Save Jeju Now

No War Base on the Island of Peace

Tag: base design

  • ROK Government Deceptive Simulation Hides Base Design Full of Flaws

    Conclusion in advance: What the simulation T/F team proved out on Jan. 31 is  the ‘Civilian-Military Complex Port,’ is IMPOSSIBLE. Still They are deceiving themselves, not to mention people by saying, “NO  PROBLEM.’ 

    총무 과장
    Source: On Jan. 31, when the villagers ran to the Island government hall, to inquire the governor on the problems of simulation report and protest on the whole lies, Island officers, mobilizing civilian-costumed policemen, blocked the villagers and activists. The Island officers have not even preserved the base  layout map and did not know what the ‘jetty dock (that will be mentioned in the below) was. In a word, the Island government had no preparation for its own position but to just submit to the central conservative government and Samsung. The figure in the left side is Mr. Go Gwon-Il, chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base.

    On Jan. 31, the Office of the Prime Minister and Jeju Island government stated that there is ‘no problem’ in the matter of 150,000 ton cruise port-entry & exit as a result of the simulation ‘show’ (not verification) carried out in rough-and-ready method in two days of Jan. 17 and 18, despite the FULL OF FLAWS in the layout that became more obvious even by their official report (You can download it, in the middle of the site here, though Korean).

    The purpose of the simulation jointly carried out by the central and Island governments  was to prove out that the port-entry and exit  of 150,000 ton cruise is possible, HELPED by two tug boats (3,500 Hp each). To say concretely, the simulation was to test the possibility of another 2nd cruise into the west breakwater when the 1st cruise is already mooring in the south breakwater. The wind speed variable was set up at 27 knot. The simulation was supposed of day and night conditions. and wind directions were set up at northeast and southwest.  The numbers of pilots were 4. Total simulation numbers were 16.  The two-day rough-and-ready simulation was criticized for its opaqueness to the public. Even the members of the T/F team had to leave out their phones before entering the simulation room. The simulation was done in thorough security. Reporters were not allowed to enter.  Still  the government manipulating the  media after the test,  intentionally leaked the media in advance before the planned date of report on the result, saying that it has succeeded in the simulation, probably for the purpose to block any criticism on the test later. 

     

    On Feb. 4, the Island governor, Woo Keun Min made public at 2 pm that he would drive for the civilian-military complex port. His  sugar-coating words deceiving the Island people again was that he would promise the local development, supported by the central government,  console the Gangjeong villagers (no villagers opposing the base project will be consoled but infuriated against him)  and that he would ASK the central  government pardon for the people who have gotten the legal disposal for the struggle against the base project.  It is  in fact,  his  submission to the central gov, as the leader of the Island. (See the Korean article here)

    The navy has been  of course manipulating public opinion abusing such government lies.  all those  government and military’s false and deceiving play  has been what people could somehow expect.

    It is a great deception and betrayal again for the central and Island governments to lie to the people in the domestic and world to state as such.  It has become very clear that the Jeju naval base project which has been violently and illegally enforced in the name of so called civilian-military complex port for tour beauty, despite the opposition of majority villagers who just want to save their hometown as it is, can properly function neither as a civilian nor a military port. It is because the navy, government, corporations like Samsung have been enforcing the project consistently with rough-and-ready methods, which contradicts from their own claim of so called a ‘national security policy.’

    Most media seldom reports on such BIG DECEPTION that is why it is important to share the below, which is people’s own statement regarding the full of flaws in the base layout, revealed in the government report itself.

    mayor
    Source/ Photo by Kim Seung-Joo/ On Jan. 31, mayor Kang Dong-Kyun and Island activist Hong Ki-Ryong were ready to stay all night in front of the Island hall building, in protest of the Island and central governments’ lies again.  The figure in the right side is a civilian-costumed policeman who enjoys to spy people all the time.

    Yang Yoon-Mo, a movie critic, who was arrested and jailed directly from the court due to his opposition on the base project has started prison fast from the evening of Feb. 1, the day of his imprisonment which is  the 4th time in his life . He demands two by his prison fast: 1. Nullification of the government simulation report on Jan. 31, 2. Revocation of the Jeju naval base project.

    We hope that the below provides the reader some tips for the recognition of how the base project-including the base layout- has been totally falsehood from the beginning. Why these wrongdoings are seldom mentioned in the media? Does it surprise you to hear that the Korean mainstream media has been controlled by the big corporations like Samsung, one of the main contractors of the base project?

    Does it surprise you to hear that the Island government said that it has not even preserved the base layout map, which made the villager mayor, Kang Dong-Kyun and others so infuriated? Does it surprise you to hear that they could not even say a sensible word to the strong criticism by the village representatives who have had to investigate the flaws of layout themselves without sleep for long days? (See the Korean article, here) Does it surprise you to hear that the current Island government is willing to accord with the coming government of Park Geun-Hye on whom the controversy on election fraud has been constantly raised?(See the Korean article, on Feb. 4, here)

    Lee_Dongseob
    Lee Dong-Seob, chief of the Task Force team of the Simulation team, as well as the President of the Korean Navigation and Port Research. He is a former navy and captain. He stated in the press conference on Jan. 31 that the team concluded that the safe port-entry and exit of two giant size cruises in the day and night is possible under the current port design of the base project. (See the Korean article, here)

    .……………………………………………………………

     People’s statement on Feb. 1 (Click here for the original source)

    Title: “The simulation that made confirmation again  on  the flaws in the base design should be annulled from the origin!”

    : “Immediately stop the naval base construction (destruction) and re-examine the project!”

    The government stated on Jan. 31, 2013, that it would drive for the naval base construction without setback, saying that ‘it confirmed the safety matter,’ as a result of the simulation show (* not ‘verification’) on the control of 150,000 ton cruise ships in the so called Jeju civilian-military complex port for tour beauty project.

    However, the report on the result of the show by the Task Force team on the simulation on the control of cruise ships only confirms again that the matter on the flaws in the design on turning basin and sea route, which  was raised in the 1st and 2nd simulation verification, as well, is a fact, therefore there are serious problems in the safety matter of harbor and bay.

    Firstly, the simulation show this time was carried out in the condition of no jetty in the west side-different from the [navy] plan on changeable jetties [in the east and west part of the port] . According to the item 1 of the synthetic opinion by the researchers in the simulation report (Page 17, the Report on the Simulation Show on the Control of Cruise Ships in the [ Project] of the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty), the researchers demand a conducted layout change by which the jetty in the west part would be  completely removed.

     

    Web_text

     

    Translation: 
    1. Since the simulation show this time was carried out, supposedly the situation without “a jetty” [in the west part] under the worst external force condition, the condition is that there is not a jetty [in the west part] under the worst external force condition in case a large size cruise enters the port in the future.
    2. Since the entry speed in the mouth part of the harbor and bay is high and there are cases that the distance between breakwater and ship is short, the crews who enter and exit the port in the worst external force condition should be careful of pressuring currents.
    3. The  sea route environment and sea route mark same with the simulation condition are needed
    ( Page 17, the Report on the Simulation Show on the Control of Cruise Ships in the [ Project] of the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty)

     

    Related to it, Lee Dong-Seob, chief of the T/F team states that, “it is difficult to answer (on the safety of harbor and bay) in the condition of the jetty in the west side. It is a conclusion that there should be no jetty in the worst condition.”

    That means it was a merely a patch measure for the navy to avoid controversy on the safety matter to have  changed the sea route [from 77° to 30°] and  introduced changeable jetty at the time of the 2nd simulation that it unilaterally carried out in Feb. 2012. Therefore it proves the justice of a claim that  change of base design and construction stop is inevitable to guarantee the safety of 150.000 ton cruise to enter & exit of port and to come & exit alongside the pier.

    Web_Island-simulation-repor
    Source: Please compare two maps. In the navy map that the villagers brought to the Island government hall to protest against the government lies on Jan. 31, you can see two small jetty in the west and east parts of the port. But in the picture of the report, you see only one jetty in the east part. It is a report on the Simulation Show on the Control of Cruise Ship(s) in the [ Project] of the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, published by the Task Force team of the show, jointly supervised under the central and Island governments.

    Otherwise, the matter of removal on the jetty in the west part means that there is a serious problem in the project of so called Jeju civilian-military complex port for tour beauty: It cannot properly function as a military port, not to mention properly function as a civilian port.

    It is because the accommodation ability of the Jeju naval base that should accommodate a task fleet is drastically being reduced. According to the original design (Image No. 4.4.5, page 129, book No. 1 of the report on investigation and test), the base design has been done for a base where total 24 ships can simultaneously come alongside the pier.

    Web_Map-1_445

    As the project was changed to a so called civilian-military complex port [in 2007], the south and west breakwaters were designated as a trade port as a facility for cruise to come alongside the pier. If the entry and exit of more than 2,000 ton cruise is permitted as the Jeju Island demands to the military, ( * It is a condition that the Island governor demands to the military to conclude a joint use protocol on the port) the south and west breakwaters cannot but be used only as (dis)embarkation for materials and human beings so the function as a military port disappears. It means five among 24 ships cannot be accommodated.

    If a jetty dock in the west part is removed in such condition, additional 4 ships cannot be accommodated. Even with a ship that might take place on the site of the removed jetty, three ships cannot be accommodated. As a result, total 8 military ships among 24 ships cannot be accommodated.

    task force
    Source: Kim Min-Soo, reporter of the Jeju Internet news writes in his Feb. 1 article titled: ‘What the simulation T/F team proved out is  the ‘Civilian-Military Complex Port,’ is Impossible: The Jeju Naval Base Cannot Accommodate Both of the 7th Navy Task Fleet Force and Two Giant Cruse.’
    ‘A task force is usually composed of 10 naval vessels: 8 large size naval vessels such as 2 Aegis Destroyers, 6 destroyers and affiliated vessels. The ROK navy says it can heighten its ability for ocean operation, only if large size conveyance vessel (14,500 ton class, currently the ROK retains one vessel of such class, the Dokdo). [..]
    ‘Even though the government made a conclusion on Jan. 31 that giant cruise can safely enter and exit the port as a result of simulation, the problem is that, for that purpose, the Jeju naval base can accommodate only five giant naval vessels at maximum, [as the simulation report itself, CLEARLY stipulates.]
    In other words, the purpose of the Jeju naval base that the navy asserts that it is for the accommodation of the 7th task  fleet force cannot be achieved in the project. It means the navy can NEVER solve the issue of effective operation on the 7th task fleet force with the [currently enforced] Jeju naval base project, contrary from the navy assertion that it needs the Jeju base because its task fleet forces are being scattered in Jinhae and Busan [* which are located in the east southern part of the main land].

    That brings a result that the navy and Minister of National Defense give up the purpose of the Jeju naval base, in other words, the role of it as a deployment base where 20 large size naval vessels can simultaneously moor.

    The Office of Prime Minister, navy, and Ministry of National Defense are irresponsible even by their own logic to say that they would enforce construction stating that “there is no problem in safety matter,” without an explanation whether the navy would be willing for such serious change of the base design or not.

    To look at,  to ask why the change of the base design is inevitable, one can recognize that the core of the matter lies in the issue of the turning radius.

    The turning basin for the 150,000 ton cruise should be of D 690 m, which is 2L of the object ship, following the ‘Standard of the Layout in the Harbor & Bay and Fishing Port. While the turning basin of the Jeju naval base was designed as D 520 m, in violation of such legal standard, the matter is that the inner sea area of the projected Jeju naval base is too small to accommodate even D 520 m.

    Web_Map-2_turning-field
    The size of the turning basin on the navy’s plane map on the basic plan

    In the plane plan of the navy’s report on the basic plan, the D 520 m turning base is drawn rather spared. However, it can be recognized that the turning basin is interluding major sites of placed ships  as in the below picture, when a correct 3 D modeling was established for the simulation show this time.

    It can be confirmed that cruise ship is overlapped in the turning basin in the south breakwater and even destroyers (KDX-II) that come alongside the dock – exclusive only for the large size ships- have no turning water area and spare.

    Web_map_3-overlapped
    The size of the turning basin in the 3rd simulation report

    In case that a large size aircraft carrier in the south breakwater or a naval vessel higher than KDX-III level comes alongside the pier- exclusive only for the large size ships-, the radius of the turning basin is more being intruded therefore the safety of the cruise entry  & exit of port and coming & leaving alongside the pier becomes more difficult.

    Given that, the navy, Ministry of National Defense, and the Office of prime Minister cannot avoid people’s suspicion that they have intentionally hidden the problems of the flaws on the design on the turning basin by now.

    Secondly, the item 2 of the synthetic opinion by the researchers of the simulation show point out that “ Due to high entry speed in the gate part in harbor and bay.. it is necessary to pay attention to pressuring currents.” The pilots who joined the simulation show are also stating that they ask attention on the pressuring currents in the harbor gate.” It means the ships in simulation had to navigate with high speed to the degree of concern, without decreasing speed to maximum following the shipbuilding program at the time of entering and exiting out of port. In other words, the ships in simulation had to increase their propulsive force so that ships are not being pushed by the crosswind of 27 knot.

    What they point out is that there is a concern that the ships may be clashed to breakwaters: In case of the Jeju naval base project, the width of the sea route is only 250 meter. Therefore the navigator on the  ship bridge in 150,000 ton cruise cannot observe the end tip of the breakwater in the mouth part of the port so that he can rely only on guess or GPS. If wind suddenly stops or more severely blows, the ship may clash with breakwaters.

    In other words, they were expressing their concern: If the ship entering the port without reduction of speed clashes with breakwater, such incident cannot but be extended as a giant incident in the worst case. It is because wind blows irregularly in real situation different from the simulation when wind blows homogenously. If then, the suspicion whether the 150,000 ton cruise can safely enter and exit the port is still unresolved task.

    Thirdly, looking at the 3rd items of the synthetic opinion of the researchers in the simulation show, the matters that we have pointed out many times are written as they are. We have consistently pointed out that, while the 2nd and 3rd simulations are based on 30° sea route, actual area-detailed data around the 30° sea route have not been input.

    The words that ‘sea route environment and sea route signs same with the simulation condition are needed,’ means that the maritime environment such as the water depth of the sea route and current should be fit into the environment applied in simulation. In other words, it can be interpreted that the natural environment should be changed into same with the simulation environment since the simulation was done without actual area-detailed data.

    It means, to make a sea route that crosses low water depth area, there should be inevitably an underwater construction such as rock excavation and dredging. It is a result that reveals more of the rough-and-ready of the 3rd simulation done even neither with an environmental impact assessment nor procedure on the status change on the cultural treasure.

    Even though water depth is supposed that it can be artificially controlled, the inner currents that occur by the gap between ebb and tide cannot be controlled by human beings. We have pointed out many times that the inner currents of the water area near the train rock are very high before this 3rd simulation.

    As a result, we conclude that even the researchers themselves who carried out the 3rd simulation acknowledged the serious problems in the layout of turning basin and sea route. The 3rd simulation that was carried out even with neither synthetic plan and measures on the layout change and scientific investigation on the environment near the 30 ° sea route is merely a test completely ignored of the preceding conditions and nullification from the origin. It is because the result is also a lie, in the science formed based on lie.

    Therefore the government should immediately stop construction (destruction) acknowledging the flaws in layout, not enforce construction (destruction) repeatedly saying “there is no problem in the matter of safety.” .

    We aslo strongly demand the Island governor to make all the efforts for prompt construction stop and whole re-examination with the decision responsible for the history of Jeju, on behalf of the Island people, not blindly following the Government.

     

    Feb. 1, 2013

     

    The Gangjeong Village Association

    National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island and

    Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island

    Web_picture-2_6
    Source: The 150,000 ton cruise sea route crosses the three overlapped preservation zones.

     

     

    UNESCO Biosphere Reserves Core Zone

    Seogwipo Municipal Marine Park

    Ecological Landscape Preservation Area

  • Aegis: Guard of the Guardians Themselves | notonlyformyself

    Reblogged with permission from: Aegis: Guard of the Guardians Themselves | by notonlyformyself *

    There are so many issues and causes to care about in the world.

    Tigers going extinct, homeless folks, religiously motivated settlers in the West bank. And then there is world politics, armament races and wildly differently opinions, conclusions and analysis aimed at explaining how to keep the citizens of the world safe.

    Issues that the villagers of Gangjeong have been forced to care about.

    They have filed cases. They have sued. They have chained themselves to cars. They have lobbied and demonstrated. They have been beaten and put in jail. Been black listed and thrown out of convention centers and meetings. Arrested for refusing to leave when demonstrating quietly outside a SAMSUNG(one of the biggest construction companies on the base) owned hotel during a UN/ROK joint conference on disaster and nonproliferation in Jeju. The are still fighting for the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, adjacent to the proposed military port. They have been called trouble makers, communists and North Korea supporters.

    Somebody hijacked their democratic process and their votes didn’t count when they said no to the naval base.

    They even walked from Jeju up to Seoul in what turned into a 5000 person march. That is how much they care.

    In addition, the main tourist bus driving from the airport in Jeju city to nearby Saegepo was re-routed so as not to expose the bus passengers to the demonstrations during the International Union for Conservation of Nature conference in 2011 and the participants were warned not to have any contact with the activists as they were dangerous. What actually happened at that conference is another story but basically the Korean government had, in exchange for a considerable amount of money, struck a deal with the organisation not to allow talks about the environmental consequences of the naval base construction. It became known and an unwelcome but unstoppable arena was created for the Gangjeong activists.

    But this is is not a Gangjeong issue, this really does concern you. Wherever you are. And I will tell you why.

    2011 the Obama administration announced a military strategic turn around, a whooping 60 percent of US military resources being shifting from Europe and the Middle East to the Asia-Pacific region in what is called the South Asian pivot. A new frontline of defence and the enemy has a new name. The WOM discourse has not completely gone to bed with the Bush camp but Red China is now the scary man of the mouth.

    Still wondering why you should care? Well, a new battle field is in the making in one of the most heavily populated area in the world, with the US as a main actor. Regions and nation states are being courted and divided up according to the old cold war logic.

    The United States already has 219 bases on foreign soil in the Asia-Pacific; by comparison, China has none. The Jeju base would augment the Aegis-equipped systems in South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and the US colony of Guam. The Pentagon has also positioned Patriot PAC-3 missile defense systems in Taiwan, Japan (where the United States has some ninety installations, plus about 47,000 troops on Okinawa) and in South Korea, which hosts more than 100 US facilities. Source

    Many military analysts are saying it, the US naval and missile defence logic is morphing and sliding into the Asian region.

    As far as Gangjeong goes, about 6000+ US/ROK navy personal are moving in if the construction goes as planned. And Aegis is coming with them.

    They also bring:

    2 submarines

    20 large destroyers, equipped with the above mentioned sea-based Aegis ballistic defence system

    2 aircraft carriers

    What are we really talking about here? Well, there are numerous types of these warships. One type looks like this:

    The AEGIS is an integrated combat naval weapons system which uses powerful computers and radars to track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets. Japan already have three of them, as do Spain and Norway. And the US of course who had them first. Looking at the technique behind it, this is basically how it works:

    The Aegis Combat System is controlled by an advanced, automatic detect-and-track, multi-function three-dimensional radar (the AN/SPY-1). Known as “the Shield of the Fleet”, the SPY high-powered radar is able to perform search, tracking, and missile guidance functions simultaneously with a track capacity of well over 100 targets at more than 100 nautical miles (190 km).

    The Aegis system communicates with the Standard missiles through a radio frequency (RF) uplink, but still requires the AN/SPG-62 radar for terminal guidance. This means that with proper scheduling of intercepts, a large number of targets can be engaged simultaneously.

    In other words, this system is both able to track as well as engage a massive number of targets at the same time. Their radar systems work independently even though they are sometimes referred to as Aegis class cruisers.

    Remember yesterdays blog entry. The simulation that was supposed to take place inside the base. Bringing cruise liners into the harbor. Not very likely.

    The activists here tell me that submarines that are coming to town are armed with nuclear missiles.

    The villagers may know this. Some do. But really. You don’t need to know the tech info. Exactly what kind of Destroyer is coming in or how the Aegis ballistic missile defense (ABMD)was started by President Reagan in the 80s and how it initially was supposed to be use in space.

    What it comes down to is this, do we really want another place in the world massively invaded by war ships and missile systems? There are other ways to deal with conflict and fear, like an improved level of communication.

    By the way, the blog title refers to the motto written in latin on the emblem. A guard for whom?

    *Reblogged posts do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Save Jeju Now

     

  • Gangjeong Village Story: Monthly News from the Struggle | January 2013 Issue

    In this month’s issue:
    Struggle outlook after the presidential election and in the new year, a new support group forms, similarities of Gaza and Gangjeong, more prisoner releases, Buddhist unity ceremony, voting problems for villagers and more!

    Download PDF

  • People’s appeal to the President-elect

    'Çرº±âÁö °Ç¼³ Áß´Ü' '±¹È¸±Ç°í ÀÌÇà' Ã˱¸ÇÏ´Â °­Á¤¸¶À»È¸
    Photo by News1, Jeju Domin Ilbo/ The banner reads, ‘The Jeju naval base construction without carrying out of the National Assembly recommendation is illegal, Immediately stop construction and carry out thorough verification!’ In front of the Presidential transition committee building, Seoul, Jan. 13
    hani jan 14
    Photo by Lee Jung-Ah, Hankyoreh, Jan. 13, 2013/ Press conference in the morning

     

    1. The Ministry of Nation Defense reported its will to continue construction

    It was Jan. 11 that the Ministry of National Defense was told to have reported to the Presidential transition committee that the ministry would continue the Jeju naval base construction without stop. The Jeju Domin Ilbo, Jan. 12, 2013 reads:

    The Chosun Ilbo reported through its Jan. 12 article that the Ministry of National Defense (MND) has declared its policy of enforcement on the Jeju naval base project, through its Jan. 11 job report to the Presidential transition committee.

    The Chosun Ilbo, citing the words by the core personnel of the committee, reported that ‘the Ministry of National Defense has stated its position that it should continue the Jeju naval base construction even with inputting the remaining budgets from the last year.’

    The personnel said that the ministry took three reasons for  continuing construction: 1. It would take a tremendous period to recruit again  workers in case of construction resumption 2. It would take damage compensation for construction stop. 3. The opposition groups’ repulsions will be intensified in case of construction resumption.

    In other words, the ministry meant that, while there are currently about 230 domestic and foreign workers in the Jeju naval base project, it would take five months to recruit workers again after construction stop and it would have to pay about 6.5 billion won of damage compensation cost for construction stop to the construction companies that are working employing various heavy equipments.

    It is known that the MND also emphasized that the construction period would be extended without defined due because of expected more intensification of the repulsions by opposing groups in case the Jeju naval base construction is resumed after its stop.

     

    2. People’s request to meet the chairman of the Presidential  transition committee was denied.

    It was Jan. 13, Sunday, that the representatives of the villagers left the village in the early dawn to join the press conference in Seoul, with the representatives of the National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island and Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island. It was a day when the Defense Acquisition Program Administration(DAPA) also delivered its job report to the Presidential transition committee. The Press conference for thorough verification and construction stop was held in front of the building of the Presidential transition committee, Samchungdong, Seoul. After the conference, Kang Dong-Kyun, mayor of the village, Mr. Go Gwon-Il, chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base and Mr. Bae Gi-Chul, co-representative of the Pan-Island Committee delivered their opinion statement and a letter by Mr. Yoon Sang-Hyo, a village elder and member of the advisory board of the village. See the letter at the bottom.

    delivery
    Photo by Andy Dukjin Kim/ Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun deliver people’s letters and opinion statement to a person of the Presidential transition committee, in the morning of Jan. 13.

    The representatives also requested to meet the Chairman of the Presidential transition committee, demanding the construction stop, but it was finally rejected to the fury and remorse of the people. There was a press conference denouncing the committee’s rejection at 4pm. Mayor Kang expressed his strong sorriness saying that “How will the new government communicate with the people if it shows its non-communicative attitude from the time of transition?” See the Korean article, here.

    Andy_4pm
    Photo by Andy Dukjin Kim/ People denounce that the Presidential transition committee rejected their request to meet the committee’s chairman. Jan. 13, around 4pm.

     

    3. People’s letters for the demand of construction stop to Park Geun-Hye

    The below is the expert translations from the letters to Park Geun-Hye, the so called the President-elect regarding whom the controversy on unfair election is still going on, by the opposing groups and Mr. Yoon Sang-Hyo, a village elder. You can see the original Korean language letters, here.

    Excerpt from the letter by the opposing groups

    According to some press report, it is told that the Ministry of National defense has reported to the Presidential transition committee on Jan. 11 that it would continue the Jeju naval base construction without stop. Its main logic is that if construction is stopped, it would take much time to recruit the domestic and foreign workers again and billions won of damage compensation costs following construction stop is expected again. It is a poor logic to be used for the government and navy  not to carry the pledge by the members of ruling and opposition parities of the National Assembly to the citizens and villagers. Are the National Assembly’s Constitutional rights to legislation and budget & balance cheaper than billions won? Further isn’t it that the government who has promised a thorough verification disclosing itself its intention for no thorough verification to the world, to enforce construction as if verification has been all done? It means that the government and navy are to push an unreliable state policy project without villagers’ agreement disregarding matters. The behavior itself is the derision and provocation of the villagers and Island people. We ask whether it is a way that Park Geun-Hye, the [so-called]President-elect who has emphasized on trust, agrees with. We demand: The government and navy should immediately stop construction.

    President-elect, Park Geun-Hye, the National Assembly has demanded again of 70 days’ thorough verification at the end of 2012 since the verification on the flawed base layout that the ruling and opposition parties had promised to the Jeju island people at the end of 2011 had not been thoroughly done. For the 70 days’ verification to help to settle all the controversies and conflicts in relation to the naval base construction in the Gangjeong village, it has to be a thorough verification truly to the name. The government and Jeju Island should present a proper & independent verification methods and period so that ‘a though verification work,’ could be entirely accomplished. However, the navy is saying that it would finish a verification in 10 days, starting around Jan. 20. On the contrary, the position of experts is that it should take at least six months for a proper verification to be established. The hasty schedule to finish verification on Jan. 30 should be totally re-examined. The verification institute should be re-examined, too. For a thorough verification, the 3rd institute should be newly designated and carry it, following the subsidiary conditions by the sub-investigation committee on the Jeju naval base project of the Budget and Balance Committee of the National Assembly [in 2011], for the conflicts not to be more intensified.

    The verification work should be a process in which common-sensible and reasonable evaluation and verification on the below matters should be established.

    -The matter of the proper and reasonable of the location selection to build a giant port in Gangjeong, a projected area at the southern tip of the Jeju Island, exposed with the strongest wind and sea waves, currents and typhoons in the Jeju Island

    -An objective and scientific examination on the influence to the area of the natural memorial No. 421 and 422 ecology system protection area, and the UNESCO biosphere reserve, which are located in the port and entry-exit navigation routes,

    – Matter of the precedent cases of ports that carry the functions of the civilian and military at the same time, its smooth operation possibility, validity and reasonability

    -And the matter of the residents’ agreement on the execution process of the construction, as well as of the mental, physical violence and conflict-fostering behaviors by the state power and civilian companies that employ thugs

     

    Excerpt from the letter by Mr. Yoon Sang-Hyo

    I am a country old man. I was born in the Gangjeong village and have never left my hometown. I am 77 years old.

    The Gangjeong village established about 450 years ago has been called as the Il-Gangjeong (一江汀), meaning the best village because of its beautiful nature and rich farm lands. Further it was designated as the ecology-excellent village by the Ministry of Environment in 2005. And I was excited with the will to more preserve and keep water and ecology, the big pride of Gangjeong.

    However, the issue that had been driven with various kinds of underground promotions, appeasements, operations, became to appear on the surface on April 26, 2007, like the lightening in the clear sky. And only after that, I and majority of villagers became to know the fact.

    Especially it was a time that ex-Ministry of National Defense, Kim Jang-Sou visited the Island on April 13, 2007, when the location of the naval base construction had been decided in Weemee, Namwon-eup, therefore, the Weemee villagers’ protest in front of the Island government hall, opposing the plan of the installation naval base in their village reached its highest. In other words, the decision to install the naval base in Gangjeong was decided only in 13 days.

    Also, the Gureombi Rock is like a bosom of our mother. It has been more than two years that I could not sleep in the nights hearing the moaning of the Gureombi day and night, which is like mother’s breast but being torn to pieces by the noise of explosives and excavators.

    The state power that has to protect the property and life of the citizens has arrested more than 690 villagers and peace keepers, imprisoned 22 people and made indiscriminate legal disposal on more than 480 people. A village that has lived peacefully for hundreds years is being terribly destroyed and the peace keepers who are with us are crying shedding bloody tears.

    [..]

    The Gangjeong villagers are not opposing against security and ideology but opposing against the naval base project, to save the site and community that has been succeeded from our ancestors to generations and to live happily with our neighbors. I will tell you why I and the Gangjeong villagers oppose the naval base construction.

    Firstly, it is because of the procedural flaws.

    Not to mention the villagers’ agreement, there was no presentation meeting [to get villagers’ agreement]. From the procedure for agreement to that of  expropriation, it is an undemocratic and immoral project. It was such a preposterous incident in which even the villagers’ rights to participation and private property protected by the Constitution have been violated. We, the villagers, suffer for unfairness because our village is where the Constitution was trampled down by the State power. Such flawed administration has to be nullified.

    Secondly, it is a matter of location selection.

    Despite the fact that it is an important national policy by which the fate of a nation depends on, the target area of the project was decided only in 13 days without prior investigation on the location reasonability. The governing management capacity will be continuously suspected and be the target of criticism. Therefore the project should be re-examined without fail after investigation and examination.

    Thirdly, it is a matter of the reason of the cancellation of absolute preservation area.

    The Gureombi Rock, the target area of the naval base is a site that has been designated as the absolute preservation area by the Special law of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Island. Because of the weak power of the Island, the power and big capital can destroy the nature environment of the Island in the name of ‘development,’ any time. The preservation system was set up to stop horrible destruction by them and is divided by three stages of absolute preservation zones, relative preservation zones and preservation zones. Among them, absolute preservation zones are the sites defined as the sites where cancellation is impossible at any case. Still it was cancelled in the illegally snatched way. In other words, a preposterous thing happened, in which  a legislated system to block the things such as the naval base in Gangjeong was illegally cancelled so that the beautiful nature environment of the Jeju Island could not be kept in the future .

    Fourthly, the so called civilian-military complex port for tour beauty is absolutely impossible.

    It is not only because there is no such port in the world but it is impossible that the civilian and military use a port together. It is like that oil and water cannot be mixed together.

    Fifthly, the Jeju has already two cruise ports in the Jeju City and Hwasoon so there is no problem with the invitation of cruise tourists.

    Last year, a 140,000 ton cruise has already entered the Jeju port for tour. And cruise tour is carried on, used of dinghies in the Hwasoon port that is a natural port. Our country doesn’t have much money. It should be necessarily examined and analyzed why the government plans to make one more cruise port in this small Island.

    Sixthly, we can never acknowledge a naval base built with frauds.

    At the time of 2007 after the village was selected as a location, real admiral Kim Sung-Chan, the chief of naval strategic planning then declared that there would not be land expropriation at any case, in the site where 400 villagers gathered hearing that there was a presentation explanation.

    He said that he did not have the slightest plan for expropriation even though he would build the base by landfill of the  the sea if consulted negotiation on land purchase is not accomplished. However as soon as he became the Chief of General staff, he expropriated lands. My heart is broken by the reality of our country where a general becomes promoted and rises to a high position as a National Assembly member despite his lies and frauds.

    (* Note: Kim Sung Chan is now a member of the Defense Committee of the National Assembly)

    Mentioned as above, I will not oppose the naval base in Gangjeong if there were any thing that was justly driven.

    Currently, the Gangjeong villagers became antagonized, hating and not trusting one another, not to mention not being able to trust any administration or military due to their lies and estrangement behaviors onto the villagers. Moreover, affection between parents and children was collapsed therefore we are in the middle of suffering and pain [because of the naval base issue that has brought in con-and pro conflicts to the villagers][..]

    You, the President-elect, has promised the great unity of citizens and stated that you would respect the National Assembly for co-existence. However, it was never precedent that the National Assembly passed the budget bill passing the due of the year, with its subsidiary conditions attached to the budget bill on the naval base at 6am of Jan. 1, 2013. The National Assembly had not kept the items agreed by the ruling and opposition parties in the budget and balance committee of the National Assembly in 2011.

    As the navy pushing the project interpreting the meaning of the National subsidiary conditions-budget execution after verification- as the construction first then budget execution, construction companies are violently enforcing the project with the police at the head in the village from the dawn of everyday.

    You, the President-elect, has stated that it is right that the Jeju naval base should be driven after the agreement by the Island people is established.

    For us, last six years were like a war daily. Please save the Gangjeong villagers of the kindhearted and good. Please help this old country man to see our Gangjeong village to recover its original beautiful and peaceful appearance in my life time. Please help to make our country where the people are the true masters.
    [..]

    January 2013

    Yoon Sang-Hyo, Gangjeong villager

    'Á¦ÁÖÇرº±âÁö Áß´Ü' ÀμöÀ§ ¾Õ¿¡ ¸ðÀÎ °­Á¤¸¶À» Áֹεé
    Photo by News 1/ Jeju Domin Ilbo. Jeong Young-Hee, chairwoman of the Village Women’s Committee to Stop the Naval Base is holding a sign that reads, “Promptly stop the construction of the naval base [..]” Jan. 13

  • Military Coup? Navy and Police Even Rough Up National Assembly Members

    Jan. 10, the villagers’ first monthly Unity Day in 2013 was a day to be remembered, as the military and police even ignored the national legislature by exercising police violence to two National Assembly members who joined people’s press conference and struggle in protest to illegal construction that is being done despite the National Assembly ruling on 70 days’ construction stop for a thorough verification on the base design. You can see a video on the day here.

    At 10:30am , the villagers declared their will to stop illegal construction in the press conference where representatives of the National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island, Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island, catholic priests and protestant reverends and two National Assembly members such as Jang Hana and Kim Gwangjin joined.

    Mayor Kang said, “The National Assembly has broken its own promise on through verification on base layout to people by passing all the 2013 Jeju naval base budget. Even though it attached the subsidiary conditions on 70 days in its passing the whole budget, the navy is still enforcing illegal construction and mobilizing state power, committing human rights violation on people.”

    See the Korean article, here.

    CHK_press
    The banner reads, ‘Construction on credit is illegal! Struggle of 30,000 bows to stop construction! The navy should stop illegal construction and take responsibility for thorough verification!’ People will carry on 1,000 bows everyday in rotation. Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun is the one who is doing the bows everyday. For more photos, on the day, see here.
    red_hats
    Right before the press conference, a group of ultra right wing members such as the navy fellow association visited the naval base project committee. Even during the conference, the tension due to the construction trucks to enter the gate was continued. For more photos on the day, see here.

    Regarding the incident on the violence on the National Assembly members, see the below translation of an article by reverend Jeon Yeon-Gil in the Gagjeong village. Rev. Jeong was released on Dec. 12, 2012, after 98 days’ imprisonment in jail. He was one of the five activists who climbed up on a caisson dock in the Hwasoon port, in protest to the Jeju naval base project.  

    Kim Gwangjin, Jang Hana, the two National Assembly members were encircled by the police

    On Jan. 10, two National Assembly members, Jang Hanna and Kim Gwangjin visited the site of the naval base construction in the Gangjeong village.

    The two National Assembly members visited the village to urge [ the navy] to properly keep the ‘70 days’ construction stop’ that  the ruling and opposition parties have agreed with each other.  The two National Assembly members have made prior talks with the chief of the base project committee and demanded construction stop to the Ministry of National Defense. However, seeing that construction is still being enforced, the two have stated that they would block construction even with their bodies, visiting the site in person, so that the recommendations by the National Assembly can be carried out.

    Kim Gwangjin, the National Assembly man demanded saying in the Press conference on the day that, “the agreement by the ruling and opposition parties was that there should be inevitably a construction stop for a thorough verification. The matter on the execution of budget is decided only after verification. It means there will be no subject to provide construction cost during the 70 days if it is proved out to be an improper project later as a result of verification. Immediately stop an illegal construction, being enforced without allocated budget!”

    National Assembly member, Jang Hana stated, “it is  with so bitter lamentation to see the reality that the National Assembly recommendations are considered merely as a sheet of paper. To see the behaviors by the Government and [ ruling conservative] Saenuri Party, they  do seem to have concern with neither 70 days’ construction stop nor thorough verification. They were merely betraying people to pass the whole budget. We clearly state that there would be no verification without construction stop nor possible execution of budget without verification. Since construction has not been practically stopped, the verification period of 70 days has not even  started. It is a time when even more members of the Democratic United Party, a party of the subjects of promise to the citizens so that construction can be practically stopped and verification could be thoroughly done.”

    However, it happened that the police forcefully encircle and detain the National assembly members who demanded a thorough execution on the National Assembly recommendations and legislature works in the site. [See the two National Assembly members’ Jan. 11 protest statement below]

    Saltcandy_KWJ
    Photo by Jeon Dae-Hyub/ Kim Gwangjin, National Assembly man is forcefully dragged out by the civilian-costumed policemen, Around 3:20pm, Jan. 10, 2013.
    Kim
    Photo by Jeon Dae-Hyub/ Kim Gwangjin, National Assembly man is forcefully dragged out by the civilian-costumed policemen. Around 3:20pm, Jan. 10, 2013
    SH_hana
    National Assembly woman Jang Hana is protesting against the navy’s illegal construction and the police’s illegal encircling of people. Lee Dong-Min, chief of the Seogwipo police station was also in present. Around 3 pm, Jan. 10, 2013.
    Jang
    National Assembly woman Jang Hana being encircled by the police, along with other people, Around 3 pm, Jan. 10, 2013.
    sh-KWJ_protest
    National Assembly man, Kim Gwangjin shouted knocking the base project gate in protest to navy’s illegal construction and the police’s violent roughing on him and people. Around 3:30 pm, Jan. 10, 2013. The navy did not open the gate for him.

    Looking at that, a villager Kim expressed his piled up agony, “ Has there any coup recently happened in the Republic of Korea? How do the police dare to forcefully encircle and detain the National Assembly members in their legislature works? I so deplore the reality of South Korea. It seems Gangjeong became the lawless world where neither law order nor democracy system work, only with police violence being rampant.”

    Two National Assembly members, Jang Hana and Kim Gwangjin made  peace bows along with the villagers to demand construction stop in front of the base project until 6pm.

    Leaving the village, two members expressed their will saying that “given that construction is not stopped by two of us, we will do our best for our promise to the citizens to be carried out by making more members including [Park Gi-Choon, representative of the Party] to visit here. We will come again with more National Assembly members.”

    You may see another essay with lots of photos on the day’s incident, here.

    CHK_police
    Photo by Rev. Choi Hyn-Kuk/ Night time entry and exit of construction vehicles, and police mobilization to rough out protesting people went on to the fury of people.
    9_30pm_encircling
    Around 9:30pm, even an old female villager was pushed inside the police circle. Not to mention illegal construction, the night time construction went on.

    .………………………………………………………….

    Statement by Kim Gwangjin, Jang Hana, members of National Assembly, on Jan. 11, 2013

    We denounce the Jeju naval base project enforced with illegal construction and violence by the police that used physical powers even to the National Assembly members, shielding the project.

    1. Yesterday (Jan. 10), Kim Gwangjin and Jang Hana, members of the National Assembly (Democratic United Party), visiting the Gangjeong village, strongly criticized that the 24 hour construction is still going on in the Jeju naval base project without observation on the National Assembly subsidiary conditions.

    2.After the press conference on the day, the navy entering the enforcement on construction including the entry and exit of construction vehicles from 3 pm, brought in conflicts between the villagers who have been carrying on 1,000 bows and police. The police pushing away the villagers to a side with the mobilization of physical power, encircled and detained them.

    3. During the process, National Assembly man Kim Gwang-Jin and woman Jang Hana, pointing out the problems following the navy’s enforcement on construction, demanded the stop of construction including the operation of construction vehicles. However, it was not received. Rather, Kim Gwang-Jin, the National Assembly man was dragged out and Jang Hana, National Assembly woman was detained and encircled for a long time.

    4. We strictly warn once again. The currently being enforced Jeju naval base project is an undeniably illegal construction even without contract action therefore the dispatch of force that protects it is illegal. We will ask legal and political responsibility to the commander who ordered physical power even to the National Assembly members who visited the site. Given that such violence is done even to the National Assembly members in their legislature works, it is unquestionable to imagine how it would be to the villagers and activists in the site. We will make a prompt correction on the police violence in the lawless world of the Gangjeong village

    5. Also, the Ministry of National Defense who unreasonably enforce construction even breaking the National Assembly order items, should take the 1st responsibility on the situation. An illegal enforcement of construction is a defiance in the front against the authority of Constitution by which the National Assembly composed by the citizen representatives has the rights to legislation and budget and balance. We strongly demand it to promptly make an order on construction stop and to carry on full verification

    (Original source: Click here)

     

  • Jeju Naval Base Budget Cut, Construction Stop and Peace

    mas tree
    Photo by Lee Woo Ki/ People set up a Christmas tree on which they put their aspiration for peace, democracy, Government change,  and whole budget cut on the Jeju naval base project etc. For more photos by Lee Woo Ki on the ‘Let’s live together,’ sit-in camp  in the center of Seoul, see here.

     

    The writing below by Oh Hye-Ran was originally written for the Gangjeong Village Story: Monthly News from the Struggle | Decemeber Issue. (See the 1st page). The original Korean writing was translated by the Save Jeju Now and proofread by Uni Park.

     

    Jeju naval Base Budget Cut, Construction Stop and Peace

    The cut on the naval base is a core link that can actually stop naval base construction

    By Oh Hye-Ran, Co-convener, National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island

     

    The National Assembly cut 96 % of the Jeju naval base budget in December of 2011. The budget cut was a reprimand on the slapdash base layout, strongly expressing that construction must stop with verification on the flawed layout to be the first priority. In truth, the sub-investigation committee on the Jeju naval base project of the Budget and Balance Committee of the National Assembly demanded the Government to verify the matter of safe entry and exit for cruise ships in the Jeju Civilian-Military Complex Port (Jeju naval base) and to report the results.

    A year later, it was disclosed that it is difficult for a cruise weighing 150,000 ton to safely enter and exit the port because the turning field and navigation route in the layout are short of legal standards. It was also disclosed that there are many problems even for the large military vessels to enter and exit the port. Another disclosed fact different from the Government explanation that it is a ROK base, is that the Jeju naval base is being built following the standards demanded by the CNFK (Commander of US Navy Forces of Korea) for the US aircraft carrier Flotilla to be able to enter the port.

    Also disclosed was that the Government executed outside pressure in operation on the ‘Technical Verification Committee on the Cruise Entry and Exit of Port,’formed following the National Assembly recommendation, and in adaptation of the report. It was disclosed as well that the National Policy Control meeting (Feb. 19, 2012) in which the Government decided resumption on the construction drive was also based on incorrect simulation.

    Only with the facts exposed during the technical verification process and without all other matters, the Jeju naval base construction must be stopped. However, the Lee Myung-Bak Government is enforcing construction by ignoring the National Assembly recommendation and by hiding, distorting and manipulating related facts, from the position of the navy. It is known that the biggest power supporting the Lee Myung-Bak Government is the military, Samsung, civil engineering and building contractors, and armament expansionists who have expanded their power relying on division and the Korean War.

     The Jeju naval base budget cut was the hottest issue in the preparatory review of the defense budget in the National Assembly this year. The ruling Saenuri Party and opposition Democratic United Party (DP) countered each other in claims: Approval on the total budget as the Government proposal vs. cut on the whole amount of 201 billion won budget. The Seanuri Party used the Jeju naval base issue as the tool for the concentration of the conservative votes and for the attack on the DP. On Nov. 28, the Seanuri Party passed the Jeju naval base budget in snatched way, trampling down, by itself, the National Assembly recommendation presented in agreement with the opposition party a year ago.

    The position of Park Geun-Hye and her Sanuri Party is that the Jeju naval base is inevitably necessary and that she would build the Jeju naval base as a world-famous civilian-military complex port much like the one in Hawaii. Moon Jae-In, candidate of the DP made a pledge that he would stop the Jeju naval base construction and re-examine the project if he is elected. If candidate, Park Geun-Hye is elected President on the Presidential Election Day on Dec. 19, the 24 hour construction will be enforced and the dynamic force of the opposition movement will rapidly fall. On the contrary, if candidate Moon Jae-In is elected, there is a possibility that he would take a measure to stop construction and the opposition movement against the naval base project would be sprung upward.

    The Gangjeong villagers and peace-keepers have delayed construction by halting the entry of vehicles at the entrance times seven to ten times daily for at least 5- 10 minutes each. The efforts have resulted in about 50 billion won that the navy could not execute in construction work. If by encouraging citizens actions to oppose paying taxes on this unreasonable, unreliable security project and the entire 2013 Jeju naval base budget is cut in the Budget and Balance Committee of the National Assembly which is to be held after the Presidential election, the construction budget that the navy retains will run out around March or April of next year.  Even though they will want to continue the 24 hour construction, it cannot be possible without the budget.

    Given that, to cut the entire budget on the Jeju naval base is in fact a core link stopping the construction. Even though Moon Jae-In may be elected in the Presidential Election there is little things he can do until after his Presidential inauguration, planned date of Feb. 25, 2012. The Saenuri Party will gear up to pass the entire Jeju naval base budget not only in the case that Park Geun-Hye is elected but even if she fails in the presidency. The National Assembly’s examination of the Jeju naval base budget to be held right after the Presidential election, would be a very important watershed for the struggle, and could decide the prospect of the struggle against the naval base project.

    Through the construction of the Jeju naval base in Gangjeong village is, the United States will exploit this beautiful  and heaven-blessed Jeju to make it outpost to contain China. The Jeju history of suffering as a former war base under Japanese imperialism and the painful scars from the 4.3 massacres shortly after liberation from Japan must not be repeated in Gangjeong village today. Next year marks the 60th commemorating year of the cession of the Korean War. The Cease Fire Agreement must be replaced with a Peace Agreement to permanently prevent war and to systematize peace.

    I dream of the day when the peace of North East Asia starts with the peace in Gangjeong village and on the Korean peninsula, by engaging international solidarity to Gangjeong village for the Jeju naval base budget cut and to stop construction, and with the establishment of the Government through regime change that would realize inter-Korean conciliation and cooperation, concluding with a peace agreement in Korea.

     

    .

     

     

  • Gangjeong Village Story: Monthly News from the Struggle | Decemeber Issue

    In this month’s issue:
    A message from Chomsky to Gangjeong, a new civil disobedience movement, prison letters, prisoner releases, construction accidents, art activism and more!

    Download PDF

  • Petition: International Students Demand an End to the Jeju Naval Base Construction Project

    Scroll down to the bottom to add your name to the petition.

    As international students studying in South Korea we raise our collective voice to call upon the Government of South Korea to stop all work on the Jeju naval base construction project immediately. We are deeply concerned after learning that the Jeju naval base construction project has been pushed forward by the government without proper democratic consultation despite a sizable body of evidence showing that the project is deeply flawed and that the public has been repeatedly misled.

    A wide range of human rights abuses against peaceful protesters are taking place in Gangjeong Village on a daily basis in order to ensure that the construction goes ahead despite strong local opposition. These have already been well documented by a number of human rights organizations both in South Korea and around the world including Amnesty International, Asian Human Rights Commission, Forum-Asia and three United Nations Special Rapporteurs.

    This project is destroying not only the natural environment but also jeopardizing the wellbeing and health of villagers. Millions of dollars have been spent on maintaining a total of almost 130,000 police in the area since 2011. The once peaceful and prosperous seaside community of Gangjeong is now falling to pieces as the very foundations of its livelihood, the water and the land, are being destroyed.

    We believe that the Jeju naval base project will not only contribute to the further militarization of the Asia Pacific region, but will also increase tensions and add to regional insecurity. The southern sea of Jeju is a critical geopolitical points linked into the Southeast Asian Sea which has recently been the focus of sharply rising tensions among the surrounding countries due to the hegemonic tug of war between the US and China. As students learning about the importance of the values of peace, human rights, social justice and cultural diversity, we cannot conceal our disappointment and indignation towards those responsible for the further militarization of the region and the continuation of the Jeju Naval Base construction project.

    We hereby strongly urge the South Korean government and legislature to: Stop all construction on the Jeju Naval Base project immediately; Guarantee the human rights of Gangjeong villagers and peace activists including the rights to freedom of assembly and expression, a clean environment, and peace; Adopt all recommendations made by the Gangjeong Village Association, Jeju Pan-Island Committee for Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island, and the National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island concerning the forced construction of Jeju Naval Base in Gangjeong Village; Adopt all recommendations made by the Gangjeong Village Association, Jeju Pan-Island Committee to Stop the Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island, and the National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing the Naval Base in Jeju Island concerning the forced construction of Jeju Naval Base in Gangjeong Village; Adopt the recommendations made by the international organizations including UN Special Rapporteurs, Asian Human Rights Commission, Forum-Asia, etc. to adhere to international human right standards and protect the livelihood of the inhabitants of Gangjeong Village; Cut all funding allocated for next year’s budget for the Jeju naval base construction project, and finally start looking for proper measures to restore the ecological and human communities in and around Gangjeong Village.

    Dec. 11, 2012

    International students & academics demanding an end to the Jeju Naval Base Construction Project

     

    Click to download a longer full text of this petition: International Students Demand an End to the Jeju Naval Base Construction Project

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    [emailpetition id=”1″]

    [signaturelist id=”1″]

     

     

  • Statements against the ruling party’s snatch of budget bill in the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly on Nov. 28

    Photo by Jeong Dawoori/ Fr. Mun Kyoohyun, Mayor Kang and Fr. Mun Jeong-hyun (From the left) directly after shaving the heads in protest of the ruling party’s snatch of the budget bill on the Jeju naval base project on November 29 in Seoul. For more photos by Cho Sung-Bong, see here (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)

    In the morning of Nov. 28, as the news was told that the Saenuri Party unilaterally railroaded the 2013 Jeju naval base budget without the presence of the Democratic United Party (main opposition party/ ‘DP,’ afterward) members in the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly, four Jeju-based or born National Assembly men and women (all DP) made a protest statement.  The Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island and National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island also made a joint statement. And those were followed by the villagers’ emergency statement upon the above news and intensified protest with the arrest of three people in the village on the day (All were released as of Dec. 1).  The people including the villagers would declare on hair-shaving and fast protest on No. 29.  The below is the collection of the three statements(translated) on Nov. 28. The statements reflect the degree of people’s fury on the ruling Saenuri’ party’s creeping of the National Assembly and its snatch of the budget bill on the Jeju naval base project.  For  Nov. 29 protest photos and summary, see here

    ………………………………………………….

    1. Four National Assembly members ‘statement:

    The Saenuri Party’s pass of budget on the Jeju naval base in snatched way should be revoked!! It should be totally nullified!!

    Today [on Nov. 28], the Saenuri Party passed the Jeju naval base budget in snatched way in the general meeting of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly.  Even though the ruling and opposition parties had talked to dispose the issue by agreement through enough discussion, the Saenuri party ignoring it, acted with even snatchin an unreserved way.

    It has never been precedent in the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly that a budget bill was passed in a snatched way even with a vote in its budget examination. It is because there is no ruling and opposition regarding security matter.

    We, the present National Assembly members have claimed whole cut of the Jeju naval base project budget for four reasons on Nov. 5, 2011. We especially stated that whole cut of budget is inevitable for construction stop and whole re-examination because the Government has not properly carried out the subsidiary opinion by the Budget and Balance Special Committee of the National Assembly in 2007 that the Government would use the base as the ‘Jeju Civilian-Military Port of Call’; and National Assembly’s five recommendations such as ‘conclusion on the protocol with the Jeju Island,’ presented during the budget examination by the Budget and Balance Special committee of the National Assembly in 2011 (* See the below reference)

    Despite that, the Saenuri Party ignored the dignity of the National assembly by itself, acting snatch of the bill in an unreserved way on today, Nov. 28.  In relation to the Jeju naval base project, the Saenuri Party committed a behavior of violation on the National Assembly that it passed the 2013 Jeju naval base budget in snatched way as the original Government proposal even without subsidiary opinion.

    The Jeju naval base project is dividing the Jeju Island people. Even though the National Assembly has a natural responsibility to settle such conflicts during the examination process on budget, the ruling and Saenuri Party and Park Geun-Hye, Presidential candidate of the Party have shown no will on the settlement of conflicts among the Jeju Island people and no true will on the unity of citizens.

    The present National Assembly members strongly denounce the Saenuri party’s Jeju naval base budget-snatching and declare it is a total nullity.

    Nov. 28, 2012

    Kang Chang-Il. Kim U-Nam. Kim Jae-Yoon and Jang Hana, Democratic United Party, all the present

    The five recommendations by the Budget and Balance Special Committee of the National Assembly in 2011 are:

    △ Revision of enforcement decree on the Port Act and change of basic plan on harbor and bay so that the base can be designated as a trade port [in part]/ Revision of enforcement decree on Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act for the guarantee of entry/exit of cruise / Conclusion on the protocol on the civilian-military joint use on the harbor and bay among the Ministry of National Defense (MND), Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs (MLTM) and Jeju Island

    △ Consultation on the division of the rights on official regulations on harbor & bay: And conclusion on maintenance/repair of harbor & bay facility.

    (*On June 29, the revisions on the two bills mentioned above were promulgated. But the protocol was not concluded yet because of the Jeju Island’s raising of question on technical verification on the entry/exit of cruise. There is also the Jeju Island’ dissatisfaction on the rights of official regulation. See here.)

    △ Technical examination on the possibility of port entry by 150,000 ton cruise

    (* It turned out that, according to recently disclosed technical verification simulation movie, it is possible for cruise to enter the port only by support of four tug boats. See here.)

    △ Support on the vicinity areas of the Gangjeong village)

    (* On Oct. 25, the villagers dissipated the hearing supervised by the Office of Prime Minister, saying the villagers are not deceived by so called local decelopment with the projecy. See here)

    △ The procedures and ways on the investigation on the surface of the earth for cultural treasures to be processed in lawful way.

    (* The investigation on cultural treasured were full of law-evasiveness and illegality)

    (Source: Jeju Sori, Nov. 29, 2012)

    Photo by Lee Woo-Ki, Nov. 29, 2012/ Jang Hana, a young National Assembly woman who has disclosed many times on the government fraud on the Jeju naval base project, cries right after Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyun shaved his hair with the start of fast in protest of the Saenuri Party’s snatching the budget bill on the Jeju naval base project on Nov. 28, in front of the National Assembly in Seoul in the morning of Nov. 29. For more photos, click here and here.Photographer Lee Wooki says. ‘Jang Hana, a newly elected member of the National Assembly and a Jeju-born. While fighting lonely and laboriously against enormously established political power, her heart is always for Gangjeong…Now she is the only true National Assembly member in South Korea.’

     

    2. Statement by the Pan-Island and nationwide organizing committees to stop the naval base regarding the ruling party members’ snatch of the budget bill in the National Defense committee of the National Assembly

    The below  is a translation. Its original Korean statement can be seen here.

    ……………………………………………………………………………….

    Dismantle the Saenuri Party that has disposed the Jeju naval base budget in snatched way!

    -The Democratic United Party should actively stand to cut the budget!

    1. The 2013 Jeju naval base budget that should be fair to be totally cut was disposed in snatched way by the Saenuri Party in the National Defense committee of the National Assembly in the morning of Nov. 28. The members of the Saenuri Party belonging to the National Defense Committee repeated bad habit as the members of ‘the party specialized in snatch’ to pass the budget bill on the Jeju naval base that the Defense Program Administration Agency has proposed. It was a snatch carried out in 10 minutes of the opening ofmeeting in the meeting room of the National Defense committee of the National Assembly.

    2. The Jeju naval base project has been unilaterally enforced ignored of the principles such as local residents’ agreement and lawful procedure. Under the Lee Myung-Bak government of the Saenuri Party, nothing has been done with proper elucidation and verification from the total base layout flaws to the controversy on unreliable caisson production and outside pressure to the verification meeting supervised under the Office of Prime Minister.

     The recommendation items last year which had been through the agreement between the ruling and opposition parties of the Budget and Balance sub-committee of the National Assembly have been seldom kept. In such situation, the snatching budget-pass by the Seanuri Party this time means they merely overturned their decision items by themselves.

    Even though it turned out to be impossible for two 150,000 ton cruises for the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty to come alongside the pier-which the Government has at least promised- as a result of verification and therefore the members of the Saenuri Party know that they need new access to that matter, they thoroughly ignored it.

    3. In the time faced of the Presidential election, the snatched passage of budget this time by the members of the Saenuri Party of the National Assembly is merely a mean-spirited trick, reflected of its intention on security trade with the issue of the Jeju naval base.

    Especially even though candidate Park Geun-Hye has said that she would make the Jeju as the 2nd Hawai’i with the building of the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, which is nothing to do with the will of the Jeju Island people, it is only to betray citizens for the party to stand idle on the passage of budget in the situation when even basic verification has not even been completed. If the party is to make great unity while deceiving citizens, the party should be basically dismantled and its candidate has to be declared of having no basic quality [as the President (candidate)]

    4. The Democratic United Party should also actively respond on the matter of the Jeju naval base. In relation to the Jeju naval base, candidate Moon Jae-In has promised to the citizens and Jeju Island people on construction stop and re-examination. Even though it was not without the efforts by a part of the party, it is still a question whether the Democratic United Party has possibly acted to properly keep such promise. Even now, we demand the Democratic United Party actively step to keep the promise by candidate Moon and its party opinion of construction stop and re-examination during the remaining process by Budget and Balance Committee of the National assembly.

    Nov. 28, 2012

    Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island

    National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island

    Photo by Emily Wang, Nov. 29, 2012/ For more photos by Emily Wang, see here and here.
    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo, Nov. 29. For more photos by Jang Hyun-Woo, see here. / Even during the people’s hair-shaving event in protest of the Saenuri Party’s snatch of budget bill on Nov. 28,  police oppressed them only to make construction vehicles to enter and exit the main gates of the Jeju naval base project area, enforced in the Gangjeong village, Jeju

    ……………………………………………………………………………….

    3. Villagers Emergency statement (Original Korean statement can be seen here)

    Candidate Park Geun-Hye proved out that she is a ghost of the military dictatorship that would lead the Republic of Korea into a dark age.

    -Denouncing the Saenuri Party that passed the 2013 Jeju naval base budget in snatched way

    The Saenuri Party passed the next year budget on the Jeju naval base project as its original proposal without the presence of the members of the Democratic United Party in the general meeting of the Budget and Balance committee of the National Assembly.

    Even though the Jeju naval base has a name of so called the Civilian–Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, it is strictly a military base and of a security project. A security project is a business that absolutely needs people’s agreemet therefore it is a project that the ruling and opposition parties should make an agreement and allocate budget. Still the Saenuri Party abusing its more than half seats in the National Defense committee passed the budget in snatching way. It is the behavior of infringement on the National Assembly as the Jeju-based National Assembly members of the Democratic United Party claim.

    As a result, it was disclosed that the Lee Myung Bak government turned out to be irresponsible regime, lack of morality as already seen in the affairs of private property in Naegokdong, Seoul, BBK, inspection on the civilian; to ignore public poll and enforce the projects distrusted by citizens as seen in the four river project and nuclear power plant; and to increase the gap between the rich and poor for its economy policy centered around the Chaebol(재벌/ a South Korean form of business conglomerate). Still it was also disclosed that Park Geun-Hye, candidate of the Saenuri Party is not willing to punish the current regime and heads for another immoral regime which is not different from the Lee Myung Bak government, as to look on snatched pass of budget bill even on a security project.

    How the Saenuri Party dares to make limp of the budget bill in snatched way in the National Assembly during the Presidential election perod, if not from the intention to return back to the Yushin period with the election of candidate, Park Geun-Hye, as the President, following Lee Myung-Bak regime that is told to have retrogressed Democracy to decades ago!

    If candidate Park Geun-Hye does not apologize on the incident on the snatched bill and does not cooperate on budget cut, The Gangjeong Village Association will enter the campaign to defeat candidate Park Geun-Hye, together with all the solidaity groups who are with the Gangjeong village and all democratic citizens in this country who resist to self-righteousness and dictatorship.

    And Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyun, mayor Kang Dong-Kyun etc will start undefined fast and hair-shaving for the purpose of whole 2013 budget cut on the Jeju naval base project, from tomorrow of Nov. 29, in protest against candidate Park Geun-Hye and Saenuri Party that forcefully carried out snatching of the budget bill in the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly. We have a strong faith that history has been always for the victory of people that have broken down the violent coercion by dictatorships. Therefore we will win without fail and will fight until we win.

    Finally, we ask Presidential candidate Moon Jae-In and Democratic United Party to make all the efforts to cut the whole budget on the Jeju naval base with the willingness to judge immoral candidate and party.

    Nov. 28

    The Gangjeong Village Association

     

    Photo by Emily Wang, Nov. 29, 2012/ Mr. Go Gwon-Il, Chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the naval base, holds a sign om the current conscientious prisoners against the naval base project
    Photo By Jang Hyun-Woo, Nov. 29, 2012/ Jeong Young-Hee, Chairwoman of the Village Women’s Association. It is her 2nd time to shave hair in protest against the naval base project. She has cut her hair on May 26 in protest of the Island governor who is complicit to enforce the naval base project.

    …………………………………………………………..

    Article on Nov. 28 protest in Gangjeong, see here and here(Carol Reckinger)

    Summary and photos (Seoul, Gagnjeong)  of Nov. 29 protest (in English), see here and here (Carol Reckinger)

    Summary and photos of Seoul protest on Nov. 29 (in Korean): See Catholic News, Nov. 29, 2012

    Videos on Nov. 29 protest

    20 people shaved the heads in Seoul and Gangjeong, Sit-in overnight protest and fasting started in front of National Assembly on November 29, against the government budget bill of Jeju naval base railroaded in the defense committee only with the presence of the ruling party members. The night of Seoul and Gangjeong is very very cold. . .Videos by Dunguree 박성수 (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)

    Video on Seoul protest, Nov. 29 (Source: Click here)

    Video on Gangjeong protest, Nov. 29 (Source: Click here)

    Video on Gangjeong protest, Nov. 28 (Source: Click here)

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

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

     

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

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

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

    ( Korean language source: Click here)

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

    Stop construction (destruction)!

    Cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project!

    ………………………………………………………………

     

    Mayor’s statement

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

     

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     

    Nov. 23, 2012

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

    (Korean language source: Click here)

    …………………………………………………………………………………..

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

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

    Seoul plans 1.7 trillion won investment in Gangjeong

    Naval base contractor gets police go-ahead for explosives use

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

     

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

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

    Oct. 26, 2012

    …………………………………………………………………………………….

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

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

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

     

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

    Video by Yange Gon (Source: Click here)

     

     

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

    Video by Navi (Source: click here)

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