protests in the night, many photos are full of artificial lights.
Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun and others lied their bodies on the ground in protest to 24 hour construction (destruction) in front of the naval base construction gate. He dropped by Gangjeong for short days during the Great march for Life and Peace (Oct. 4 to Nov. 3. He celebrated his birthday (in lunar calendar) with the people in front of the navy gates.
Around 5am, the police roughed out people again.
The Gangjeong is also many people’s ‘peace school’ as Emily Wang wrote.
Joonhoo who has been arrested to enter the Gureombi rock is painting on the road in front of the construction gate. As Emily Wang has mentioned, he has made a painting again and again whenever the navy erased his paintings. See here.
Around 4:30. Joonhoo’s painting resisting against militarism.Around 7:10 am, Oct. 27. As soon as the people’s daily peaceful 100 bows started in front gates, the police blocked them again to pass 10 cement mixer trucks through other gate. People’s war starts again under the cloud sky that dropped rains from the morning.
Call for protests
Otherwise, Rebecca Kim wrote:
‘Tomorrow, [Oct. 27], at 11 AM, dozens of people will gather in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, for a small rally to protest against what’s happening in Gangjeong and to express our solidarity for those struggling in great suffering in the village. Will post tomorrow the story with the pictures.
Courage, people!
Emergency: Gangjeong Village’s struggle against the Jeju Naval Base is hitting its most urgent and desperate peak. The Navy has finished constructing a 200 person-capacity building for their exploitable Vietnamese workers, and the police of more than 2,000 now violently crack down on the demonstrators in front of the Naval Base Construction Business Committee more than 15 times a day, shifting 3-times, 24-hour a day, which even in the severest military dictatorship hasn’t happened. 4~5 peace activists are wounded or get hospitalized, get arrested and taken to the police station on a daily basis.
I’m planning a small rally in Gwanghwamun area tomorrow at 11 AM with my friends to protest against what this horrible, holocaustic government is doing to Gangjeong Village, against the human rights violations committed by the police, the navy, and the Samsung’s ‘hired thugs(security)’ on the villagers and peace activists. Pls join us! Pls reply to this posting if you’re available to come to Gwanghwamun Square tomorrow at the Admiral Lee’s statue at 11 AM.
Park Suk-Jin: Photo by Song Dong-Hyo, Source article, here.
On Oct. 24, three people, Bokhee, a woman peacekeeper (27), Fr. Lee Young-Chan (61) and Jang Joonhu, a young artist in his 20s were arrested.
Bokhee and Fr. Lee Young-Chan were arrested under the police-arbitrary charges of obstruction on government affairs and violence when they were resisting to the police roughing out of people when people made attempt to block the cement mixer trucks in front of construction gates.
The two were carried to the Dongbu police station, Jeju City, last night. Bokee is told to be very sick and Fr. Lee Young-Chan is suffering for the pain in teeth when the police hit his chin.
We have also a painful news that one of the prisoners and our friends, Park Suk-Jin(prisoner No. 188) , who was jailed along with Rev. Jeong Yeon-Gil (prisoner No. 188), for their caisson protest on Sept. 6 has been in hunger strike since Tuesday, Oct. 23. According to his older sister, he has demanded the meeting with the chief of the Jeju Prison to improve treatment on the prisoners since last Friday. When it was rejected, he entered fast since this Tuesday. The Jeju Prison detained him in the punishment room. If the punishment is decided, meeting with visitors is not possible. Currently a lawyer is visiting him.
Otherwise, Elily Wang writes on Bokhee and Joonhoo, two artists:
‘JoonHu, the third person who got arrested this afternoon, is an artist too. He continues to have the fabulous Art Performance in front of the naval base but lots of his masterpieces were erased by the workers in the naval base under the order of navy.
It’s sad that the beautiful art become the shame for navy.
This afternoon, when JoonHu came to the front of the naval base, he realized again that his painting was again unilaterally erased, and he decided to directly protest to the navy. But one of the most difficult thing in Gangjeong is to meet navy directly as they have the protection from the security without legal license, and the police who are wasting Korean’s tax. Thus, JoonHu entered the naval base for the real communication.
And then still he just directly got arrested by the police.
Naval base is destroying this village but you can hardly meet any navy here.
There’s police and there’s illegal security.
You can see JoonHu’s art work here. Many of his new masterpieces are not yet updated.
Thanks for his art work here even though he is getting poorer and poorer because of huge amount of fine, but his art work is getting richer and richer.
‘Bokhee who got arrested today is an artist in Gangjeong as well. While joining in the struggle in Gangjeong, she continues to make art here as well. You can see her caricature drawings of people who live in Gangjeong. (See here and here)’
You may write a letter to the prisoners. As of Oct. 25, 2012:
Mr. Kim Bok-Chul (activist): No. 598 (Arrested on June 14, 136th day)
Mr. Kim Dong-Won (activist): No. 264 (Arrested on June 30, 117th day) Re-imprisonment following 94 days’ imprisonment last year.
Rev. Jeong Yeon-Gil (reverend): No. 187 (Arrested on Sept. 6, 50th day )
Mr. Park Suk-Jin (activist): No. 188 (Arrested on Sept. 6, 50th day )
Mr. Park Seung-Ho (activist) : No. 290 (Arrested on Sept. 14, 41th day)
Please mail supporting letters to each of those above, to the ‘Jeju Prison, 161 Ora-2 dong, Jeju City, Jeju, the Peace Island, Korea,’ with name and prison number.
