On September 22nd, a benefit concert was held for Dr. Song Kang-Ho, who was violently arrested on his birthday, April 1. September 22nd was the 175th day of his imprisonment. The concert title was ‘A Song for Gangjeong and Hope.’ Dr. Song sent a lengthy letter from Jeju Prison where he is being held, to be read at the concert, briefly excerpted here: The hope […]

To: Ashok Khosla President International Union for Conservation of Nature Rue Mauverney 28 1196 Gland Switzerland RE: South Korean Non-Governmental Organizations Endorse the Motion #181. Protection of the People, Nature, Culture and Heritage of Gangjeong Village Dear Dr. Ashok Khosla, We, South Korean non-governmental organizations, are writing to you today to show our full support and endorsement to the Motion […]

Re: Improper Conduct at September 12 Contact Group for Motion 181: Protection of the People, Nature, Culture, and Heritage of Gangjeong Village ********* Dear Mr. Khosla, My name is Sukhyun Park. I am a Research Fellow with the Korean IUCN member organization, Citizens Institute for Environmental Studies. This evening, September 12, a Contact Group was held for the deeply controversial […]

The following statement is the 4th open letter mailed to the leadership and/or members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It was originally posted here. TO:   IUCN Leadership, All Participants, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 2012 World Conservation Congress, Jeju Island FROM: Jeju Emergency Action Committee ********* UPDATE:   INDEPENDENT SCIENTISTS FIND MAJOR FLAWS AND OMISSIONS IN KOREA GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) […]

The following motion was submitted to the IUCN WCC Jeju 2012 Motions Committee. It has 34 co-sponsors, reportedly the most in WCC history. TO: Motions Committee FROM: Kathryn Kintzele, Esq. Director, Global Programs, Center for Humans and Nature Deputy Chair, Ethics Specialist Group, IUCN Commission on Environmental Law with Dr. J. Ronald Engel, founder of the IUCN Ethics Working Group (1984) […]

Environmental Assessment recently released by Simon Ellis, Dr. Katherine Muzik, Imok Cha, Sanghoon Yun, Boram Bae and Jinsoo Kim, regarding the destructive impact the Jeju Naval Base will have on the soft coral communities of in and around Gangjeong. From the Report: 1.0 Executive Summary The purpose of this EIA was to independently assess the health and threats to the unique […]

Update: Format/Spacing Problems Fixed in PDF. Re-download Below Environmental Assessment recently released by Endangered Species International (ESI), regarding the relocation of several endangered species found on the Gureombi Rock. From the Report: 1.0 Executive Summary During 2010 and 2011, Sesarma intermedium (estuary crab), Caridina denticulata keunbaei (Jeju freshwater shrimp), and Kaloula borealis (boreal digging frog) were all relocated to three […]

We must defend the sacred and spectacularly beautiful Soft Corals of Gangjeong! My unbearably sad experiences witnessing coral reef devastation around the world, and especially the irreversible destruction of the Okinawan reefs which I studied for over three decades, motivates me to rise in defense of these beautiful Jeju corals.  We must defend them.  They are spectacularly beautiful, and alive! […]

It is evident that Civilian-Military complex port is not possible. We urge you to give orders to stop construction of Jeju naval base and conduct a preliminary feasibility study. Seventy-Eight figures from various backgrounds have once again come together to appeal to Jeju Governor Woo Geun-min for stopping the construction. They urge the Governor to demonstrate his democratic leadership and courage […]

As you all may know, today we here in Gangjeong have suffered a huge shock. Finally we see the result of the over aggressive and illegal actions of the police. Father Moon was almost murdered. It is a miracle that he is still alive. Today is Good Friday according to the Christian calendar. Because of this, at 11 a.m., the […]