Save Jeju Now

No War Base on the Island of Peace

Tag: Samsung

  • Samsung, Samsung victims, Workers’ Presidential candidate and snow

    It was one of the coldest weather on Dec. 5. While the people’s sit-ins are ongoing in Gangjeong and Seoul near a month by now, people in both regions had to fight with cold weather that accompanied heavy snow (Seoul) and sleets (Gangjeong) in strong wind. Otherwise the village association entered  judiciary measure against the navy, companies and Island government, regarding environmental destruction. A good news is that  Buddhists made public their large size mobilization for care of Gangjeong.  Otherwise, 333 intellectuals made a statement opposing Park Geun-Hye, the Presidential candidate of the ruling conservative Saenuri party, with concerns on the possibility of returning back of  Yushin dictatorship.  For the details of each, see the below.

     

    Amid coldest weather, Gangjeong joins the protest for the victims of Samsung

    In Seoul, the struggle in such bad weather was highlighted though in solidarity by the people who are opposing against naval base, who joined the emergency press conference by the workers and bereaved families of the victims of the Samsung industrial disease in front of the Samsung headquarter in Gangnam, Seoul. On the day that Samsung chairman’s only son was promoted to vice chairman. See an article, here.

    Heavy and first snow fall in this winter in Seoul area on December 5, there was a protest in front of Samsung, as part of ‘Hope March’ by the ‘Let’s live together’ team. . . . .Fore more photos by Wooki Lee, see  here(Facebook post by Regina Pyon)

    The Samsung General Union had called for solidarity upon the Samsung’ security workers’ violence on one-man protesters on Nov. 30, the day of the 25th anniversary event commemorating the inauguration of Lee Gun-Hee, President of  Samsung. For more detail, see here. The venue was in front of Samsung headquarter, Gangnam, Seoul, where even long-time staying tenants are ready always to be evicted by the corporate greed.

    Photo by Samsung General Labor Union, Dec. 5, 2012. The protesters held the images of victims by Samsung on Nov. 30, in the emergency rally, in front of the Samsung headquarter, Gangnam, the richest district of Korea.  For more photos, click here(Samsung General labor Union) or here(Photos by Lee Wooki).

     

    Workers’ Presidential candidate demands to revoke the Jeju naval base project

    Kim So-Yeon, a leader of legendary Kiryung workers’ struggle and now Workers’ Presidential candidate also shined people’s protest. Still the people’s struggle would meet the Samsung’s counter-rally in which the Samsung seemed to have mobilized its workers who are not actually willing to be. The Samsung also mobilizing the police even interrupted Kim’s election campaign.

    Photographer Lee Woo-Ki writes:

    ‘We have fought all day amid snow. Even though Kim So-Yeon has Presidential candidate debate at 11 pm, tonight, she is still with us. . She says she was sorry that there was no night time passage of construction vehicles so no police circling of people [on Sunday, Nov. 18] when she visited Gangjeong with determined mind to be with people. Kim has slept beside Fr. Mun in sleeping bag when there was sit-in in front of National Assembly.”

    Photo by Lee Woo-Ki, Workers’ Presidential candidate, Kim So-Yeon. For more photos, click here.

     

    Following the Dec. 4 TV debate held by three Presidential candidates of the ruling, main opposition, and opposition parties, there was another TV debate for three minority Presidential candidates who belonged to non-party on Dec. 5. Among the three, Kim So Yeon represented Workers. Kim Soon-Ja represented cleaning workers. Park Jong-Sun is a conservative. The other candidate, Kang Ji-Won was absent in refusal of the debate form in which major and minority candidates were differentiated.

    Kim emphasizing the oppressed people, pointed out the hypocricy of two big parties. Regarding the Jeju naval base, Kim said, “While Park Geun-Hye, Moon Jae-In, two candidates emphasize the Northeast Asia peace. They are keeping silent on the issue of the Jeju naval base that stirs tension and brings war threat, regarding the US. To stop the Jeju naval base construction is to cut the US- centered diplomacy and establish the peace agreement.” See the related Korean article here

     

    Snow can be suffering cause for night time protesters in Gangjeong

    ‘December 6. . .very cold, freezing day’ . . .by Saewoo at the naval base gate. For more photos by Saewoo, see here (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)

     

    A nigfht time protestor nicknames Saewoo writes:

    “Tonight, streaks of snow fluttered.

    The SNS was all covered with shouts of joy. However, I was not so glad.

    In Gangjeong, snow brings coldness. Our cloths are wet by sleets. Even hot packs are being frozen. Still there are people who sleep on the cold ground to stop the night time construction vehicles…

    My heart is likely to fall down with pains.

    My tears are not dried even though I cry and cry.”

    Around 5:40pm, Dec. 5.  police circling started…It
    is cloudy..The sign reads, ‘All part of body are bruised and wounded. Stop unjustifiable police violence’
    Around 5:50 pm,  Dec 5 right after police circling … new music instrument created by a villager

     

    Villagers’ statement on having entered judicial measure against the navy, companies and Island government

    Following its official letter to the Island government on Nov. 20, the village association entered on judicial measure against the navy-side and Island government on Dec. 5. The Original Korean statement of the below translation can be seen here.

     

    Photo and caption by Go Gwon-Il, Chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base around 5:30 am, Dec. 5. 2012. ‘The barges gave up the works and are returning to Hwasoon port due to the bad weather condition.’ (Facebook post by Regina Pyon) / The navy’s illegal and law-evasive destruction of the Metboori, in the east tip of the naval base project area has brought suspicion from the people. See here

     

    Title: Is the navy harmful insect that gnaws on the value of the Jeju to enforce the construction even in violation of the agreed items in the Environmental Impact Assessment again following the general unreliability of the Jeju naval base construction?

    The Jeju naval base project committee installed silt protectors on the sea with half a heart because of the protests by the village Association and environmental groups when it started maritime construction without installing stationary silt protectors on the sea in the beginning of last year.

    However, it attempted to enforce construction again in the situations when silt protectors were not still equipped and even when the silt protectors were partly or completely damaged due to heavy sea waves. As a result, the Jeju Island government, lodged with civilian complaints, has ‘demanded’ official construction pose to the Ministry of National Defense(MND) and Environmental Agency (EA) three times by this year ( * ‘demand’ is weaker measure than ‘order’ that can practically stop the construction)

    Even with those facts, it is already enough for the Jeju Island government to take a measure of the business suspension to the applicable enterprises. It is right to say that it is possible for the Jeju Island government to take a measure of business suspension to the applicable enterprises and cancellation on the superintendence committee’s registration, which is more than the measure of negligence fines against them, added of its records of directions to the navy on the installation of silt protectors four times and of repeated directions twice following the none-carried directions.

    The Jeju Island is proud of its heaven-blessed nature. The Seogwipo maritime environment is the only UNESCO-designated maritime Biosphere Reserve in Korea and the Gangjeong Sea is of the habitat of soft coral, ROK Government-designated natural memorial No. 442. It is the start point that made the Jeju Island as the UNESCO triple-crowned and Seven Nature of the World. Is not the navy like harmful insect that gnaws on the value of the Jeju to enforce a large-size construction in such place even in violation of the minimum agreed items on nature protection?

    We have clearly stated that, if the Jeju Island government does not strictly punish on such destroying behaviors, we would take a judicial measure even against- not to mention the navy, navy-contracted construction companies-the Jeju Island government responsible for unreliable execution on the duty of management and supervision [on the navy and its contracted companies].

    On Nov. [20], the Village Association has requested the Jeju Island government to give the navy direction on  execution, submitting it with the proofs on the navy’s illegal construction (destruction). And the Jeju Island government notified us that it has sent its official letter to the MND and EA on the date of Nov. 30. However, in the Gangjeong Sea, illegal construction is still being committed.

    Thereupon, the Village Association states that it entered the judicial measure thanks to the MINBYON (Lawyers for Democratic Society), against the navy, navy-contracted companies, superintendence committee and Jeju Island government, along with sending the Island government an official letter that demands it strong administrative measures such as the imposition on the negligence fines. We warn again the navy that dares various law-evasiveness and unlawfulness, being blinded only for securing 2012 budget. The navy should immediately stop the construction (destruction) that destroys the environment of Jeju while staging a fraud play of ‘Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty,’ which is a nonsense. And it should bear in mind that there would be only a disgrace of judicial judgment along with people’s,  if it does not take steps for re-examination on the project along with apology to people.

    Dec. 5, 2012

    The Gangjeong Village Association

     

    Buddhists plan to cure the village with a religious service for the God of Sea in the port on Dec. 13.

    Photo by Jeju Sori, Dec. 5, 2012/ The Jogye Order of the Korean Buddhism and Jeju Buddhist Association, having a press conference in the Island People’s room of the Island Council on Dec. 5, stated that they would hold the ‘Yongwang Daejae at 2pm, on Dec. 13.”

    Peace keeper, Park Yong-Sung writes:

    Facing the Presidential election, the Jogye religious order, Jeju Buddhism orders and Buddhists from the Jeju and nationwide will come to the village to console the pain of Gangjeong. The Yongwangje ( a religious service for the God of Sea), the traditional village event, will be featured with the characters of Buddhism this year, as there are many Buddhists in the village. So the name will be ‘Yongwangdaejae’ combined with Buddhism ritual of ‘Jae.’ The event will be held at the Gnagjeong port, people looking at the Gureombi Rock and Gangjeong Sea at 2 pm, Dec. 13, Thursday.

     It is a big event even the highest leader of the Korean Buddhism and other high-profile Buddist monks join. The monks who has had little concern with Gangjeong and temples of various religious orders will come to Gangjeong. It is to cure the pain of the village and to recover the 400 year history community

    In this event, Do-Beop, leader of the Life and peace Fellowship and Chairman of Hwa-Jaeng Committee, Korean Buddhist Jogye Order will join the event

    Photo by Jeju Sori, Dec. 5, 2012/ Do-Beop, leader of the Life and peace Fellowship and Chairman of Hwa-Jaeng Committee, Korean Buddhist Jogye Order
    Poster on ‘Yongwanddaejae, Dec. 13

     

    Statement of Intellectuals in Asia Who Remember the Yushin Dictatorship

    Photo source: Pressian, Nov. 5, 2012/ 333 intellectuals from 25 Asian countries made a statement, expressing opposition against park Geun-Hye, Presidential candidate of the ruling Saenuri party.

    Excerpt:

    A highly important election will be held in December in a country in Asia, known for its exemplary democratization, South Korea. This election, to elect a new President in a presidential polity, is likely to serve as a significant testing ground for the future of democratization not only in South Korea, but in Asia as well.

    One concern is that the prominent presidential candidate of the conservative ruling party is none other than the daughter and heir of the late Park Jung-hee, the notorious dictator who took power by military coup and ruled the country with an iron-fist for 18 years. Park Geun-hye played not only the privileged daughter role of the dictator but acted as de facto first lady after her mother died. She won her way to the presidential candidacy through appealing to the voters with the successes of Park’s regime and calling for restoration of its honor. She thus became the choice of oligarchic political forces who share the nostalgia of the authoritarianism that was Park Jung-hee’s rule.[..]
    We intellectuals in Asia who clearly remember the rule by terror of Park Jung-hee and his Yushin dictatorship, think that what is presently happening with the coming election in South Korea lays a dark cloud over the future of South Korean democracy. Contrary to the beautified stories that Park’s followers make and spread, the days of Park’s dictatorship were a series of political crises and Korean people had to suffer from totalitarian control and state violence that resembled the days of Japanese colonial rule.
    (For the whole statement, see here)

     

    ( Kyunghyang, Dec. 5:  Digging up the Grave of Chang Chun-ha to Identify Cause of Death

    An article that reminds the dark age of Park Chung-Hee, military dictatorship for 18 years (1961-1979). Park Geun-Hye, The Presidential candidate of the ruling Conservative Party is the heir of Park Chung-Hee. If she becomes the President, the future of Korea is dangerous…See also Park Chung-Hee in wiki )

     

    See also Carol Reckinger’ s blog, ‘Camera War,’

     

     

  • 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 1st 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  4th 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 2nd 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 )

  • Samsung Tugboat Hits Broken Caisson

    Photo by Jeju Sori, Nov. 26, 2012/ A tug boat in the red circle submerged. See more photos by Jang Hyun-Woo, click HERE

     

    1.  A tug boat belonging to Samsung C & T hit a broken caisson and submerged during the night construction, spreading gasoline oil on the sea

     

    In the early morning of Monday, Nov. 26, the news on the illegal night time naval base construction on the sea rang the media.

    A 45 ton tug boat belonging to the Samsung C & T submerged beginning with its bow  around 12:10 am on Nov. 26 in the Gangjeong Sea where the navy-contracted companies are working for building the naval base. The sea wave and wind were strong during that night. And the accident site was about 100 meter distant from the coast of construction area.

    Photo by Jeju Sori, Nov. 26, 2012

    It was later confirmed that the tug boat hit a 8,800 ton caisson (a concrete structure of 20.4m height and about 8 stories apartment building size) in the sea, which has been one of seven caissons that have been broken and damaged  by the typhoon Bolaven at the end of this August and abandoned in the sea since then . The tug boat was to return back to Hwasoon port ( *40 minutes car distance from the village) after the caisson floating dock’s makeshift stationing of another 8,800 ton caisson

    It is weird that the company contacted the Seogwipo Coast guard after seven hours of incident.

    In the tug boat, there were 7 crews including captain. All those were rescued thanks to a dredging barge nearby. But the coast guard could not rescue the boat as of 9am.Nov. 27.

    Photo by Jeju Sori, Nov. 26, 2012

     

    The Seogwipo Guard mobilized security and express ship on the sea. It was known that about 10,000 liter of gasoline had been loaded on the boat. Despite prevention work for any oil leak, oli was leaked to the worry of environmental contamination.

    A peace activist, Jo Yak Gol writes:

    The navy and Samsung  were in emergent to brought kitchen cleaning material of 800 liter (about 60 bottles of 13 liter) to remove oil leaked in the Joongdeok Sea, Gangjeong village. It means they would pour  such chemical material into the Gangjeong Sea. [..]

    Seven caissons of which total production costs are 35 billion won and which have been abandoned in the sea four months ago by the typhoons greatly threaten maritime safety, being like reefs in the sea. Still the navy does not take any measure on those.

    The Gangjeong fishermen are angry, saying it is too dangerous for them to navigate fishing ship during the night since the navy has not equipped any proper safety facilities in the naval base construction. The fishermen says they were also at the risk of accidents many times. They say the navy keeps silent even though they protest to the navy on it. The navy-contracted workers themselves know it is too dangerous for them to navigate ships here so they cannot even retort back to Gangjeong fishers’ protest.

    The navy and Samsung’s reckless enforcement of construction has eventually bought another accident[..]

    The Gangjeong Sea located in the corner of  typhoon is improper for naval base because of powerful current of water and wind even in the routine time. Further the Government made a base design for US nuclear aircraft carrier, [nuclear submarines], and Aegis Destroyer. The Office of Prime Minister has even lied and manipulated a mere reference (*made by the Ministry of National defense) [as if it is the technical verification committee’s official report ] for cruise  to forcibly fit into the base design even though it never fits to it.

    According to the testimonies by the workers, the caisson have been unreliably built short of standard and cannot properly function. Won’t the caissons be trashed when they are buried as those unreliable are roughly stationed in the strong sea wave and wind, according to false layout?

    Reckless construction (destruction) even during dangerous nights has brought such incident. Is it weird that we have heard some crews were sick the other day but they were secretly cared for by visiting doctor and nurses to the barge? And how about the maritime environmental destruction? The rushing construction(destruction) is bringing such human and nature disasters. Cut all the budgets for the Jeju naval base project!

    Please remind:

    The Samsung C & T has been accused to the Prosecutor Office for its illegal operation on floating dock without inspection in the beginning of this year

    The Samsung C & T floating dock has hit three fishing ships of which two ships became to submerge and one ship sunk down on March 11, 2012 when it was to moor in the outer port of the Hwasoon port.

     

    Reference :

     

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122988
    [속보] 삼성물산 예인선 제주해군기지서 침수
    2012.11.26 08:45:54

     

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=123008

    삼성물산 예인선, 8천톤급 케이슨과 ‘충돌’ 침수

    2012.11.26 11:50:17

     

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165737
    제주해군기지 공사현장 예인선 침수…선원 7명 구조
    해경, 경비함정 7대 투입 배수작업 전개
    012.11.26 09:10:52

     

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articlePhotoView.html?idxno=165780

    제주해군기지 공사현장 예인선 침수원인 “케이슨과 충돌”

    바지선에 연결해 침몰 막아…기름유출 우려

     

    http://www.mediajeju.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=137051

    해군기지 예인선 침수 원인은 케이슨과 충돌

    2012.11.26 12:56:14

     

    2. Meanwhile, the villagers made a statement on the Samsung C & T’s demand on the amount of loss for the delay of construction. Here is a statement(translated)

     

    Regrading the Samsung C & T’s demand on the amount of loss for the delay of construction

    It has been known through media that the Samsung C & T demanded 23 billion won for the loss and additional cost by the construction delay of the Jeju naval base (so called Civilian-Military Complex Harbor for Tour Beauty), while Daelim, another main-contract company of the naval base project is told to plan to demand on the loss, too. And it is informed that the Samsung C & T reported that the delay of construction occurred because of activities by opposition groups.

    To say in a word, it is like ‘the thief turns on the master with a club.’ The Samsung C & T got the order on the maritime construction of the outer facilities such as breakwater, becoming in charge for the 1st construction work area. If there was any  people’s activity of obstruction on construction, it was to point out on the uninstalled silt protectors, the measure on the reduction of floating materials, following the Environmental Impact Assessment. People were just stopping illegal construction since [the Samsung C & T] has enforced construction (destruction) even without proper installation of  immobile silt protectors among the double-layered silt protectors.

    If the Samsung C & T had proceeded construction with proper installation of silt protectors from the beginning and still there were activities of obstruction of construction, the Samsung C & T is right to assert its claim. However, its construction delay happened because it has been disclosed of its illegal constructions (destruction) so has gotten correction orders many times from the Jeju Island. The construction delay was more caused from the maritime condition that has not been ready due to strong wind such as typhoon.

    If it is a construction delay happened due to natural condition, it is righteous that a service order agency that has miscalculated the days of impossible construction for natural condition takes responsibility for it. If construction delay occurred because illegal construction was driven and disclosed, it is righteous that applicable company is punished, rather than the company says so and so on the compensation on the amount of loss. Therefore if the Navy Headquarter or Ministry of National Defense demands a right to indemnity against local residents, the world will laugh on it.

    Even though the construction might have been delayed because local residents repulsed back against construction, the state should naturally compensate for the construction delay. It is because the state has the responsibility for smooth construction with its [responsibility] of persuading local residents in its driving for a national policy. Further it is a [so called] security project in the words of the Government. The Government should be responsible for all the loss and legal disadvantage that have occurred, being awakened that the project has become rather destroying security, not only destroying a local community but even dividing citizens’ opinions on it.

    Gangjeong Village Association

    Nov. 26, 2012

     

    ……………………………….

    Reference

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165795

    “해군기지 공사지연 손실금 구상권?…천하가 웃을 일”

    강정마을회, 공사지연 손실금 청구 입장표명

    2012.11.26 15:21:03

     

    3. Otherwise there was an event called, Consolidate Solidarity for No Jeju Naval Base Campaign and Asia-Pacific Peace Movement

    Source: PSPD. Click HERE

     

    PSPD, Cafe Tongin (1F)/ PM08:00 Nov. 26 (Mon), 2012

    Sponsored by the People’s Solidarity for participatory Democracy

    The Story tellers who were invited were: Dr. Song Kang-Ho, Fr. Mun Jun-Hyun, Kang Dong Kyun, (Gagjoeng village mayor), Joseph Gerson (US), Liu Yintuo (China), Corazon Fabros (Philippines), and Kawasaki Akira (Japan)

    For more on it, click HERE

    (Post by Fielding Hong)

     

    4. 24 hour construction and 24 hour protest are continued 

    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ Barricades to block the cement trucks. For more photos on 24 hour protest by Jang Hyun-Woo, click, here and here (Post by Regina Pyon)
    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ 100 bows in the morning. For more photos on 24 hour protest by Jang Hyun-Woo, click, here and here (Post by Regina Pyon)

     

    Video by Jo Yak Gol (Source: Click here)

     

    Video by Ki Gami/ 11pm, Nov. 27 (Source: Click here/ post by Regina Pyon)

  • Samsung C & T demands additional construction cost of 23 billion won, reasoning of delay, for people’s protest

     

    Photos by Lee Woo Ki/ During the 24 hour construction that started since Oct. 25, people slept in front of construction gates to stop the construction vehicles. For more photos by Woo Ki Lee, See here(Night) and here (day)

     

    It was confirmed on Nov. 23 that Samsung C & T that is in charge of the 1st work area of the Jeju naval base project has demanded the Ministry of National Defense (MND) additional construction costs of about 23 billion won, reasoning that its work in the naval base project is being delayed because of opposition groups’ obstruction of construction. According to Sisa Jeju, the personnel in the Samsung C & T have started to discuss on it with the MND about a month ago.

    Hearing that, the Gangjeong Vllage Association and opposition groups strongly refuted on it, saying it is illogical that people’s taxes are to be wasted by giving additional costs on illegal construction.

    The Samsung C & T reasons people’s protest for the delay of construction

    According to the Jeju Sori, the Samsung C & T said to it on Nov. 23 that it “is consulting with the MND regarding the payment on construction fees etc since the naval base construction has been delayed more than a year.”

    The Samsung C & T that is building the outer breakwater of the naval base has gotten from the MND project right on the 1st work area of the Jeju naval base project, which is about 300.7 billion (300.751,000,000) won sum of money for construction, as of Jan. 2010 standard.

    The 1st work area is of a large size project on constructing west breakwater of420 meter and south breakwater of 1,076 meter. Currently the Samsung C & T is preparing for the construction of breakwaters, building 8,800 ton caisson for each in the Hwasoon port, Andeok myon, Seogwipo City. See the map below.

    Source: See here/  Naval Base construction layout

    The matter raised by the Samsung C & T is about the delay of construction. It asserts that construction is being delayed since the Gangjoeng village Association and opposition groups against the naval base have obstructed the entry/exit of construction vehicles and invaded into the inner side of the construction site.

    In fact, the Samsung C & T started construction from February 2011 which was a delay from its original plan. Its current work rate reaches only about 20% (39.1 billion won), far behind its purpose of 80 % (248.7billion won) for November, this year. According to the Jeju naval base project committee, the total work rate as of November currently reaches only to 24.4 % (239.5 billion won) by the standard of executed budget, among the total construction cost of 980.5 billion Korean won. The work rate by the Daelim in the 2nd work area is known to be only 21.4%.

    It has been known that the Samsung C & T, analyzing that it could not carry out construction for more than 15 months because of obstruction on construction by the opposition groups against the naval base project, earmarked 23 billion won in the name of labor and construction material costs.

    It is known that the loss price has become bigger following the construction postponement as the rent fee for the expensive maritime dock facility that the Samsung C & T has taken for the west breakwater construction amounts 200,000,000 to 300,000,000 won a day.

    Navy personnel resonates to Samsung C & T, “the construction has been delayed about 14 ~15 months as the opposition groups occupied the Gureombi Rock area by the early period of September last year and obstructed construction by blocking construction vehicles and interrupting  barge movement since then, too. We will decide the matter of preservation on loss price by contacting each construction company through legal examination.” The completion year of the Jeju naval base project has been postponed from 2014 to 2015.

    Regarding the Daelim industry that is in charge of 2nd work area of mooring dock, east breakwater and formation on land area, the Sisa Jeju reports that the Daelim industry is demanding  the MND to preserve 1.5billion won of loss following construction delay, while the Jeju Sori reports that it has not demanded additional construction cost.

    Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ 14th caisson that was made by Samsung C & T in the Hwasoon port is entering the Gangjeong Sea at the cost of environmental destruction on Nov. 15.  The vicinity of the Beom Island in the background of the photo is the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve  with the UNESCO-designated soft coral habitats.  The Island itself is the  UNESCO-designated Geology Park. Stationing caissons without verified simulation  is  a total ignorance of even the Island governor’s demand. For more, see here.

     

    People, even the National Assembly members, refute against corporate greed

    Upon such behavior of navy-contracted companies, not only the Gangjeong villagers but even the Jeju-based/origin National assembly members are infuriated using the phrase of ‘the thief turns on the master with a club.’ in their remarks.

    Kang Dong-Kyun, the mayor of the Gangjeong village said, “The Naval base is illegal construction. It was without proper procedure. And environment is being destroyed. “Billions of caisson that have become scrap irons ( due to unreliable construction) tell that.” (# One caisson is told to take production cost of 5 billion won)

    “The naval base construction project itself  has been filled with serous problems from the beginning process of location selection to the performance during and after environmental impact assessment. It is righteous to stop illegal destruction. “

    “You should not appropriate billions of construction costs with people’s tax again because illegal construction fee has been delayed. The 23 billion won that the Samsung C & T has demanded is absurd.” ”

    Go Gwon-Il, chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base also pointed out. “Is the Samsung C & T really qualified to demand additional costs? The Samsung C & T has enforced construction without the installation of silt protectors on the sea last year. If the Samsung C & T had driven construction observing the law, it had not arrived into this situation. Wrong national policy cannot but be repulsed back by citizens’ resistance on it. The injustice of naval base construction should be first examined.

    Jang Hana who has constantly raised problesm on naval base emphasized that ‘The villagers and activists have stopped naval base construction since it is illegal. The demand by the Samsung C & T is like to “Save a stranger from the sea, and he´ll turn your enemy.”

    Kim Jae-Yoon, National Assembly man said, “Whole matters occurred because the MND has not properly carried out the subsidiary opinion of the National assembly. The Ministry of National Defense is constructing naval base under the cover name of civilian military complex port for tour beauty.”

    He also said that “The social costs of villagers’ suffering are much bigger than the large sum of money of construction that the Samsung C & T asserts. The MND should compensate the villagers not Samsung.”

    In case the Ministry of National Defense pays for additional construction fee to Samsung C & T, there could be raised of a claim for damage against the opposition groups such as the Gangjoeng Village Association. If then, it could be expanded to lawsuit war.

    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ Catholic priest Moo Kyu-Hyun protests against illegal construction. See more photos on people’s protest, see here.
    Photo source: PSPD (People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy)  Hankyoreh newspaper, Nov. 22 Advertisement: People’s campaign to stop construction(destruction) and to cut whole 2013 budget on the Jeju naval base project. See the related site here
    4,582 citizens joined to fund the newspaper advertizement campaign.

    ……………………………………………………………………….

    Reference

     

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122917

    삼성 공사방해 수백억 요구, 강정 “적반하장”

    2012.11.23  10:04:19

     

    http://www.sisajeju.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=165085

    제주해군기지 시공사, 공사지연 손실보전 230억 요구

    “해군기지 반대측 방해로 공사 늦어져”…국방부, 손실액 보전 법률검토

    2012.11.23  11:17:10

     

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165519

    삼성, 국방부에 ‘해군기지 공사지연’ 손실 230억 요구

    “230억 물어내라”…강정마을에 구상권 청구목적?

    2012.11.23  09:46:49

    http://www.jejudomin.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=36535

    삼성, 해군기지 공사비 230억 추가 요구

    반대단체 방해 이유…강정마을회 등 강력 반발

    2012.11.23  12:48:56

  • Coast Guard Illegally Blocks Boats in Public Gangjeong Port

    On Tuesday, November 21, several members of SOS (Save Our Seas), the Gangjeong ocean observation, monitoring, and action team, reunited after several months of focusing on other activities (and several members months long imprisonment). Four members, decided to take two kayaks, one turned into a homemade sailboat, out to the sea to observe the construction. Their plan was to circle the construction site legally from the outside, observe and take pictures and video. They also just to go out to sea for the first time in several months.

    The weather was a bit cold and overcast, but it was not dangerous or excessively windy and there were no sea weather warnings. All four members are excellent swimmers and kayakers as well as licensed divers. They also all wore heavy winter wet suits, both for warmth and safety. The members brought their kayaks to Gangjeong port, a small public port, and put their boats in the water. Upon doing so, the coast guard ran to them and began questioning them about their plans and motive. Since Korea is supposedly a free democracy and not a police state, the members merely replied that they were going to the ocean and felt no further need to give more details.

    Coast Guard boats intercept the kayaks

    As the SOS members got in the Kayaks and took off, they were suddenly surrounded by Coast Guard ships and officers. Without any announcement or information, the coast guard officers jumped in the water and began blocking the kayaks. They then grabbed the kayaks and began pulling and pushing them back to the shore. SOS members struggled nonviolently with the coast guard who continued to attack them and restrict their rights and freedom without any explanations.

    Finally after a lot of struggle, one coast guard official began to announce through a microphone that because there was a the construction site nearby, it might be possible that the SOS members would go inside and doing something illegal. He even referenced the June 30 action when Kim Dong-Won climbed a crane doing illegal dredging. Of course, this is outrageous as not only was Kim Dong-Won not aboard a Kayak but also his case is still currently on trial, meaning he is still innocent until proven guilty. Further it was outrageous that simply because there was a construction site in the area (hundreds of meters away, no where near where SOS was blocked while doing something completely legal in a public place. With that reasoning the police can stop anyone from doing anything if there is ever a chance of something illegal happening, which is always and everywhere!

    Coast Guard thugs block a swimmer.

    The struggle continued on and the SOS members went back to shore and then attempted to enter the water at several other places, every time illegally blocked and assaulted by the coast guard. They continued until it began to grow dark. At which point they returned to the land.

    It was an outrageous display of police stupidity and power (there were more than 20 coast guard officers to the 4 SOS), and total trampling on the rights of the SOS team members. It is clear that not only is Gangjeong a police occupation, but that the coast guard and the police are nothing more than free taxpayer paid security for construction companies, Samsung and Daelim. Many Korean coast guard members are very nationalistically proud of themselves for being in the coast guard, but they have nothing to be proud of. They are complicit in the destruction of Gangjeong Village, its people, heritage and culture, and the destruction of the environment, including the very sea that they are sworn to protect. This is both pathetic and shameful.

    More pictures available below:

    SOS members prepare their homemade sailboat kayak.
    Entering the water, ready for the journey.
    Coast Guard officers block the sailboat kayak.
    Not giving up, the SOS members got out of the water and entered again at another location. They were blocked again, this time by even more coast guard boats and officers.
    While being trapped by the Coast Guard, the SOS members found an old damaged silt protector, which again raised concerns about whether the construction site is using the required environmental protection.
    The silt protector viewed from underwater.

     

  • Villagers state on Island Council exposure and step for legal suit against the Island governor

    Photo by Cho Sung-Bong, in his photo essay, Nov. 20, 2012. For contents, see No. 3

     

    1. People’s Nov. 20 statement on the exposure of the Island Council on Nov. 19

    ( Translated. Original Korean statement can be seen here)

     

    Title: The ruling and opposition parties should cut the whole 2013 budget for the Jeju naval base project as the decision on drive for the Jeju naval base project by the national policy control meeting turned out to be a clear fabrication!

    In the inspection by the Administrative Self-Governing Committee of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Island Provincial Council yesterday on Nov. 19, it was confirmed again that the government has doctored the meeting results of the technical verification committee to finish the committee’s technical verification committee report in the earlier period without design change and construction stop, thanks to the testimony by Prof Kim Gil-Sou who has participated as a member of the technical verification committee managed by the Office of Prime Minister. It was also exposed that there were models of 4tug boats not two boats in the 2nd simulation of which the report was made public by the Office of Prime minister. Further it was also exposed that the report was not the technical verification committee officially acknowledged but a mere reference.’

    The Office of Prime Minister has officially taken the 2nd report, asserting its basis that it was manifested following the recommendation by the technical verification committee. However, it turned out that the 2nd simulation report is clearly a fabrication in content and procedure.

    Therefore the decision to drive construction by the national policy control meeting on Feb. 29, 2012, which was held based on the report, is regarded as not valid from the origin, too. In detail, the decision of the national policy control meeting came out based on the 2nd simulation report and was concluded on the premise that it is guaranteed for 150,000 ton cruise to enter/ exit of port and to safely come alongside the pier. The premise was conditioned though, that west jetty dock is structured into the changeable and navigation route is changed by 30 degree angle. As the very basis of the decision turned out to be fabrication, the decision by the national policy control meeting can not be established as valid any more.

    It was also confirmed that three dimension modeling on the harbor and bay set up in the 2nd simulation was processed borrowing the harbor and bay model established in the 1st simulation. It is a serious reason of disqualification because even though the 2nd simulation is a test formed on the premise of 30 degree angle navigation route, it directly borrowed the area-detailed basic resource for the case of 77 degree angle (vicinity of navigation route, current, wind direction and wind speed). Because it is a test processed even without investigation on the area-detailed geographical and natural conditions in the vicinities of  the 30 degree angle navigation route, it is a test that lost even the value as a report.

    The matter is that there is a great concern that the revival of the 3rd simulation agreed between the Jeju Island government and Office of Prime Minister could be processed, borrowed of three dimension model used in the 1st and 2nd simulation. It is told that it takes six months only for collection of the area-detailed basic resource and for composition on the three dimension model for targeted ships and harbor & bay. Therefore, given the current situation, there is a high possibility [for the Prime Minister and Island government] to borrow the 1st and 2nd simulation models for the 3rd simulation,

    However, we claim that the test lay-out should be inevitably carried out on the ground of clearly collected area-detailed basic resources to take fair and objective verification that the Jeju island government has emphasized many times. Also the researchers who led the 2nd simulation that was proved out to be fabrication should be excluded in the selection of the researchers to join the tests. It is because objectivity and fairness cannot be secured if the tests are processed by re-employing the scholars who have abandoned their consciousness.

    [To conclude] the 2013 budget of the Jeju naval base project (Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty) of which only re-verification would take at least six months should be righteously cut.

    Thereupon, we demand like the below.

    Accepting the inspection result by the Administrative Self-Governing Committee of the Island Council yesterday(Nov 19), Governor Woo should revoke his position on the pass of the Jeju naval base budget and declare the demand on objective and fair simulation.

    We request the Island Council to deliver the inspection result of the Administrative Self-Governing Committee and to make efforts for the 2013 Jeju naval base budget to be wholly cut.

    To realize stop on construction and re-examination on project that Moon Jae-In, Presidential candidate has pledged, the Democratic United Party should not make any concession regarding the principle of budget cut before fair and objective verification

    Finally, the Saenuri party should agree with the whole budget cut for the 2013 Jeju naval base project , bearing in mind that it would be the critical elements in executing the national policy project to lose people’s trust on the Government and National Assembly to allocate budget for the project that does not secure fairness and objectivity such as of procedural flaws and in which unjust behavior such as layout flaws and unreliable construction would be confirmed.

    Nov. 20, 2012

    Gangjeong Village Association, Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island (26 groups), National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing the Naval Base in Jeju Island (125 groups)

     

    2. Villagers steps for legal suit on the reclamation matter

    ( Korean language reference: See here)

    Regarding the Island government’s license of the navy on the reclamation on public water and its surface in the Jeju naval base project (so called Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, the Gangjeong village entered for legal step on Nov. 20. The Gangjeong village delivered to the Island governor its application letter on the demand of the cancellation of the navy on the license on the reclamation on public water and its vicinity surface, demanding the governor to reply on his acceptance or denial of it by Dec. 5, 2012. The village said that if the Island governor rejects the application by the village or does not reply to the villagers by the defined date, it would enter the procedure on the lawsuit for the cancellation on the denial disposal on application, based on the law on the administrative lawsuit.

    On Oct. 22, 2012, the village has made public if Woo Keun-Min, Island governor does not cancel the navy of the license on the reclamation on the public surface and its water by Nov. 7, it would inquire him civilian and criminal responsibility for it.

    Reminder: The Navy Headquarter got the reclamation license on the public water and its vicinity surface from the Busan Regional Maritime Port Affairs and Port Office, without submission of diagnosis report on the date of March 3rd, 2010. It is an act that the Office permitted the reclamation license for the law-violating project, which is unlawful. Otherwise, the right to permission and cancellation on the reclamation construction on the public water and its vicinity surface was handed over from the Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime affairs to the Jeju Island in September, 2011.

    (See also Headline Jeju, Nov. 20, 2012 강정마을회, 제주도에 해군기지 매립면허 취소 요구)

     

    3. Illegal destruction of the Gureombi Rock  in violation of the EIA

     

    Translation of photo essay by Cho Sung-Bong on Nov. 20, 2012. See original Korean language version, here:

    ‘According to the ‘Agreed Contents of Environmental Impact Assessment,’regarding the Jeju naval base project, it reads that double-layers of silt-protectors should be installed during the maritime construction and use of Fall Pipes and land washing of sands and stones during the input of them into the sea should be carried out.

    However, construction(destruction) is being done with nothing above  is observed.

    Even though scattered dusts and maritime contamination have spread far wide, yet no measures have been taken.

    The article 26 of the law on the Environment Impact Assessment reads that ‘matter on the performance on agreed contents should be confirmed and necessary measures should be taken for the performance of it when agreed contents were not carried out.”

     

     

    4. Night time protest with the resumption of night time entry/exit of construction vehicles.

    Around 11 pm, Nov 20. it is common to be like this every night during night protest. But people don’t lose hope and optimism
    Around 11:20 pm Nov 20. Today small tower of stones. The police took away people’ stuffs of lumbers, bicycles, and other materials this evening. But people’s imagination will be unlimited. Tonight the police threw down all the stones, too, during their roughing out. so people built the stone tower again. it will be again and again over night.
    Around 3:30 am, Nov. 20, Police take away stones then the people will build the stone tower again. people are building stone tower repeatedly and the police are destroying them repeatedly, too.
    Around 7:30 am, Nov 21, People’s recovered tower, after police roughing out of them.

  • Technical verification committee member’s exposure: Lies on the simulation report by the Prime Minister Office were clearly revealed in the Island Council inspection.

    Photo source: Jeju Sori, Nov. 19, 2012(above) and Media Jeju, Nov. 19, 2012(below)/ They are the scenes of  movie on simulation on the cruise entry/ exit of port in the Jeju naval base project (So called Civilian-Military Complex port for Tour Beauty). In the scenes, it is possible for cruise to come alongside the pier only by the support of four tug boats, which exposes that the Office of Prime Minister has thoroughly lied and hid on the matter. The movie was open to public by an Island Council member, Park Won-Chul, during the Island Council inspection session on Nov. 19, 2012. The Office of Prime Minister, ignoring the opinions by the technical committee, has adopted the report based on such newly lie-exposed simulation.  The simulation had been requested by the Ministry of National Defense to the Korea Maritime University through the Samsung C & T, which resulted in the Feb. 23, 2012 report. To see the contents on it, see No. 2

     

    1. Budget talk was postponed again. Pressures on the members of the National Assembly, including those of Budget and Balance committee should be increased.

     

    On Nov. 19, budget talk was postponed again because of gap between the parties but possibility of vote was implied, which may bring the ruling party’s forceful sole disposal on budget.

    The talk in the National Defense committee of the National Assembly on the 201 billion won of the 2013 Jeju naval base budget was postponed again following Nov. 7-8, 12 and 16.

    The general meeting of the National Defense committee could not even talk on the Jeju naval base budget because of gap between the parties. The ruling party insists the pass of budget as the original (or at least partical cut) but the DP insisted the whole cut.

    The chairman ( Ryu Seung-Min, ruling Saenuri Party) and coordinators ( Han Ki-Ho, Saenuri Party and Ahn Kyu-Baek, Democratic United Party) of the committee decided to hold a meeting again prior to the day’s general meeting but the concrete schedule was not decided yet. If gap between the parties is not to be narrowed, there is a possibility of vote that was mentioned by the chairman of the committee on Nov. 19.

    If vote is enforced, there is a possibility of the Saenuri party’s forceful sole disposal, excluding the DP, [if the DP opposes the vote itself.] that will bring the creeping and clash in the committee. The proportion of the committee is 9 from the Saenuri Party, 7 from the DP, and 1 of independent among the total 17 committee members.

    If the proposal on the Jeju naval base is to be passed by the National Defense committee, it will be examined again by the Budget and Balance Committee of the National Assembly (whose schedule is not known yet) that will bring final result probably by the end of December, which is after December 19 Presidential election . The whole numbers of the Budget and Balance committee members  are 51.

    Continuous pressure on the members of the National Defense and Budget and Balance committees will be important.

    Protest against the Jeju naval base project, Gangjeong village, Nov. 19, 2012/ The sign reads, “Cut the whole 200.9 billion won of the 2013 Jeju naval base project!’

     

    2. Important exposure in the Island Council inspection: Construction should be stopped and budget should be cut as total lies by the Office of Prime Minister were clearly proved out.

     

    Meanwhile on the same day, important testimony by a member of the [base design-] technical verification committee meeting (Prof. Kim Gil-Soo, Korea Maritime University) and simulation screening that shockingly exposed government lies were held in the Island provincial council (Administrative self-governing committee) during its inspection on the Promotion Committee on the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty.

    Related to budget matter, the Island council inspection clearly proves out that the remark by the Office of Prime Minister that it would hold simulation ‘show‘, accepting the demand by the Island government, is only an excuse to appropriate budget on base project next year, shutting down all the critiques on its enforcement of naval base construction.

    The main testimony by Prof. Kim Gil-Soo was that: The report on the result of the 2nd simulation by the Office of Prime Minister [on Feb. 23] is different from the proper position of the technical verification committee (on the entry/exit of 150,000 cruises in the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty project) who adopted its proposal in its 4th meeting on Feb.14, after its session from January 26 to February 14.

    It was also ‘confirmed’ that the Feb. 23, 2012 report that had been ordered by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) through Samsung C & T was adopted as a simulation verification report by the Office of prime Minister. The villagers have raised a big suspicion on it in March 27, 2012. See here.

     

    Reference: It is useful to remind that

    1. The President Lee Myung Bak declared to enforce the Jeju naval base project in the 4th anniversary of his inauguration on Feb. 22, 2012)

    2. Based on the above Feb. 23 simulation report, on Feb. 29, 2012, the Office of Prime Minister claimed in its nation policy control meeting that the Lee Myung Bak government has made a final decision in September, 2008, to build the Jeju naval base as the civilian-military Complex Port for Tour Beauty where the civilian and military co-exist together. The remark by the Office of Prime Minister was criticized by the critics for distortion of facts because it added that the port had been built ‘as the Jeju naval base by the agreement from the villagers in 2007.’ There has been no agreement by the majority of villagers on the project whatever it was named. Additionally when the base building was first decided under the Ex-Roh Moo-Hyun government, it was under a cover called ‘civilian-military PORT OF CALL,’ not the ‘civilian-military Complex PORT for Tour Beauty, ‘ a new cover under the Lee Myung-Bak government (refer to Cheong Wooksik, Oct. 25, 2012)

    3. The first simulation by the Ministry of National Defense(navy) was in 2009.

    Finally, it was confirmed that, with the current base design, it is not easy even for military vessels, not to mention cruise, to enter and exit port. There have been numerous investigations by people themselves on it that back such confirmation.  One of them is by the villagers themselves. Watch the video here.
    Photo: Jeju Sori, Nov. 19, 2012/ Prof. Kim Gil-Sou, a member of the technical verification committee formed under the Office of Prime Minister on Jan. 26, 2012,  has been recommended as a member of the committee by the Jeju Island. He is also a member of the civilian verification task force team of the Jeju Island.

     

    The focus of the Island Council inspection on the base design were:

    Whether there was a pressure by the Office of Prime Minister  on the committee’s discussion result, also related to the 150 billion won mentioned to be needed for change of base design

    Whether the 2nd simulation report by the Office of Prime Minister properly reflects the position of the technical verification committee

    Whether the base was originally designed solely for naval base

    Whether the base fits even for military vessels, not to mention 150,000 ton cruise

    During the National Assembly inspection on the government offices, there has been a suspicion that has been strongly raised that the Office of Prime Minister pressured the committee to adopt the result report for the base design not to be changed.

    Here is the rearranged translation of the Jeju media, mostly from the Headline Jeju.

     

    Photo: Headline Jeju, Nov. 19, 2012/ Island Council members, Park Joo-Hee and Park Won-Chul

     

    ◇ “From the beginning, the design was not for the civilian-military complex port.”

    Prof. Kim Gil-Sou pointed out that there were problems in the simulation data by the Ministry of National Defense in the beginning.

     

    Question by Park Joo-Hee, Island Council member:

    In the meeting minutes, the members of the technical verification committee, recommended by the Island Council to be the members of the committee, lastly asked to the navy personnel in charge of simulation, pointing out ‘Why is it that the simulation data of wind speed 15 knot while it should be set up to 27 knot’ and ‘navigation route is wrong.’ And there was the remark by the navy personnel that ‘It is because it is hard for cruise to enter[the port] if the data is set up to 27 knot.’

    Does it mean that the base design was not for the civilian-military complex port from the beginning?

    Answer by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou, technical verification committee member

    “We understand so. But I don’t know how the navy considers it.”

    Question by Park Joo-Hee

    “Given the contents of the 4th meeting minutes, it can be seen there was an outside pressure from the Office of Prime Minister. There appear remarks such as that the verification matter should be finalized in the early period.”

    Answer by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou

    “(The measure to finalize the matter quickly) has been maintained from the start to the end.”

     

    ◇ “There was no outside pressure. But [the committee members] must have felt such mood in the meetings.”

     

    Question by Park Won-Chul

    “Was there outside pressure from the chairman of the technical verification committee (on Chairman, Jeon Joon-Soo, please see here) and the Office of Prime Minister?

    Answer by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou

    “It was the chairman who worried about the possibility of construction stop and made remark on it. It became clear in the 4th meeting that the most worrisome thing for those was on the possibility of construction stop. We sensed that Office of Prime Minister was afraid of the possibility of construction stop if something advantageous to the Jeju [Island government] is brought on in the verification meeting.”

    Question by Park Won-Chul

    “Is it proper for us to see the reason that the Office of Prime Minister avoids construction stop is because the port has been designed ONLY as a naval base and there would be additional design costs [if the design is changed]? Is it proper for us to see that the chairman of the verification committee was clearly aware of that part, given many problems [in the design]?”

    Remark by Park Joo-Hee

    “There was a pressure from the Office of Prime Minister. It is confirmed.”

    Answer by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou

    “There was no outside pressure. But [the committee members] must have felt the mood in the meetings.”

     

    ◇ “ The 2nd simulation report by the Ministry of National Defense(MND) is not [the committee’s] proper report.”

     

    The next questions were related to the MND’s submission of 2nd simulation report on Feb. 23, as soon as the technical verification committee adopted its result report on Feb. 14.

    On the question of Prof. Kim’s view on the matter that the Samsung ordered works on simulation already before the the committee’s adoption of  its own report, here are Prof. Kim’s answers.

    Answer by Prof. Kim

    “We did not acknowledge the [Samsung report]. At first, we thought it is for a new simulation but we found later that [the Office of Prime Minister] was to replace [ours] to it, which had already been ordered in December.

    “(During the meeting) the government personnel asked us to hear the MND 2nd simulation. When we said we would not do that, they asked us again to take it as reference material. It was not our proper document. However, the government personnel changed their words later. They say as if we, the technical verification committee acknowledged it, but it is TOO WRONG. The committee has NEVER officially acknowledged it. That is why we have continuously claimed on correct simulation. Correct simulation has to be done even from now on.”

     

    ◇ Cruises can barely come alongside the pier only with the support by four (not two) tug boats

    The central and Island government have argued each other on the ‘show’ of simulation, on the supposition that 150,000 ton cruise can safely come alongside the pier with the support of two tug boats of 3,500 horse power.

    However, in the 2nd simulation movie made public during the Island Council inspection by Park Won-Chul, Island Council member, there are scenes that a cruise ship barely comes alongside the pier supported by  four tug boats.

    Given the movie, it is confirmed that the simulation was carried on with four tug boats during the entry/exit of cruise in all cases in the conditions of wind speed 27 knot and west part jetty harbor as the changeable.

    However in the MND report on the result of simulation verification, it recommends to operate two tug boats with 3500 HP in case of more than 24 knot wind speed in the south breakwater; and to rearrange harbor structure and operate two 3500 HP all the time so that it would relieve psychological pressure of using jetty dock when big cruise is operated in the west breakwater (conditioned by maximum 27 knot of wind speed)

    Prof. Kim Gil-Sou stated watching the movie. “It is not common that four tug boats follow cruise.” He also stated that it is for the first time he got to know it.

    According to him,

    “ Since the size of water surface area of cruise is big, it is impossible for cruise to come alongside the pier without four tug boats in the condition of wind speed 27 knot or more. When I pointed out that the entry of cruise would be difficult in the condition of a jetty dock in the west breakwater, [the design of the jetty dock] was changed to the changeable. However, changeable dock is very difficult to build from the point of view of harbor and bay engineering technology. The reason that it was changed to the changeable is because the (government and navy0 wanted to maintain its original purpose (construction without  base design change)

    Park Joo-Hee, Island Council member said, “ The Island government should be furious together on the objectively proved out facts today that; The tug boats are four not two; it was originally a design purely for naval base; It takes additional 150 billion won to change the design; even military vessels are difficult for entry and exit/and  the chairman of the committee remarked that there should be no construction stop.” She demanded construction stop and space for true discussion by the Island people.

    Park Won-Chul also demanded construction stop pointing out that there have been as much as 22 cases of violations of the license regulation of Public waters Act (the law on the reclamation on the public water and its vicinity surface )since last October , which have not been properly asked of responsibilities with charges. Park also demanded thorough measure against unreliable caisson production of which seven have been demanded by last typhoons through fact checks

     

    3. Still 24 night time entry/exit of construction trucks resumed in 10 days on Nov. 19

    The night time entry/exit of construction vehicles that started on Oct. 25 has been posed since Nov. 10, 2010. For the background of it, see here. On Nov. 19, the nightmare of 24 hour police mobilization and 24 hour people protest started again.

    Around 9am. Nov. 19, 2012/ Protesters blocking construction trucks
    Around 2:30 pm, Nov. 19, 2012/The construction companies poured down dirty water toward outside gate. The dirty water flew into the Gangjeong stream, one of the absolute preservation areas along with the Joongdeok coast to which the Gureombi Rock belongs.
    Around 2:30 pm, Nov. 19, 2012/ Dirty water from the naval base project committee building complex flows into the Gangjeong stream.
    Photo by Dolgorae Goon, Nov. 17, 2012/  Such crime like above happened on Nov. 17, Saturday, too.  For many more photos on the day, click here.
    Photo by Carol Rekinger/ Around 11pm, Nov. 19, 2012. For many more photos, click  here.
    Photo by Carol Rekinger/ Around 11pm, Nov. 19, 2012. For many more photos, click  here.
    Photo by Yange Gone/ Around 3am, Nov. 20, 2012. Sleepless people
    Photo by Lee Woo Ki/ Around 5am, Nov. 20, 2012.  Protestors barely sleep between police roughing out of them.

    ……………………………………………

    Reference:

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122762
    결과도 조작하는데, 시뮬레이션 다시 한들 믿을수 있나
    2012.11.20 13:25:50

    http://www.jejudomin.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=36479
    해군기지 크루즈 시뮬레이션 ‘엉터리’ 확인
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    2012.11.19 19:26:01

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165252
    제주해군기지 ‘거짓말’ 들통…”애초 민군복합항 아니었다”
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    ‘2차 시뮬레이션 보고서’?…’외압’?…’예인선 4척’?
    2012.11.19 18:35:16

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122721
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    2 012.11.19 17:19:13

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122706
    총리실 검증위원 제주도의회서 무슨 말할까?
    2012.11.19 13:38:12
    [행감] 한국해양대 김길수 교수 참고인 출석…박원철 의원, 삼성물산 시뮬레이션 CD 입수

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122722
    정부, 15만톤 크루즈 예인선 2척 필요도 ‘거짓말’
    2012.11.19 17:29:25

    http://www.mediajeju.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=136790
    “15만톤급 크루즈 선박 시뮬레이션, 처음부터 허구였다”
    박원철 의원 해군기지 입출항 시뮬레이션 동영상 최초 공개 … 예선 4척 사용 확인
    2012.11.19 16:41:55

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165256
    국회 ‘제주해군기지 예산’ 처리 연기…막바지 표결처리?
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    과반의석 확보 새누리 단독 처리 가능성도
    2012.11.19 19:50:50

  • Island governor sides with the navy on budget despite suspicious breakwater construction before simulation


    Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ The 14th caisson. Despite the Island governor’s demand to the navy on Oct. 30 to stop the input of caisson on the sea until the finish of simulation on 150,000 ton cruise, the navy thoroughly ignores that. The navy-contracted company, Samsung C & T moved the 14th 8,800 ton caisson from the Hwasoon port to Gangjeong sea on Nov. 15. See more photos by Cho, here.

     

    During both days of Nov. 16 and 17, issues regarding the budget on the Jeju navy base project were hot, especially with the Island governor’s request to the visiting Democratic United Party members to pass the budget on subsidiary condition. The villagers criticized on it with statement (see its translation on No.3). This article is a summary of four subjects during both days.

    The four subjects are:

    1. Even no discussion: National Assembly discussion on budget was postponed again because of gap between the parties.
    2. Controversy on the matter of fair simulation
    3. Island governor, Woo Keun-Min, sides with the navy. Villagers criticize his will to pass the budget
    4. Suspicion on the navy’s enforcement of breakwater construction before simulation is raised.
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

    1. Even no discussion: National Assembly discussion on budget was postponed again because of gap between the parties.

     The Jeju media report:

    The National Defense committee of the ROK National Assembly had the plan to hold the 3rd Budget and Balance sub-committee meeting in the morning of Nov. 16. It was to talk on the direction on the disposal on the 200.966 billion won budget for the Jeju naval base project, 2013. However the committee could not even discuss on it.

    The Budget and Balance sub-committee has had the meetings on Nov. 7 to 8 and Nov. 12 but those have been with no result as the parties could only confirm different positions between them.

    The National Defense Committee plans to have its general meeting on Nov. 19, Monday, and will try to reach to an agreement. If it is without result again, it will consider on opening the Budget and Balance sub-committee again.

    In the Nov. 19 meeting, talks on the Jeju naval base and inspection on K2 tank will be talked.

    The biggest reason that the disposal on the Jeju naval base budget has met difficulty is because of big gap between the ruling and opposition parties.

    The ruling Saenuri Party (New Frontier party) is insisting its position to pass the budget as the original proposal by the Defense Acquision Program Administration (DAPA). However the Democratic United Party (DP, afterward), the main opposition party has different opinions of whole cut, part cut and conditional pass within the party.

    The National Assembly has cut 96% (127.8 billion won) of 132.7 billion budget last year. However, unused budget of about 107 billion won in 2011 was transferred to 2012 with law-evasive way.

    How you can help? Please pressure as seen in No. 2 of here. The pressure works.

     

    2. Controversy on the matter of fair simulation

    Otherwise, regarding the decision by the Office of Prime Minister on Nov. 15 that it would ‘show’ (not ‘verification) on the simulation of 150,000 ton cruises, accepting the request by the Jeju island government, anti-base groups criticized on it on Nov. 16, saying, “The [Office’s] acceptance on simulation means that the Office acknowledges itself that there was problem on the trust matter in the 2nd simulation.”

    The groups including the Gangjeong Village Association, Pan-Island and National Organizing Committees  to stop the Jeju naval base, criticized that the Prime Minister Office’s acceptance of simulation is merely to pass the budget on the naval base project.

    The groups also said:

    “However, the limitations in the conditions of simulation that the Jeju Island government and Office of Prime Minister agree with each other are too clear to clarify on the citizens’ suspicions on the safety of the navigation by 150,000 ton cruises . The Jeju Island government has asked simulations on five types but the Office reduced them into two because the Office hard pressured the Island government to concede it.

    The groups also pointed out:

    “Among the three researchers in the ‘show’ team, two are recommended by the Government. Further one of them, Lee Yoon-Suk, professor of Maritime University has already brought serious controversy on objectivity and fairness matters in his order of service in the second simulation [of which the report came out on Feb. 23, 2012].”

     

    Reference:

    On July 18, 2012, the Jeju-based or origin four National Assembly members of Kang Chang-Il, Kim U-Nam, and Jan Hana (All DP) have raised an issue that the 2nd simulation on the control of ships, which should be based on observing regulations, has not been properly carried out. The four members pointed out that there are serious flaws in the 2nd simulation and demanded the Government and navy temporary stop of construction and observance on the National Assembly subsidiary opinion in 2011.

    In October, 2011, the sub-investigation committee on the Jeju naval base project that belonged to the Budget and Balance Committee of the National Assembly recommended to the Government to “verify on the matter of free entry/exit of port for two 150,000 cruises through the specialized 3rd institute in need. However, the Ministry of National Defense unilaterally carried out simulation and made public the 2nd report in February 23, 2012.

    Otherwise, the Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs submitted its opinion statement to the four members around July that it is desirable to carry on simulation again because there is a great risk of danger by occurrence of accident, with the low variables given in the 2nd simulation scenario.

    (See the Korean language Hankyoreh article on July 18, 2012)

     

    3. Island governor Woo Keun-Min sides with the navy. Villagers criticize his will to pass the  budget

    Four members of the Democratic United Party, belong to the Budget and Balance Committee of the National Assembly visited Woo Keun-Min, Island governor in the afternoon of Nov. 16. The four members are Park Min-Soo, Yang Seung-Jo, Choi Min-Hee and Choi Jae-Sung.

    The total number of the members in the Budget and Balance Committee is 51. Among them, 21 belong to the DP.

    To people’s indignation, the Island governor Woo asked the DP members to pass the budget on the condition that they stipulate the ‘subsidiary opinion’ of the National assembly last year. To be concrete, he suggested to stipulate that ‘[the Government] execute budget on the premise that the recommended items by the sub-investigation committee on the Jeju naval base under the Budget and Balance Committee of the National Assembly last year to be carried out in substance.” (For detail, see the reference in the below)

    Hearing the governor, the four members promised to the governor that they would actively support for the proposed items by the Jeju Island governor in the National Assembly. However, it is still uncertain for the DP as the party has taken construction stop and re-examination of project as the party opinion since April 11 general election, despite its recent being stirred regarding budget.

    Source: Jeju Sori, Nov. 16, 2012. Governor Woo (right in the photo) asked four visiting members of DP belong to the Budget and Balance Committee of the National Assembly to pass the budget on naval base on Nov. 16, 2012.

     

    Here is the villagers’ statement refuting on the governor’s such behavior (translated from the original Korean statement):

     

    Why does Island governor, Woo Keun-Min represent the interest of navy?

    Island Governor Woo has finally revealed his hidden intention.

    While he has shown his shifting attitude many times such as in the hearing on the navy in May when he was even seem to consider to make order the navy to stop construction, [on Nov. 16] he requested to [the visiting four DP members] to pass the budget [on the Jeju naval base project] with subsidiary conditions as the budget got brake in the National Assembly.

    It has been clearly turned out that the Jeju naval base is a project that would make the Jeju Island to be militarized with the posturing cover of civilian-military complex. The proof is that it is conditioned that ships’ entry and exit of port is only possible under the permission of jurisdiction unit commander in the revision on the enforcement order on Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act. It has also been exposed that the CNFK (Commander of US Navy Forces of Korea) has demanded the layout possible for nuclear aircraft carrier to come alongside the pier and it has been accepted in building of it.

    Through exposed meeting minutes by the technical verification committee under the Minister of Prime Office, we could also confirm the will of the Government who is to drive the project without base design change. The Prime Minister office accepted the joint simulation show to merely pass the naval base budget next year in its hidden intention. It is the calculation of timing that it is to that extent only once the National Assembly passes budget biting the [government acceptance] of simulation verification that could be done only next year.

    Combining all those situations. it is clear that the ROK Government neither concerns with the interest of the Jeju Island nor the public sentiment of the Island people. It is mad only to drive for military base project, hammering away to ignore even the position of the Jeju Island that is stepping toward international tourism site and whose role of bridge in the international civilian diplomacy is being promoted.

    Meanwhile the Jeju naval base project committee has enforced construction (destruction) hourly ignoring the demands by the Island governor. As if deriding his words that there should NOT be breakwater construction before verification, it is enforcing actual breakwater construction by stationing caisson, only without sands filled inside, and processing reclamation in the Metboori (* east tip of the project area) for the construction of breakwater shore protection. (See the below)

    In such situation, governor Woo demanded to the National Assembly to pass the 2013 Jeju naval base budget when the Office of Prime Minister agreed with re-revelation on simulation, which is not re-verification. Even though he says he conditioned that the budget should be executed under proper verification, there is no reason that Island governor demand to pass the budget since the budget that might be passed by then purely comes from the Ministry of National Defense, not from the Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs.

    Why does governor Woo demand the budget from the Ministry of National Defense?

    Is he entirely forgetting that he is the governor of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Island?

    Is he naively expecting that the navy would step for proper verification if it is allocated with budget?

    Why is he requesting to pass the budget in prior to a proper simulation while the navy could be re- allocated with special budget after it as it wants?

    Finally it was proved out that the Island governor Woo Keun-Min has no concern with whether the Jeju naval base would be a proper civilian-military complex port for Tour Beauty or not; and whether the Island people would get any damage from it or not. We don’t need Island governor who takes the lead as the representative of the navy and save only the interest of Samsung and Daelim.

    Nov. 17. 2012

    Gangjeong Village Association

    Reference:

    On Nov. 7, 2011, the sub-investigation committee on the Jeju naval base project under the Budget and Balance Committee of the National Assembly stipulated two recommendation items when they adopted its activity report.

    The first was the recommendation to revise the enforcement decree on the Port Act and Enforcement Decree on Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act and to conclude on the protocol on the joint use on the civilian-military harbor and bay, so that there should be no worry that the Jeju naval base would be operated centered on military port.

    The second is a fair simulation on the possibility of entry & exit by 150,000 ton cruises

    The revision on the decree has been carried out on June 29 while the talks on the conclusion on the protocol is still being processed and there remains the matter of simulation verification. The Jeju Island expects the simulation period at the end of December or January, next year.

    Otherwise, beside budget, governor Woo requested supports on other budgets. Among them, one of the noticeable is request for service work on the ‘basic plan to form the global environmental herb,’ which is for smooth drive of following measure after the 2012 WCC (0.7 billion won)

    (Translated: See the Jeju Sori on Nov. 16, here)

     

    4. Suspicion on the navy’s enforcement of breakwater construction before simulation is raised.

     

    On Oct. 18, 2012, Governor Woo has declared to the villagers in the talk meeting with them that he would ‘stop the breakwater construction in the Gangjeong Sea without fail’ even though it is difficult for him to order construction stop before simulation.”

    On May 1, 2012, even Park Geun-Hye, the daughter of military dictatorship and Presidential runner of the ruling conservative Saenuri Paty said that simulation verification has to be prior to construction on break water. See the Korean article on it here.

    However, the village has raised suspicion on Nov. 17 that the construction being done in the Metboori coast(in the east tip of the naval base project area) could be breakwater construction.

    Source: Jeju Sori, Nov. 17, 2012 (Original source: Gangjeong Village Association)/ Construction in the Metboori coast (east tip of the project area). In the map, the spot is marked with red color,  planned to be the east breakwater shore protection. The current construction on the spot  raises a suspicion that the navy is enforcing construction on breakwater by reclaiming land from the sea before simulation verification.  For more photos by Cho Sung-Bong, see here. The east part is also for docks for submarines and small ships.

     

    Given the photos by movie director Cho Sung-Bong, the sands and stones being put into the sea are in violation of the EIA. Those should be put into the sea after the washing process on the land. There is no washing facility for sands and stones inside the construction area and those coming from the field are directly put into the sea.”

    “The biggest problem is that substantial breakwater construction is being done. Given the photo (above), it is the area spot being reclaimed from the Metboori coast to the sea, along the silt protectors. This area belongs to the east breakwater shore protection ( * in charge of Daelim) and outer facilities on the base layout map.”  See the construction map here.

    “ not only that, the navy is processing the substantial construction on the west and south breakwaters, too, by stationing caissons. By when will the Island government on-look companies’ such law-evasive construction.

    Source: Headline Jeju, Nov. 17, 2012/ Working ships to station caissons to build west breakwater.
    Source: Headline Jeju, Nov. 17, 2012/ Working ships to station caissons to build southbreakwater.

     

    ………………………………………………..

    Reference

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165031
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    2012.11.16 12:25:18

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122626
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    2012.11.16 11:54:40

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165052
    강정-범대위 “총리실 시뮬레이션, 공정한 검증 이뤄져야”
    “총리실 수용은 객관성과 공정성 문제 스스로 인정한 것”
    2012.11.16 15:16:55

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122634
    제주해군기지 시뮬레이션, 공정성 논란 고개
    2012.11.16 14:40:00

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122562
    시뮬레이션 준비만 4~6주…올해 불가능할 듯
    2012.11.15 10:34:53

    (http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/area/543194.html
    “해군기지 2 차 시뮬레이션 중대 오류”
    제주 출신 국회의원, 공사 중단 요구
    국토부”선박 출입때 사고 위험 커”
    2012.07.18 19:25

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165050
    국회 예결위 의원들 제주 방문, 예산요청 사안 현장확인
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    2012.11.16 15:00:30

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

    In this month’s issue:
    National Grand March for Life and Peace Comes to a close, outrageous findings in National Assembly inspections, Jesuit priest imprisoned, illegal security company hired to guard the construction site, 24-Hour construction begins and much more!

    Download PDF

  • Emergency Rally in Gangjeong on Nov. 10 with commemoration of Yang Yong-Chan

    The 15th Citizens’ Action to Save Gangjeong will be held in Gangjeong on Saturday, November 10, 2012.

     

    Commemoration event in 2011 for Yang Yong-Chan. Image: Headline Jeju, Nov. 6, 2012

     

    “Since I aspire for Jeju to be a place for our lives and a nest for our livelihood rather than a 2nd Hawaii, a global tour site that exploits our flesh & bones and makes us playthings, I walk this way crying for the end of the Jeju Special Law, abolition of the 2nd overall development plan, and the smashing of the Minjadang [Democratic Freedom Party, ruling conservative right-wing party from 1990 to 1995].“

    – Yang Yong-Chan, a true citizen of Jeju, greatly missed.

     

    The above quote was part of testimony by Yang Yong-Chan (1965 to 1991) who immolated himself in Seogwipo City on Nov. 7, 1991. Today is anniversary of his death. He was only 25 years old.

    According to Prof. Shin Yong-In, legal advisor to the village association, there was a pan-Island resistance against the central government’s development drive in 1990s. The Jeju Special Law has been nothing but legal justification for big corporations’ exploitation of Jeju. The immolation of Yang Yong-Chan who resisted against capitalist development of the Island sparked the Island people to rise up during that period.

    Because of Island peoples’ resistance, the Island government at the time was eventually forced to set up some important systems to preserve the pristine nature of Jeju from the central government’s thoughtless development. One of the most important systems is the Absolute Preservation System that is supposed to ‘absolutely’ protect the natural environment of Jeju, including its coasts. Ironically, it was the very governor Woo Keun-Min who established that very system as governor at the time (1991 to 1993). Woo becoming the Island governor again in 2010, but has not cancelled previous governor Kim Tae-Hwan’s undemocratic 2009 decision to abolish the Absolute Preservation Areas in Gangjeong village (the Joongdeok coast, most of which is called Gureombi Rock, as well as Gangjeong Stream and its vicinity) made in order to force the Jeju naval base project despite the Island Council’s demands at the general meeting vote in March 2011.

    “The cancellation of the Absolute Preservation Areas in Gangjeong in 2009 can be interpreted as the central government unilaterally infringing on indigenous rights to environmental protection, as well as their human rights and other creatures’ rights to live in their habitats,” Prof. Shin says.

    Current Governor Woo is affiliated with big corporations like Samsung, and is neglecting his duties as it is in his authority to order the navy to stop the illegal and forced Jeju naval base construction (destruction). His statements on faux so-called “Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty” and the two 150,000 ton cruise ships are nothing but sugar-coated words to blind the Island people through false promises of local economic development.

    Succeeding the Spirit of Yang Yong-Chan: Citizens’ Urgent Action Day on November 10, 2012

    Yang Yong-Chan’s testimony, excerpted above. Image: Headline Jeju, Nov. 6, 2012

    What is the difference between his period and our period? Jeju, designated the “Peace Island” by the central government on January 27, 2005, is now suffering greatly because of the enforced and unreliable war base construction in Gangjeong village. The right-wing conservatives repeatedly say that they want Jeju to become a 2nd Hawaii, mixing militarism and tourism (so that big corporations like Samsung can wholly exploit Jeju Island). 24-hour construction started on Oct. 25, 2012. The navy has gone insane enforcing construction (destruction) as they try to get the 200.9 billion Won budget for next year (92.5 % of budget will go to big corporations like Samsung and Daelim who are in charge of  the harbor and bay construction). Even police from the mainland have been mobilized 24 hours-a-day to serve these companies will. The people have also responded increasing their protest to 24 hours-a-day, being carried by ambulance to hospital, injured, robbed of their sleep. Even the daily 7 a.m. peaceful 100 bows have been disrupted with police forcefully removing the bowers from the construction gates.  Catholic priests in robes are carried away during mass only for construction trucks to pass through the gates. Women’s clothes are taken off and bodies scratched and pinched by police women nails when the policewomen forcefully remove them from the protest sites. Men are dragged on the ground by one leg. The people are  uncared for especially in the night when the police only care about removing and throwing them aside as fast as possible. A woman was almost at the risk of losing her life when a policewoman neglected her after throwing her down on the 1st night 24 hour construction, October 25.

     

    Catholic priests in robes are surrounded by the police during mass and removed from the protest site at around 5 p.m. on November 5.
    A woman peacekeeper’s dirty clothes after being dragged carelessly across the ground at around 3:30 p.m., November 4.
    Around 10:50 pm. on November 5, Chairwoman of the village Folk Conservation Association played music. Then police attacked. Still people, including village elders played music and held pickets, inside circle of police.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Around 12:10 a.m. on November 6. The police usually come every two hours during the night time, but this time it was only after 1 hour and 40 minutes. People in solidarity right before the police’s attack.
    Around 12:40 a.m. on November 7
    Around 1:50 a.m. on November 7
    Around 1:50 a.m. on November 7
    Around 1:50 a.m. on November 7
    Around 4:50 a.m. on November 7

     

    Since November 5th, the number of the police has increased even more. The police are wielding more physical power but still the people are resisting with all their energy. The intervals between police attacks have become shorter. During the day, it has shortened from the usual hourly strike, to every 30-40 minutes. During the night, from two hour intervals to every 1 hour and 30 minutes or 1 hour and 40 minutes. It is clear that the navy is getting more and more hurried with the destruction.

    Because of this people nationwide are mobilizing themselves to stop the 24-hour construction (destruction), to stop the navy and big corporations’ greed about the national budget, and to save Jeju, the Peace Island, following after the spirit of Yang Yong Chan, whose poignant words still ring true, that Jeju should be a site for life, not a second Hawaii. The 15th Nationwide Citizens’ Action Day to revoke the Jeju naval base project will be held on November 10.

     

    Let’s block together! 24 hour enforcement of construction (destruction)!

    Let’s save together! Save Gangjeong by staying over the night!

    Let’s cut together! 200.9 billion Won Jeju naval base project budget 2013!

    Let’s remember together! Yang Yong-Chan, a martyr, a true Jeju Island citizen!

     

    Schedule for Saturday November 10, 2012:

    3pm, Citizens’ Action Event in front of the main gate of the Jeju naval base project building complex: ‘Let’s run with peace, again!”

    5pm: Way-opening for the Peace Village, Gangjeong

    7pm: Commemoration for Yang Yong-Chan

    Sponsored by the Gangjeong Village Association, Jeju Pan-Island Committee for Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island (26 groups) and National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island (125 groups)

     

    Finally, Please pressure the ROK National Assembly members to cut the entire budget for the Jeju naval base project next year. Contact english@asssembly.go.kr or Moon Jae-In, Permanent Advisor, Democratic United Party, Presidential candidate: moonriver365@gmail.com

     

    References:

    양용찬 열사 추모 21주기 행사…”강정으로 간다”
    제주해군기지 반대투쟁 연계 ‘추모문화제’
    11일 대동한마당 행사…양용찬 평전 발간 등 추진
    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=164274