Tag: election

The scene of Gangjeong on the night of 1st Presidential candidates’ debate

The Jeju naval base issue still appears sensitive in the 1st presidential debate

Two weeks later, there will be the South Korean Presidential election on Dec. 19 that would be the critical watershed for the whole Korea, and highly likely Asia pacific, too: If Park Geun-Hye, Presidential candidate of the ruling conservative Saenuri Party, and a daughter of the deceased ex-President Park Chung-Hee who ruled Korea for 18 years with military dictatorship, becomes the next President, the future of inter-Korean relationship would be more stifled, which would bring more instability in the Asia Pacific then, given the increasingly intensified confrontation between the United States and China (See the related news article, here)

The Presidential election is now of the highest concern for the people against the Jeju naval base project. As the budget talk was postponed after the Presidential election and the budget matter would critically depend on the result of the Presidential election, people’s goal is now to win over the Saenuri party through people’s unity.

Photo: Hankyoreh, Nov. 5, 2012

However, in the 1st Presidential candidates’ debate on the issues of foreign policy, politics, and security, that lasted from 8 to 9:40 pm on Dec. 4 (See the news article, here), the issue of the Jeju naval base project which is in fact, a center subject regarding the relationship with US and China was only very shortly mentioned. It could be partly because of the debate frame that does not allow talks in depth. However, you can say, it is still media-controlled and sensitive issue in Korea.

If there was any talk on the Jeju naval base project on Dec. 4 debate, it was raised as a tool by Park Geun-Hye who attempted to attack Moon Jae-In and Lee Jung-Hee, the Presidential Candidates of the Democratic Party and United Progressive Party with the issues of National Security law, ROK-US FTA and Jeju naval base issue, for the purpose of red-baiting and defame of the two opposition parties for their posed cooperation on the issues. It was Lee Jung-Hee who acutely refuted Park, reminding her of the Saenuri Party’s unilateral railroading of 2013 Jeju naval base budget on Nov. 28, to the infringement on the dignity of National Assembly, which was strongly protested by opposition groups. Moon Jae-In’s repute was more on general remark on the need of unity on the issues between two opposition parties against the ruling party.

Lee was clear to say that “regarding the Jeju naval base issue, there have been problems even before the first budget passage in the National Assembly in 2007. I hope candidate Moon has a same attitude with me to totally re-examine and stop the project without fail.” However, the talk on the Jeju naval base budget did not go any more. Moon was too cautious to openly talk on the Jeju naval base issue. (See the Jeju Sori, Dec. 4, 2012)

Whatever the politicians’ calculations on the naval base issue are, it is the people in the struggle field of Gangjeong, who are directly experiencing the daily violence by state power.

The scenes of Gangjeong on the night of the 1st Presidential debate

Here are some scenes on the very debate night.

The sit-in tent in Gangjeong: Around 8:40 pm, Dec. 4

Around 8:40, Dec. 4, people who experience day and night struggle under the police oppression and company thugs’ physical muscle gathered in front of sit-in tent across construction gates to watch the Presidential candidates’ debate through TV.

The protest site in Gangjeong on Dec. 4: Around 9:10 pm

Around 9:10 pm, construction vehicles came and police circling of people began. “Why don’t you just watch the TV?” “We’ve come here during watching TV, too. You are the ones who should just watch the TV.” It was a conversation between the peacekeepers and policemen. When the police were to remove the lumbers filed up as people’s barricade, “We will do,” peacekeepers took them away and patterned out. It seems to take similar time whether the police threw them out far away to the edge of the Gangjeong stream or the peacekeepers put them in pattern at the side of protest field, even though the peace keepers would suffer from such job again and again. “When did you start this way?” “Just minutes ago.” “It is a good idea.” It was a moment of the wisdom of the civil disobedience shining.

People’s protest, Gangjeong, Dec. 4

However the police muscle running right after the peace keepers made sit-in was same, “Ah.. I feel pain with my wrist. Do not pull away my arm!” “Don’t fold down my fingers!” The police circling of people ended with people’s scream again: Very routine, here.

After the Presidential candidates’ TV debate, around 9:50 pm, Dec. 4

People watched the TV discussion again circling and sitting around a five stove, “Was there any mention on the Jeju naval base issue?” “Lee Jung-Hee questioned about it. But the debate moderator cut the chances on answers to it.” “Did he? Then when will they talk about the issue?” “ Well..we don’t kbnow. Maybe in the tourism section since it is the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty..” We all laughed hearing that.. “Maybe they may talk in art section, since it is related to Beauty (maybe in the high-tech art section..) The issue on the Jeju naval base project has been constantly media-controlled. That is why the politicians need to hush up on it? Or has the program itself been affected by Samsung?

Here is the postscript during the night protest during which the police carelessly pushed people downside the road toward the Gangejong stream. .. “I was almost to fall into the edge of it. There is no distinguishion between the police and thugs.” (A peacekeeper named Park)

Music concert to cut the Jeju naval base budget

The Gangjeong Elating and Spicy Flower band(Flower band) started its concert campaign to cut the whole budget on the Jeju naval base project in front of the protest field of construction gate on Dec. 4. The music concert is held every 4 pm in front of the construction gate. It is open to everybody.

Jo Yak Gol, member of the band writes.

“During the performance, the police rushed to us and took away mike and amp. Then they violently circled us. We are keeping this site without a step back against the violence of them who enforce illegal naval base construction. Even though they oppress us, we keep the site, singing and dancing. Let’s revoke the Jeju naval base project by our unity.”

Source: Click here

A campaign to cut budgets on the naval base project and to elect President of Peace

Full page ad of Hangyoreh newspaper yesterday(December 4).. .Urging the stop of Jeju naval base budget and. . .campaign to make the year of 2013 as the first year of Peace Treaty by electing the President of Peace. It was organized by SPARK (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)

An ad. to elect the President of Peace, Hankyoreh, Nov. 4, 2012

Video maker Dungree made a parody video on Park Geun-Hye.
Source: click here

[Lee Jung-Hee said] “Masao Takaki – Korean name Park Chung-hee – signed a blood oath of loyalty to the Japanese emperor, and his Yushin administration was intended to protect the country from ’leftist communist sympathizers,‘” “The Saenuri Party and Park Geun-hye are the roots of collaboration and dictatorship and do not have the right to sing the national anthem.” Upon hearing this, Park’s face turned red and was overtaken by a stern expression. (See Hankyoreh, Nov. 5, 2012)

Images of Non-Violent protest (Facebook posts by Regina Pyon and Park Jong-Hoon)

Jesuit priests and brother. . .From the left, Br. DoHyun Park, Fr. Kim Sung-hwan and Fr. Chonguk Kim. . .They have shaved the heads on November 29 at the same site urging the stop of Jeju naval base budget. . .this was taken yesterday just after the mass. . .For more photos by Jang Hyun-woo, here. (Post by Regina Pyon)

Poet Lee has come back to Gangjeong very recently after a break. . .and then like this…this photo was taken yesterday morning. Photos by Jang Hyun-woo, here. (Post by Regina Pyon)

Artist Koh Gil-chun in protest. Photos by Jang Hyun-woo, here. ”He did many artworks on Gureombi coast and Gangjeong village, some of them already disappeared or were destroyed. . . very committed Jeju native artist. . . You can also find his great artworks in the April 3 peace museum in Jeju. (Facebook note by Regina Pyon)

Photo by Park Jong-Hoon, a peacekeeper reads a book between the struggle times.

December 6, 2012
Booking a tug boat captain on charge? The fundamental issue is a collusion among the Government-navy -Samsung

Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ Beyond a barge and tug boat, the Beom Island is shown. The Beom Island is the UNESCO Geology Park itself and the sea area around it is the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve where the world-largest soft coral habitats inhibit. For more photos by Jang Hyun-Woo on Nov. 26, see here.

Booking a tug boat captain on charge? Saving the sharks but a minnow?

On Dec. 3, the Seogwipo Coast guard is told to have booked a captain named Mr. Koh(60) of a 45 ton tug boat named Samyangho 3001 belonging to the Samsung C & T on the charges of faults on work and violations on the law on the management on the maritime environmental contamination.

Around 1 am, Nov. 26, the Samyangho has submerged hit by a caisson broken due to the typhoon Bolaven at the end of August in the Jeju naval base project 1^st work area operated by Samsung C & T. It was to return back to the Hawsoon port after finishing its work of tugging a barge that puts in caissons into the sea. (Some media has raised question of why the navy and Samsung informed the fact to the media seven hours later of the accident.)

It is known that great amount of gasoline had been shipped on the boat and part of it was leaked to the vicinity sea water. (For the details of the accident, see here)

It is told that the Seogwipo Coast Guard booked the captain on charges on the destruction of ship following the fault on work, seeing him have made an accident by neglecting attentive works during the night time operation; and on the violation of maritime environmental destruction in relation to oil leak.

It is an another example to dilute the essence of event to investigate and book the tug boat captain who has merely made a contract with the navy, the order-placing subject, and Samsung C & T, the main construction company who brought upon themselves such accident by enforcing unreasonable construction (destruction)

The Samsung C & T has illegally opearted its floating dock without permission to carry 8,800 ton caisoon made in the Hawsoon port to the Gangjeong Sea in the beginning of this year. On March 11, 2012, the Samsung C & T floating dock has also made an accident to hit three fishing ships when it was to moor into the outer port of the Hwasoon port in the situation when high sea wave warning had been informed

Disclose the fundamental reason behind the death of a crew on the day of the budget snatched in the National Assembly!

On Nov. 28, the very day that the ruling Saenuri Party unilaterally railroaded 2013 budget bill on the Jeju naval base project in the National Assembly, the problem of the navy’s unreasonable enforcement of construction became obvious with the death of a chief mate, Mr. Kim (43, living in the Jeju City) of a tug boat named Jungseungho (216 ton) at 11:25 am. He was hit in the head by rope on the sea 300 meter southward from the Hwasoon port, Andeok-myoen, Seogwipo City. Of course, most conservative media was silent on that most mainstream media did not dealt with it with great concern.

According to the Seogwipo Coast guard and headquarter of the Jeju Fire Fighting and Disaster Prevention, 10 meter rope was broken and hit the head of Mr. Kim when the tug boat, Jungseungho, was dragging a barge named Sanchung 2700 with the rope. The tug boat belonged to the T Construction company, a participating company in the naval base construction.

Mr. Kim, shocked, fell down into the sea. Even though the captain of Jeungseung No. 3 immediately saved him into the land and moved him to the Seogwipo medical center, he died. The Nov. 28 Jeju media mentioned that the Seogwipo Coast guard is investigating on correct reason for the accident, calling for Mr. Kim’s colleagues. However, we haven’t heard yet on the afterward in the media even after a week. Even though it happened on the very day of the railroaded budget in the National Assembly, the Government and National Assembly evaluated it with weak concern.

The exploiting structure on the workers in the construction areas of Hwasoon and Gangjeong should be disclosed.

Otherwise, as disclosed by the testimony of a worker who exposed on unreliable caisson production, the workers in Hwasoon are not getting proper wages at proper time. They are also having difficulty to communicate with the foreign workers with whom they can hardly communicate in language in works. The foreign workers are even taking charges of the works as company thugs along with the Korean thugs employed by the companies.

The situation of Gangjeong is similar regarding workers’ job condition. According to the facts disclosed from Nov. 10 to 19 when there were no night time entry/exit of construction vehicles, at least 18 workers have been laid off when they complained on the bad work condition. The workers who came to hear that they would get 4 million won monthly wage and get higher daily wage 150,000 won, compared to daily wage 60,000 won for the Vietnamese workers, were expelled as soon as they taught techniques to the Vietnamese workers and became useless. The Korean workers are told to have questioned why the Vietnamese workers should be employed in the so called National security project and why they so often take photos of construction site with their phones.(Is it right that it is a national security project?) (For details, see here).

We even hear that some Vietnamese workers quit the jobs because of coldness staying in containers on the cold coast. According to a peacekeeper, they were even mobilized as ‘Gochak‘ (detention circle usually being done by the police) thug around 3 am, Nov. 26,Monday. The peacekeeper, looking at the Vietnamese workers who only finely smile concerned about possible incident with them with whom he cannot properly communicate with same language. (For details, see here.)

Salvaging broken caissons by cutting? The Jeju naval base project of irresponsible destruction on environment, occupation and human rights should be immediately stopped and all the budgets on it should be totally cut!

According to the Dec. 3 Jeju media, it was confirmed that the navy is considering not to remove seven broken caissons (by typhoons) that became the cause of recent submersion of a tug boat in the naval base construction on Nov. 26 until the typhoon period, next year.

It is told that Yoon Seok-Hwan, a navy captain and Construction Director of the Jeju naval base project committee explained that “salvage of caissons are not urgent. They do not even affect such as environmental damage in current situation.”

Has captain Yoon already forgotten the Nov. 28 accident when a tug boat hit the broken caisson and leaked oil? Does he ignore the fact that the caissons of which each costs 5 to 10 billion won in production and its price is 1.5 billion won have been poisoning the sea with its cement materials and chemicals such as retardation material inside it?

Beside safety matter, local fishermen are already having difficulty in navigation and having trouble in their occupation because of caissons put in the sea like reefs.

The navy assertion that cement dusts that would occur from cutting of broken caissons would less affect environment than explosion of those brings fury beyond its absurdness

The enforcement of construction came from lie and manipulation by the Government

It has already been disclosed that the Office of Prime Minister who declared enforcement of the Jeju naval base construction on Feb. 29, 2012 had replaced official simulation report by the technical verification committee with the report that the Ministry of National Defense had ordered to Samsung and that was merely a reference material. The Government lie and manipulation have been disclosed through the exposure by Jang Hana, National Assembly woman who made public the meeting minutes of the technical verification committee on Oct. 10 and testimony by Professor Kim Gil-Sou, member of the technical verification committee on Nov. 19. Before Feb. 29, there was a declaration by the President Lee Myung-Bak who declared the enforcement of construction in his speech upon the 4^th anniversary of his inauguration on Feb. 22. On the same day, the chief of the Seogwipo Police station was replaced with Lee Dong-Min, a man from the main land. And the blast of the Gureombi Rock that would be done for two months started on March 7.

If the Presidential Candidates look on such illegal and unreliable national policy project and allow the naval bass budget to be passed in the National Assembly, even though it has become clear that all the state of things were clearly of collusion among the Government, navy and Samsung, they will be greatly punished.

Jeon Joon-Sou, chairman of the technical verification committee belongs to the think thank (국가미래연구원, Institute of National Future) of Park Geun-Hye, the Presidential runner of the ruling and conservative Saenuri Party (See here). He has been also promoted as a member of the local development committee on the Jeju naval base project. He has pressured the members of the technical committee not to conclude on construction stop and not to change base layout (* though change of base layout was needed for the proper function for 150,000 cruise), which is told to take 150 billion won more.

Park Geun-Hye, Presidential candidate of the ruling Saenuri Party, who says so and so on her ambition to make the Jeju as the 2^nd Hawai’i and Moon Jae-In, Presidential candidate of the Democratic United Party who still mentions on the Civilian-Military Port of Call should stop their words on them and take position on construction stop, whole budget cut and revocation of the naval base project!

Otherwise, Samsung has demanded 23 billion won reasoning of construction delay. See here.

We should stop the Fascism of Samsung in Jeju

On Jan. 21, 2011, Woo Geun-Min, Jeju island Government and Samsung C & T whose total yearly sale price is 4 times more of the whole yearly budget of the Jeju Island government made a secret contact behind the open cause of the Samsung C & T’s support for the Island Government to reach the goal of 1 trillion won export. If we can say it is Fascism that the root of democracy is destroyed by the corporate greed, we have already seen the Fascism in the regime of the Lee Myung-Bak who originally came from Hyundae. If Park Geun-Hye, the daughter of the military dictatorship, Park Chung-Hee, becomes the President, the Fascism of Samsung will more stifle the Jeju. We should stop this Fascism in Jeju.

If the naval base is built in Gangjeong and Jeju becomes militarized, the only jobs for workers would be building of military bases. The vision and concrete practice for peace industry is needed than any other time in Jeju.

…………………………………………………..

Reference

http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=123131
‘공사강행’ 제주해군기지, 이번엔 항해사 사망
2012.11.28 16:12:17

http://www.pressian.com/article/article.asp?article_num=10121128173120
새누리당 ‘날치기’ 한 날, 제주해군기지서 인명 사고
해군기지 공사 관련 세번째 사고
2012-11-28 오후 05:39:37

http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=123305
제주해군기지 앞바다 예인선 침수사고 선장 입건
2012.12.03 13:48:26

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=166337
해군기지 공사현장 침수 예인선 선장 형사입건

해경, 업무상 과실 등 혐의 적용

2012.12.03 15:09:05

http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=123312
파손된 제주해군기지 케이슨 1년 동안 묵히나?
2012.12.03 15:21:23

Presidential election poster put on the walls of the village, since the start of the Presidential election period, Nov. 27.

Around 5:40 pm, Dec 3, if construction vehicles come, company thugs remove the lumbers people have filed up in front of gate. Then the police remove people. Despite this windy and rainy weather, construction still goes on after weekend break. 24 hour entry/ exit of construction (destruction) vehicles started again on Monday, Dec. 3.

……………………………………………………………………………………

Photo and caption by Paco Booyah/ In Seoul at the Gwanghwamun Methodist headquarters, the 2nd Methodist prayer gathering for the release of Jeju peace prisoner Methodist pastor Jeong Yeon-Gil and other Gangjeong prisoners of conscience, Dec. 3

Photo and caption by Paco Booyah/ Jo Hae-Won, wife of imprisoned Methodist pastor Jeong Yeon-Gil, gives a short moving talk at the Seoul 2nd Methodist prayer meeting for the release of the pastor and other prisoners. Pastor Jeong Yeon-Gil has been imprisoned for 89 days since climbing and occupying a caisson dock in September.

……………………………………………………………………………………

See also Yonhap News

Tension lingers on Jeju Island over naval base construction

By Kim Eun-jung

Dec. 4, 2012

(Post by Christian Karl)

‘Hi, interesting article. It may be the Yonhap bias, but I noted a few things I took exception to. 1. they take as fact that “2 cruiseships” will be there along with 20 warships – i.e. the tourist-military thing; 2. people have staged protests “or as long as 2 years” (I know much longer); 3. villagers, etc, “occasionally clash with police” when we know that every time the trucks come the police clear people away from gates, 4. the “opposition lawmakers boycotted” the budget hearing – is that true? never heard it. We heard Saenuri party rammed it through without the opposition being there. What say?’ (Comment by Koh Ae-Rin)

Today (Tuesday’s) Korea Times, in 3rd page article on Moon Jae In’s idea of building a athletic venue in DMZ for 2018, also says “Moon and his party have called for a halt on construction of a naval base in Jeju Island, claiming that the military seaport will destroy the environment in the country’s resort island.” I think Yi Whan Woo, the reporter, is mistaken about Moon’s intentions, but we can hope that is what Moon is committed to – peace for Gangjeong (Post by Catherine Christie )

December 4, 2012
Jeju Region Professors’ Open Inquiry to the Two Presidential Candidates

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

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

…………………………………………………………………………

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nov. 27, 2012

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

Photo by Jeju Sori, Aug. 10. 2011/ The Jeju Region Professors’ Association to Stop Construction and to discuss again on the Jeju Naval Base(JRP)

Presidential election promotion posters in the village, Nov. 2, 2012

……………………………………………………………………..

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

…………………………………………………………………….

Reference

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

“해군기지 문제 어떻게 생각하나” 대선후보에 공개질의

제주교수협, 박근혜-문재인후보에 질의서 전달

2012.11.27 15:36:17

November 29, 2012
A totally new president candidate? No. people’s cry was buried again.

‎

Ahn says, “yes, naval base, unless I access to ‘high class’ information.”

On Nov. 2, Ahn Chul-Soo (independent), one of the big three Presidential candidates along with Park Geun-Hye (ruling Saenuri Party that is also called, New Frontier Party) and Moon Jae-In (Democratic United Party), for the 18^th South Korean President election, dropped by the village for less than an hour, after his visit to the April 3^rd Peace Park in the Jeju City. He was the first of the three who visited Gangjeong. For the background of Ahn, see here.

Lots of media reporters that we have seldom seen during our years’ protests. From where did these reporters come while there have been only a few of them during the years the village has suffered?

Photo: Jeju Sori, Nov. 2, 2012
People picketing as Ahn walks out of the village office, pickets shown in the above photo read, “108th police’s roughing out and beating! Come to the construction gate,’ “Save the Jeju as the world peace Island!,’

In the talk meeting with the villagers in the village association hall at 11am, he is told to have stated that:

“It seems that, in the Jeju naval base project, there have been many problems in the process, including removed procedure seeking for the agreement with the villagers. The President [Lee Myung-Bak] and government personnel should apologize to [the villagers], visiting the Gnagjeong village themselves. ‘If I am elected as President,’ I, myself, will be the first to apologize to you, visiting your village again, even though it would be the affair by the predecessor government.”

Photo: Jeju Sori, Nov. 2, 2012

Sounds good. Right? However, his ignorance shines here. Never new. He has already repeatedly mentioned this all along this year:

“There exist difficult points for general citizens to decide whether the naval base is needed or not. By now, various [precedent] governments reached to same conclusion. Even though I am not in the possible situation to access to the ‘high class’ information, if [the past governments] have reached to the same conclusion despite different ideologies and international situations, I cannot but agree with [the talk] that naval base in the Jeju is necessary for national security.’

Some says his words are calculated not to provoke the conservatives. However, Cheong Wooksik, representative of Peace Work has criticized on Ahn’s such remarks. See here. The below is a translation of parts of Cheong’s writing in July, this year.

I feel very sorry to hear ‘Ahn Chul-Soo who said that “If the four [ex-] governments of different [political] characters had reached to the same conclusion that naval base is necessary, it is right to accept the decision when there is no other information.”

Above all, he is lack of correct understanding on the facts. Even though it is a fact that the Jeju naval base project has been ‘examined’ from the Kim Young-Sam government (*1993 to 1998), it is fully different from ‘decision.’ Even though the project was reflected in the National Defense mid-term plan 1997-2001 in 1995 as its need was newly decided in the meeting of Joint Chiefs of Staff Council in 1993, it was merely that the military authority asked to the government.

Even though many projects are included in the defense mid-term plan, there are also many projects that are excluded during the government policy decision process and National Assembly discussion process on budget. In case of the Jeju naval base project, it was decided to be suspended at the ending term of Kim Dae-Joong government (1998-2003) in December, 2012. It was only 2006~2007, at the ending term of [ex-Roh Moo-Hyun] government that the project on which the military request and government suspension had been repeated was finally decided.

To be sorry, Ahn did not even grasp such basic facts. Therefore he became to conclude that the four ex-governments made “highly politic decision based on the information and resources related to the difficult national security matters,” regarding the Jeju naval base project and to assert that we should accept it. It is far from ‘responsibility’ that he emphasized himself. Further he could have gotten “other information” without limits if he had a little further laid one’s heart such as contacting with Gangjeong villagers.

On Nov. 3, the next day of his visit, villagers stated as the below. See the original Korean script here. (translation in parts)

If numerous problems such as matters of procedure, environment, conflict, base layout, [navy’s] failure to carry on National Assembly’s attached conditions, human rights violation, US base, had already made public, Ahn should not have covered various critical minds only with the reason of [so-called] national security that has not been verified, reasoning no access to ‘high class’ information yet.

Will there be any national disturbance if the Jeju naval base is not completed before 2015? He should have at least talked on the measure of solution on problems after tentative construction stop. It is because if construction is not stopped NOW, there is a high possibility that we meet irrecoverable situation. If then, consolation to villagers and ‘correct decision,’ that candidate Ahn says could be empty words with no meaning as a result. In that vein, we are DISSAPOINTED that candidate Ahn TURNED DOWN the village’s repeated urgent request on construction stop.

Am I wrong if Ahn reminds me little Obama? What does he mean by the words of ‘high class information?’

While Ahn is focused, the hard situation of field is under reported by the media.

When Ahn visited the village on Nov. 2, many young peacekeepers that could not sleep many days since the start of 24 hour construction on Oct. 25 were heartbreakingly fighting and roughed out by the police. A male peacekeeper was twice choked in his neck by the police on the day. His sleeve was torn. While a young female peacekeeper was crying appealing pain on her shoulder after the police roughed out people, an old policeman laughed looking at her.

Personally I saw three female activists were crying in an hour…I say, in an hour. A female activist says her upper cloth was lifted during the police’ roughing out people. Peacekeepers are suffering. They fall back while their shoulder joints are in great pain during the police roughing out of them. Their hearts are being broken with increasing bruises due to repeated police’s human rights violation on them.

It is told that navy and their buses were parking in the parking lot from the morning (emergency probably because of Ahn’s visit?) while many policemen were mobilized, too. It is told that a monstrous construction vehicle loaded with many funnels entered into the construction site early in the morning.

Nov. 2, 2012/ Young peacekeepers are making pickets upon Ahn’s visit. As they heard that Ahn may not come to the construction gate, they appealed and protested to Ahn, “Come to the gate. We are already experiencing 108th police roughing out and beating (since the start of 24 hour construction).”

In the front yard of the village hall where Ahn was meeting with the villagers, some of female peacekeepers were writing slogans on the cardboard with markers. They were crying with hoarse voice. “Ahn Chul-Soo, please come to the construction gates,” “Today, it is already 108^th police’s roughing out and beating (since the start of 24 hour construction on Oct. 25)

To people’s fury, many media reports did not even know the location of construction gates.

Nov. 2, 2012/ People including Catholic fathers eat lunch in front of construction gates

The important thing is the wisdom and will of people. Politicians will not save us. Their steps depend on the power and demand of people.

Nov. 2/ As Ahn left construction gate, police arrive to rough out people, People could not even finish their lunch.

And invisible though, we have still five prisoners.

As of Nov. 3

Kim Bok-Chul (No. 598): 144 days in prison since June 14

Rev. Jeong Yeon-Gil (No. 187): 58 days in prison since Sept. 6

Mr. Park Suk-Jin (No. 188): 58 days in prison since Sept. 6

Mr. Park Seung-Ho (No. 290): 49 days in prison since Sept. 14

Fr. Lee Young-Chan: 11 days in the detention room of the Jeju Police station since Oct. 26

(Please mail to Jeju prison, 161 Ora-2 dong, Jeju City, Jeju, the Peace Island, Korea)

Free all the prisoners!

Immediately stop illegal naval base construction!

( Source on prisoners: Cho Sung-Bong. Click here)

Nov. 2, 2012/ In the candle vigil in front of construction gate at 8pm, people console one another with massages. Here is Gangjeong where police do not attack them when a high politician comes. But as soon as the politician leaves, people’s lunch time is even robbed off by the police.

………………………………………………………………..

Reference

http://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0001760045&PAGE_CD=ET000&BLCK_NO=1&CMPT_CD=T0000
해군기지, ‘사과 없는’ 문재인과 ‘사실 곡해’ 안철수
[정욱식 칼럼] 문재인과 안철수, 그리고 제주해군기지
12.07.23 20:22l최종 업데이트 12.07.23 20:23

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=163968

안철수 “제주해군기지 문제 대통령이 사과해야”

강정주민과 대화…”제가 대통령되면 방문해 사과하겠다”
“해군기지 왜 강정이어야 하는지 주민동의 구했어야”

2012.11.02  13:17:35

http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122047

안철수 “대통령이 강정주민들에게 사과해야”

2일 ‘빅3’ 대선후보 중 처음으로 강정방문…“대통령되면 저도 사과”
‘고급정보 한계’ 전제로 “국가안보상 필요”…입장변화(?) 해석 분분

2012.11.02  12:38:24

http://www.jejudomin.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=36258

강정주민 보듬은 안철수… “대통령 사과해야”

강정마을 방문해 주민 위로… 해군기지건설 전면 재검토 주장엔 “글쎄”

2012.11.02  16:15:17

http://www.seogwipo.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=83105

안철수 후보, 강정마을‧토평APC 방문

2일 오전 주민간담회… “대통령‧정부가 직접 사과해야”
오후 선별 포장 체험… “한중 FTA는 식량안보 개념으로”

2012 년 11 월 02 일 (금) 15:36:30

http://www.sisajeju.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=162861

안철수, 제주해군기지 철수야? 안 ‘철수’야?

4.3 눈물‧신공항 건설은 침묵…해군기지 해법은 “…”

2012.11.02  21:20:07

http://www.mediajeju.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=136220

강정 찾은 안철수 “대통령과 정부가 주민들 말씀 듣고 사과해야”

“여러 정부에서 같은 결론 … 국가안보 차원에서 필요하다는 결론 동의할 수밖에”

2012.11.02  12:53:24

November 3, 2012