Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo will end his 52 days long hunger strike on March 24 on Sunday. Eight representatives of SPARK (Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea) peace organization and Fr. Mun Jeong-hyon visited Prof. Yang to Jeju prison on March 19 and pleaded to stop the fast. In a meeting room specially provided to see him face to face, representatives persuaded him and he finally promised to start to eat light gruel from Monday, March 25. This visit was made out of people’s earnest wishes to have Pro. Yang stop the fast.
On the other hand, Rev. Kim Hong-sul(chair of SPARK Busan branch) and Rev. Kim Hee-yong from Gwangju, will do overnight 4 days fast prayer in front of Jeju prison from March 26 to 29 demanding the release of Prof. Yang and stop of Jeju naval base. Both of them also have visited Prof. Yang on March 7 and persuaded Prof. Yang to end the fast expressing their solidarity action at Jeju prison. (Regina Pyon)
Free Yang Yoon-Mo!
Letter to Yang Yoon-Mo:
Yang Yoon-Mo (No. 301)
Jeju Prison, 161 Ora-2 dong, Jeju City, Jeju Island, Korea
………………………………………………………
Here is Prof. Yang’s oral statement on March 23 ending his fast on March 24. The visitors to him on the day dictated his words to share them with the people in the world. You can see the original Korean script, here.
As I think that many people suffer from my fast, I don’t want to transfer them suffering any more.
I have taken fast to urge people concern with Gangjeong, to inform them on disappointing National Assembly, thoughtless Ministry of National Defense, and innocent villagers and activists oppressed by the judicature.
There will be no more fast in my life. Even though I stop fast, my struggle for peace will not stop.
I think I would live by 90 years old (laughter). So I state on my permanent struggle for the remaining 30 years. I will strive for demilitarizing the Island for life and peace.
While I am here in prison, I will return many of your favor and encouragement.
As a peace and unification worker, I will show myself, Yang Yoon-Mo, as a peace activists and movie critic.
I pay gratitude to the concerns for me by elementary school students, parents, Catholic brothers & sisters and protestant devotees and to the letters full of passion for peace, via mail and internet.
Since I am not forgetting those blessings, I think my decision to stop fast is good
I am grateful to all the messages of support and friendship by distinguished scholars, intellectuals, peace activists and artists from the United States, Australia, Okinawa and Japan, France, Nepal etc.
To return your concern, I intend for my complete change. I will exercise hard to strengthen my abdominal muscles (laughter).
I especially thank more than 24 days’ solidarity fast by a Korean woman in Hawai’i.
( * Ishle Yi Parkis a poet and caring mother. See the bottom of here)
I deeply thank her to take a spiritual response as an artist, despite my shallow idea and practice. Since I have received undeserved love, I will strive more for the world of peace, human rights and love.
Otherwise, I thank two men, Reverend Kim Hong-Soul and Reverend Kim Hee-Young for their solidarity fast from March 26 to 29. The two are my true friends and artists, and holly friends that I’ve met in the world of peace. I thank their friendship and will not disappoint them.
The peace of Jeju is the peace of Asia. It contributes for the peace of the world. The agenda of peace is the discourse of the world.
Image source: Ishle Yi Park
From Ishle Yi Park on March 24, 2013 (Fwd)
Thank you so much for this update, sister! I am so happy and relieved to know that Professor Yang Yoon-Mo has ended his fast and is on his way back to good health. I prayed for him often and am in deep admiration of his actions, his principles, and his heart.
I must tell you all that I fasted for seven days, but then my milk ran dry and my daughter cried for more (I am still nursing), so I ended my fast early for her. I don’t want to take credit for more than I am capable of…I want you and the other activists to know this, because to me it is incredible how strong Professor’s heart, mind, and spirit are to endure for so long. He is truly a man whose spirit I admire and love, and I love the people of Jejudo. Wish I could have done more.
I did write a statement of solidarity that asks the powers that be to free Professor Yang Yoon Mo and halt the construction of the naval base, and had it signed by over 30 activists, artists and citizens of Hawai’i ~ any suggestions on who would be the most effective people to send it to? Will try to get more people to sign it before I send it.
In terms of updates ~ any news on when he will be freed, or is he in prison indefinitely? Please let me know. Will continue to keep Jejudo and the Professor in my heart and prayers. And thank you and all the peace activists engaged in this movement for your positive, conscious actions and your huge hearts. The world is a better place because of you. God bless and Aloha.
Han Sarang,
Ishle Yi Park
RE: Thanks so much, Ishle Yi Park. Prof. Yang has got the court sentence of 18 months on Feb. 1. Please see here.
Photo provided by Rev. Kim Hee-Yong/ Photo of Mr. Kim Hong-Soul (front), Mr. Kim Hee-Yong(back left ) and Gangjeong village Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun (back right)
The Posco Consortium became additional main navy-contracted companies along with the Samsung C& T that is in charge of the 1st work area that includes the west breakwater (420 m), South breakwater(1,076 m), and accessory facilities and the Daelim Industry consortium that is in charge of mooring dock(2,235 m), east breakwater(953 m), land area formation (478,500 ㎡) and accessory facilities.
The business size is 300.7 billion won for the Samsung C & T and 202, 2 billion won for Daelim Industry.
Photo taken on April 18, 2011/ The companies that join Samsung C & T in the 1st work area are: Daewoo Construction, Deokyoung General Construction, and Maritime General Construction The companies that join the Daelim Industry in the 2nd work area are: Hyundae Construction, Gyeryong Construction Industry, Daeyoung Construction, Samhwan Corporation, and Beomyoung Inc.
The POSCO construction consortium includes the Jeju-based Deokyoung general construction Inc. that has received orders of three constructions related to the Jeju naval base one after another.
The construction is to build the office and residential buildings inside the Jeju naval base project area.
It is known that the POSCO Consortium had a fierce competition with the Daelim Industry Consortium and win over it on Dec. 4, 2012. You can see some disgusting so called eco-friendly map pictures of landscape architectures designed by the Jteng Co that joins the POSCO here
Regarding Deokyoung General Construction, it is known that it received the order for the 1st work area of the harbor and bay construction in the Jeju naval base project area(outer area construction)-which is about 310 billion won size- in 2009, joining the Samsung C & T Consortium with 5 % share.
It also received an order on naval base related construction one after another by receiving order on the construction on the 2nd work area of the land facility of the Jeju naval base, which is about 82 billion won size, by joining the Hyundae Construction Consortium, with 10% share, last September.
Photo and caption by Inchun Mpark on March 19, 2013/ ‘A villager, riding an auto bicycle, comes to the naval base project building complex every morning and appeals to the people inside the complex to please show his land inside the project area. But he is turned away every time.’
The last tomb inside the project area was moved out.
In the dawn of March 19, the last tomb of a villager’s ancestor was moved to the outside the naval base project area. While many villagers’ ancestors’ tombs have been moved, the villager, Mr. Lee, has been the one who has persisted to keep it in its original place. It is told that there was a traditional ceremony when the tomb was moved this dawn.
It is Prof. Chomsky’s 2nd supporting message for Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo, following 2012 when Prof. Yang was imprisoned for the 3rd time and took more than 42 days’ prison fast. Prof. Noam Chomsky has been a strong supporter for the Jeju Struggle against the naval base and has sent a message during the last Presidential election as well.
We so thank him and Simone Chun, Ph. D to take solidarity for Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo.
The below is Noam Chomsky’s message forwarded by Simone Chun. His message was written on March 16, 2013
‘I understand that Professor Yang Yoon-Mo is still imprisoned for maintaining his opposition to the construction of the Jeju naval base, and is now at the 44th day of his hunger strike in protest against the base and his sentencing. I would like to urge, once again, that Professor Yang be immediately released, and free to continue his just and courageous protests against the base on Jeju Island, designated an “island of peace.”
Noam Chomsky‘
Simone Chun, Ph. D with her graduate students in the human rights class being solidarity with Yang Yoon-Mo (Photo fwd by Simone Chun, Ph. D)
The Jeju Sorireported on March 5, 2013 that the planned land area for the military residential house for the Jeju naval base project was changed. The navy has originally planned to build it in the E area (violet part in the northwest, in the map) but recently changed to the B area (pale blue part in the south, in the map) as the villagers in the E area have strongly opposed it.
According to the article, the companies who received layout order from the navy have originally chosen the E area as the best to build the apartments of more than 600 households as the area is adjacent to an about 100,000 ㎡ road. The navy plans to build a large size apartment complex that can accommodate 616 households in 99,500 ㎡ area by 2015, the planned year for the completion of the Jeju naval base project.
Another benefit of the E area for the navy has been there are no houses that should be demolished.
However, the protests by the villagers who have lands in the E area have been strong. The villagers there refused to sell their lands to the navy. The Gangjeong villagers including those in the E area have already dissipated the navy’s presentation on the military residential house project on May 29 and June 15, 2012.
On the contrary, the B area is where many pro-base villagers (about 25~20 % of the whole village population) reside. It is a west south area that starts from the Gangjeong elementary school to the Gangjeong port. A road is located between the area and naval base project area.
Gangjeong elementary school/ The photo was taken on a rainy day, March 17, 2013Photo: A road from the elementary school to the port
The article says the difficulty of the B area for the navy is there are relatively more vinyl houses than in the E area so the navy should be burdened by compensation land purchase costs.
The navy plans to hold again the presentation on the military residential building in the E area within March (around March 26), 2013.
The villagers’ struggle to stop the navy’s military residential housing project will be hot again in coming days.
Source: Go Gwon-Il (Original: ROK navy)/ the navy’s disgusting picture of the village in the future that is to be transformed by the naval base project.
It was March 11, 2013 that Mr. Kim Hak-Ku was injured by the police’s violence to him. The police intentionally pulled down the chair he was walking on as part of his protest/performance. Mr. Kim Hak-Ku has already been injured many times during his protests especially during the blast period last year.
Photo and caption by U-Jin Kang/ On March 11, 2013, Mr. Kim Hak-Ku was injured as the police intentionally pulled down a chair underneath him. ‘The peace activist fell down from a chair in front of the naval base project bldg. complex and was carried by ambulance to hospital. When the police allowed the cement truck before ambulance, the people protested to it. then a policemen let the ambulance go first..’
You may watch the Dungree video here.
As the navy enforcement on the 24 hour entry/ exit of construction trucks restarted on March 18, after it posed for about two weeks, more injuries of people are concerned about in coming days.
“You cannot love holding weapon.”
Photo fwd by Saltcandy Yohan on March 14, 2013, around 2:56 pm / Activists holding pickets in front of the naval base project building complex: “The cement cannot make a flower bloom” and “You cannot love holding weapon.”
Photo by Andy Duk-Jin Kim on March 15, 2013/ People visiting Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo in the Jeju Prison
Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo hit 45th prison fast day as of March 17, 2013.
On March 15, the National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base dispatched some representing people to the Jeju Prison. They are Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyeon, Fr. Mun Kyu-Hyun, mayor Kang Dong-Kyun, Mr. Kim Duk-Jin (Secretary of the Catholic Human Rights Committee) and Jang Hana(National Assembly Woman). The group urgently appealed Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo to stop his fast, very concerning about his deteriorating health.
As 70 day period ended on March 11 and Governor Woo Keun-Min signed an agreement with the government on the Civilian-Military Joint Usage on March 14 (see the Korean articles on it and whole protocol here in Korean language)and , it is expected that the new Park Geun-Hye government would accelerate the naval base construction with false promise of local development.
It is known that Prof. Yang did not make a clear answer but said that he would seriously consider it in the group’s meeting with him specially given for 30 minutes on March 15.
Kim Duk-Jin, Secretary of the Catholic Human Rights Committee delivered the condition of Prof. Yang, saying, “he became tremendously thin at first glance. He looked very energy-less but seemed to endure by mental power.”
The group will visit Prof. Yang either on Tuesday (19) or Wednesday (20) again.
Currently Ishle Yi Park, a mother, poet and activist (Poet Laureate of Queens, 2004-2007), Hawai’i has been taking solidarity fast with Yang Yoon-Mo. If it is right, she hits her 18th day fast as of March 17. She ‘plans on fasting as long as Professor Yang is fasting.’ (See the bottom of here)
We very concern both of their health and strongly hope they would stop fast.
Guest Speakers; Benjamin Monnet. French activist who lived in Gangjeong for eight months before being violently (and illegally) deported for defending the beautiful coastline currently being destroyed.
Yoon Young Joon: ex SOAS, peace and human rights activist, visited Gangjeong last summer, and experienced first hand police violence to peaceful protestors.
Learn about the struggle to stop the US / South Korea naval base on Jeju Island, South Korea. Benjamin Monnet gives his personal reflections on joining the amazing ‘peace makers’ of Gangjeong village. As Obama pushes for a US military ‘Asia Pivot’, South Korea steps up political arrests and human rights abuses against its citizens and denies entry to NGO officials and international supporters. Meanwhile, a renowned film critic, jailed for his opposition to the naval base, approaches the 50th day of his hunger strike to demand justice.
An Illustrated talk and discussion open to SOAS students and the public. T shirts, books and jewellery from Gangjeong village, Jeju Island will be on sale and Village newsletters available.
Source: UK Solidarity team
A Letter to Deported Benj (Video by Dungree on April 18, 2012)
Priests were apparently turned away for their views on conflict with North Korea and naval base construction on Jeju Island
By Kim Kyu-won, staff reporter
When the Ministry of Defense was recently selecting military chaplains, three priests were rejected when they gave guarded responses to the question of what they think about controversial issues such as the naval base construction on Jeju Island and the 2010 shelling of Yeonpyeong Island. The decision is igniting controversy about ideological screening. Never before have priests applying to become chaplains been turned down in the selection process.
On Mar. 6, the Ministry of Defense announced the military chaplains whom they had selected, which showed that three of the nine priests who had applied had not been chosen. Their applications were rejected because of their answers to questions about the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island and the naval base on Jeju Island during the interview on Jan. 31, the Hankyoreh confirmed. The interview was conducted by four military chaplains and three regular colonel-level officers.
When questioned about North Korea’s shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, one of the priests who was turned down said, “This was 60 years of ill will between the divided countries coming to a head. As a priest, I can’t give a response that leans to either one side or the other.”
The interviewers also asked the priest whether he thought the construction of the naval base on Jeju Island was the will of God or not. In response, the priest said, “The problem with the base is not so much what it is as how it was carried out. People are hurting because of how it was done, which leads one to wonder whether it was really the will of God.”
There were no major differences between the answers provided by the priests who were interviewed. Realizing this, one of the interviewers asked, “The priests all gave the same responses. Would other priests feel the same way?” To this, another of the priests who was rejected asked the interviewer to consider whether it was really necessary to ask ideological questions to people who are in the clergy.
“The primary job of a chaplain is to listen to the concerns of military personnel and to pray for them,” said one of the priests who was not selected. “I was asked questions that did not correspond to those duties.”
When the interviewer asked the priest once again, “What will you do when the military’s position is different from your personal position?” The priest said, “I will not insist on my opinion.”
The three priests were notified between Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, immediately after the interview, that their application had been rejected. The reason given was that their understanding of security and their attitude during the interview had been problematic. After the interview, the military chaplains expressed their opinion that the priests’ application should be accepted, but some of the three regular officers felt that they should be rejected, the Ministry of Defense said.
Regarding this, an interviewer with the Ministry of Defense said, “In 2012, Minister of Defense Kim Kwan-jin, instructed us to make sure that we assessed how officers view the country. As a result, these issues were dealt with quite a bit more strictly during the selection of military chaplains.”
“It is fundamentally inappropriate to apply ideological screening to priests, since they are members of the clergy,” said Kim Deok-jin, secretary general of the Catholic Human Rights Commission.
Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]
Photo and caption by Fox David/ March 11th, 2012 GANGJEONG, Jeju Special Self-governing Province, South Korea
1 year has passed
March 7th, 2013 was the date commemorating one year anniversary on the navy’s blast of the Gureombi Rock despite people’s fierce opposition to it.
The people’s struggles to save the Gureombi Rock, the absolute preservation coastal area of the Gangjeong village, reached one of their highest points during the time when the blast was continued for two months since March 7, 2012.
Photo by Lee Wooki, March 6, 2012/ Just one day before the start of the blast, tension was already being formed as people made efforts to stop the explosive-loaded trucks from a gun powder factory. For more photos by Lee Wooki who reminds the atmosphere of March 6, 2012, see here.
On March 2, 2013, there was a nationwide citizens’ rally in the Gangjeong village, which commemorated it. See the days’ photos and video, here.
The below is a small recollection and is focused on the oppression on international activists. It might not fully include all the happenings. Please pardon for any missing in advance.
Why the Gureombi Rock?
It was because as a villager has laid bare his heart, “Gangjeong is the Gureombi. Gureombi is the Gangjeong.” The one-body andesite that extends about 1 km from the east and west of the coast is very rare in the dominantly basalt-formed Jeju Island that was created by volcanic activity. With its soft and smooth rock surface of which the forms are various, the fresh abundant spring water among those provides the habitats for diverse endangered species, such as red-feet crabs, Jejusaebaengii(Jeju fresh water shrimp), and narrow mouth toad. For villagers, it has been not only a life ground for making living, but for maintaining community spirit and meditation on life. It is a site where one realizes that it is the very site that one has looked for somehow: The wholeness of life.
Such common feeling and idea on the Gureombi Rock was one motivation that could strengthen people’s unity against the Government’s merciless destruction of the Gureombi Rock, the nature, the peace, and ourselves somehow.
Further, the water mattered.
Headline Jeju, March 9, 2012 (Original source: Gangjeong Village Association) / Water became soon contaminated after the Navy’s first blasting on Gureombi rock. On the day, the woman who took this photo in the Metboori, the east part of the base project area, was also arrested though released soon.
The underground water underneath the Gureombi rock is highly guessed by the villagers to be connected with the Gangjeong stream that feeds 70% of the citizens in the Seogwipo City (the southern part of the Island). Beside that, the Gangjeong Sea is known as the cleanest and most beautiful sea throughout the Jeju Island, being the only UNESCO-designated soft coral habitats and one of the most frequent sites of the Indo-Pacific bottle nose dolphins, the IUCN-listed species.
Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo who had lived in the Gureombi Rock for three years until the navy forcefully set up its fence on Sept. 2, 2011, in an effort to stop the naval base project, was being imprisoned for the 3rd time and was in the hunger strike. As the blast started on March 7, he hit his 28th fast day. He stopped even water and salt since the day until his release on March 20.
March 4, 2013. One year later. “Illegal construction site/ The construction companies eventually broke the silt protectors while they unreasonably push those. The pristine Gangjoeng Sea where soft coral and Indo-Pacific bottle nose dolphins have been dancing is being destroyed (Photo and caption by Park Incheon/ Fwd by Saltcandy Yohan)”
The blast was unjustly forced through political fraud.
For the two months, the navy blasted about 10% of the Gureombi Rock: East and west parts of it to build the caisson production area and shipment site.
The National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island stated in recollection of one year ago, on March 7, 2013. See the whole Korean statement, here:
On Feb. 14,[2012], the technical verification committee on the Civilian-Military Complex for Tour Beauty issued its last report and acknowledged the fact that: “If the current execution design for the Jeju naval base construction is [continued to be] applied as it is, the original government pledge that it would build a civilian-military complex port for 150,000 ton cruise passenger ships cannot be kept. However, Lee Myung-Bak the President, declared that he would build the Jeju naval base construction without any explanation on it. Then the Prime Minster who had written in his facebook that the civilian-military complex port for tour beauty is impossible to be realized suddenly changed his attitude and started to push the construction. The Minister of Prime Office held the related government institutes’ measure meeting joined by the National Police Agency and Coast Guard etc. to support the enforcement of construction declared by the President, followed by assertion that there is no problem in the base construction, one-sidedly accepting the simulation report presented by the Ministry of National Defense on [Feb.] 23. Then it enforced the blast of the Gureombi Rock with a rush on [March] 7, [2012].
It was such an unjust and unreasonable process even Woo Keun-Min, the Island governor and members of the ruling conservative Saenuri Party opposed. See here and here.
A second 4.3: The human rights violation reached its highest point during the blast.
For 28 days alone since the start of the blast on the Gureombi Rock, more than 90 people were arrested while 20 people, swooned, were carried in ambulance for the police violence. Still the village sirens for protest rang everyday. For more, see here.
On March 9, the 3rd day of people’s war against the blast alone, 30 people including Angie Zelter, Nobel Peace nominee, Catholic and Protestant missionaries were violently arrested. Four people were carried to hospital. See the Dungree video in the below. On the day alone, the siren rang six times.
Following the arrest of Rev. Lee Jeong-Hoon and Jesuit priest, Kim Jeong-Wook on March 11 ( imprisoned on the day and released on April 4), Dr. Song Kang-Ho was eventually imprisoned for his fierce struggle on April 3 (released on Sept. 28). As for the navy and police’s abuse of their power, Mr. Lim Ho-Young was another victim. Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo who was arrested and imprisoned since Jan. 30 could be released only on March 20, after more than 42 days’ prison fast. Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyeon who fell from the 7 m tetra pod during his protest to the reckless coast guard on April 6 would suffer from the back and waist pain for long time despite his unexpected quick release from the hospital.
The people entered into the Gureombi Rock, risking high sea waves, security-filled fences, dangerously piled up tetra pods, and police and navy threat. The people chained themselves to vehicles to stop the explosive cars, eventually being taken away of all their cars. The cars were returned back only six months later. The people connected their arms with pipes to stop the explosive cars, only to be met by police’s merciless breaking down of those pipes with hammer (March 19) and electric saw (April 16).
It was the 2nd 4.3 in the sense that the base project is pushed despite people’s opposition, by the foreign (United States)and outside power(main land). On Feb. 24, the Chief of the Seogwipo Police Station had been informally decided to be changed with Lee Dong-Min, a figure from the main land. It was coincided with an opening of the Jeju International Peace Conference (the 20th anniversary of the Global Network against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space)
With the start of the blast, about 700 police personnel from the main land arrived the Jeju, reminding the 4.3 incident period from 1947 to 1954 when the central Rhee Syngman government, a U.S. puppet then, dispatched military, para-military, and police of the main land to mercilessly suppress the people’s uprising in the Island.
Oppressions on international activists were never precedent.
On Feb. 26, 6 Koreans and 10 international peace activists including seven Global Network members, such as Bruce Gagnon and Dave Webb were arrested while they crawled under the razor wire on the Gureombi Rock. See the report on it here.
After the blast of the Gureombi Rock started, the actions by international activists and oppression on them were remarkable. Angie Zelter who entered the Gureombi Rock on Feb. 26 was eventually arrested on March 9 when she entered the fence. The Daelim company thugs’ violence on her during the process was one of the subjects of people’s criticism on March 10 Press Conference. You can see her own account on March 9 arrest, after her release here.
It was the time that oppression on international activists started in earnest. Benjamin Monnet who first came to Gangjeong in May 2011 and had stayed for months eventually got injunction order on March 14 after his arrest on March 12 (See here). Angie Zelter who was arrested again on March 12 got exit order on March 15, as well. See the people’s statement in relation to it, hereand Angie Zelter’s here.
To be coincident, Elliot Adams (Past President of the VfP), Mike Hastie, Tarak Kauff, three members of the Veterans for Peace, US, were violently and inhumanly denied entries on March 14 while their intention was to ‘stand in solidarity with the villagers.’ See here. Bruce Gagnon states that ‘the South Korean authorities had a photo of each of them in their hands and told them they would not be allowed to enter Jeju Island.’ You can see the report here . And the statement by the VfP, here. Remarkably, it was for the first time that the members of the VfP, United States, were denied entry into South Korea, signifying that the naval base project is a highly sensitive matter for the authorities of the United States and South Korean governments.
It was not only those three VfP members. During the two months of March and April, 5 people from Okinawa and Japan were denied entries. They are Nakamura Sugae and her daughter(March 27), Ryuji Yagi ( March 31), Umisedo Yutaka (Okinawa, April 2), Tomiyama Masahiro (Okinawa, April 6). From August 26, 2011 to Oct. 16, 2012, the total people who were denied entries to Korea, in relation to the Jeju naval base issue, were at least 20, while the total numbers are 24. It is because the last three people were repeatedly denied entries during the WCC period, Sept. 6 to 15, 2012. In June, even an international Catholic priest was threatened to be deported. See here. For the whole matters on the deportation, see here.
Though, not deported, harasses on international activists were remarkable. Paco Booyah reported on the incident of March 24, 2012. See here.
The oppression on internationals especially during the time of the blast on the Gureombi Rock signified the growing international solidarity to the threat of the United States and South Korean authorities, otherwise.
The International peace activists have often gotten unjust disposal from the South Korean authorities for their peaceful protests against the war-base building in the Jeju. We so thank them and hope to share with you the urgency to protect international activists who fight to save the Peace Island.
Post by Pat Cunningham/ “Stop the Oppression on International Peace Activists” It was the sign that the village international team held on March 2 upon the 1st year anniversary of the blast on the Gureombi Rock. The oppression on internationals were in earnest with the start of the blast on the Gureombi Rock on March 7, 2012.
Remembering international peace messages. Time to strengthen solidarity for peace
Beside Benjamin Monnet who still sends his deep friendship and solidarity with Gangjeong, here is a heart-touching message from Angie Zelter who sent us a message on the 1st anniversary of the Gureombi Rock-blast:
Source: Angie Zelter in Gangjeong on March 8, 2012, 104th International Women’s Day. She held the Earth flagwith Jeong Young-Hee, chairwoman of the Village Women’s Committee to Stop the Naval Base.
Dear Jeju Friends, a year ago I was with you in Gangjeong, crying as the blasting of the sacred rocks started. I know your struggle continues and is very hard and long. You are courageous and are fighting for all of us. Our struggles are the same – to fight against war, oppression, and the abuses of corporate power. I am sorry I cannot be with you but know that I share your pain and struggle.’
Here in the UK I have just started a new direct action campaign to try to stop the replacement of our nuclear weapon system and persuade the Government to give them up. It is linked with your struggle as we must all in our own ways stop our Governments from wasting resources and lives on war preparations.
I send you much love and solidarity and will never forget you. Please send my greetings to all those whose knew me and whose emails I do not have.
Love and hugs, Angie.
( Angie Zelter on March 7, 2013)
The below video (by Yang Dong-Kyu) was taken for the 4.3-memorizing event in Jeju, just before Angie Zelter’s leave of the village where she stayed for a month. It is always great to remember all the valuable experience of international solidarity and to strengthen it. We pay our deep gratitude to all the international friends who have shown friendship and solidarity despite serious hardships that they had to suffer from, continuously reminding us that the universe and we are one.
We, the members of World without War, held a Movement Building Workshop in March of last year in collaboration with Andreas Speck from War Resisters’ International. The workshop used the Movement Action Plan (MAP) model to examine our campaigning, particularly in relation to government’s abandonment of the previous administration’s plan to address the issue of alternative service. Our campaign has been at a standstill since the inauguration of the current government.
MAP was developed by US activist Bill Moyer to explore the stages and roles in successful nonviolent social movements. He described the eight stages as: 1) A critical social problem exists; 2) Proven failure of official institutions; 3) Ripening conditions; 4) Take off; 5) Percieved failure; 6) Majority public opinion; 7) Success; 8) Continuation. In these stages, there are four different advocate roles: Citizen, Rebel, Reformer and Social Change Agent. Social movements are complex and do not always follow the exact route that MAP articulates, but I found this tool to be very useful for us when World without War members felt tired, and often said we did not know what else to do.
We have never used a MAP analysis to examine the Save Jeju Island Campaign, so this article is my personal view of how the Save Jeju Island campaign relates to MAP.
Where are we now with MAP?
The South Korean government has been planning the construction of a naval base on Jeju Island since 1993. They said that “Imports and exports of Korea pass through the sea south of Jeju Island, so we have to defend it effectively and secure the transportation route for resources.” In 2002, the Korean government announced the new naval base construction plan in Hwasoon village, Jeju Island, but postponed it due to fierce opposition from Hwasoon villagers. This plan was relaunched in 2005, but it was again opposed by the people of Hwasoon. That summer, Wimi village on Jeju Island was named as the new site of construction, replacing Hwasoon.
This time, the budget proposal – which was based upon a premise that construction would only commence if the residents agreed – was passed in the National Assembly. Hwasoon and Wimi local residents held a general assembly and made an official decision to oppose the naval base.
In spring 2007, the Gangjeong Village Association submitted an application to requesting the construction of the naval base in Gangjeong. This decision was primarily a result of manipulation by the Jeju governor, who took every measure to win local people over in favour of construction. It was not the majority opinion. In fact, the Gangjeong Village Association general assembly where 94% against the naval base plan. This represents stage 1 of the MAP: The Korean government preached the need for the naval base on Jeju Island for national security, but local people did not agree.
The second stage lasted from 2007 – when Gangjeong people started agitating against the naval base plan – to 2009, when civic groups launched a campaign to recall Jeju Island’s governor, and held a referendum to this affect. In this campaign, the government and Navy tried to conceal the root of the issue: that plans to construct a national military facility were approved in early 2009, and that the Jeju Island provincial government made a civil-military dual port construction work contract with the Navy and the Ministry of Land, Transport, and Maritime Affairs. Many Jeju Island civic groups took action themselves to prove that these institutions were not our friend, and in May 2009, they launched the campaign to recall the governor. In the end, the results of the recall vote fell short of expectations.
The third stage, ‘ripening conditions’, lasted until the end of 2011. At this time, the local movement entered a period of slight recession as a result of the unsuccessful campaign to recall the governor. Simultaneously, activists from the mainland moved to Jeju Island to join the campaign, and started to convince civic groups on the mainland that the campaign against the naval base had not ended. Their efforts set off nationwide demonstrations against the construction of the naval base, and the Nationwide Committee to Stop the Jeju Naval Base was launched in May 2011. The committee mobilized many people from all over the mainland to come to Gangjeong in 2011. There was growing recognition of the problems as these supporters met and talked with Gangjeong villagers personally, and saw the striking scenery of Gangjeong with their own eyes. The whole village was deluged with the colorful banners that brought by visitors during this period. Also, in December 2011, the National Assembly cut 96% of the Jeju naval base budget for 2012: the movement at this time was ripe and active.
2012 was the fourth stage of the MAP. The Korean government blasted the Gureombi Rock (both an important environmental resource and an ancient place of prayer) and started construction. A great number of people – Koreans and internationals – came to Gangjeong village and took various direct actions to halt construction. Others supported the campaign in significant and powerful ways. The campaign was at its peak.
The fifth stage started at the end of 2012, when the conservative party won the presidential election, and the National Assembly passed the naval base budget proposal for 2013. The activists of the Save Jeju Campaign are in fucked up situations with heavy fines totaling 300 million won (approximately 210,000 Euros) and confinements when their trials start. They felt frustration, despair, and exhaustion. Participation in movement events decreased as the response of governmental power toward the actions strengthened and media coverage died down.
The Save Jeju Campaign is still in stage 5. The beautiful landscape of the seashore of Gangjeong seems to change day by day as the construction proceeds, and this has led to a feeling of helplessness. However, we won’t stop our efforts to make Jeju Island a peaceful island. There is a possibility that other military installations – including an Air Force base, Missile base and Marine Corps base – are to be built on Jeju Island: the government’s plans do not end with a naval base. This will likely be an issue during the 2014 local elections, and we plan to build a network with civic groups in Okinawa and Hawaii, who are facing similar problems in trying to demilitarized their Islands.
Roles of different groups
In each stage, activists have done a zillion things. The role of World without War in the campaign was mainly the ‘Rebel’, especially in its fourth stage. We carried out direct actions which helped promote the issue in the media and raise awareness across the nation. World without War joined the Nationwide Committee to Stop the Jeju Naval Base and performed the role of the ‘Change Agent’ of the MAP. We are doing our utmost to train and mobilize people. There are 3 main agents in the campaign: Nationwide Committee to Stop the Jeju Naval Base, Jeju Pan-Island Committee for Prevention of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island, and Gangjeong Village Association. They are the reformers and the ‘Change Agent’ of the MAP and aim to promote long-term strategies together.
The new president of Korea has always been very pro-naval base. She has ambitions to turn Jeju Island into a “second Hawaii”, and will push ahead with the plan. The new government would argue that the plan is now irreversible and opposition has been defeated. Our task is to reveal the power holder’s tricks – civil-military dual port, planned new (military) airport, etc., and promote alternative solutions.
World without War plans to offer the MAP workshop to other civic groups this year. Taeho Lee, Secretary General at People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), and Huisun Kim, Director at Center of Peace and Disarmament of PSPD, helped me to write this article. They are core members of the Nationwide Committee to Stop the Jeju Naval Base.
