Month: May 2013

The Island government’s shameful remarks and moves after the 2012 WCC Jeju

1. Island government attributes the cause of failure in invitation of the UN CBD COP to people’s WCC protest

Image by Jeju Sori, May 2, 2013/ Kim Sun-Woo, vice-governor of Environment and Economy, Jeju Island.

Some representing Jeju internet media criticize the Jeju Island government to point out the protesters opposing the Jeju naval base project as the cause of its failure to invite the UN CBD COP 12 (UN Convention on Biological Diversity, 12^th Conference of the Parties). For reference, the COP 11 was held in Hyderabad, India, from 8 to 19 October 2012.

It was April 30 that the ROK Ministry of Environment decided the venue of the UNCBD COP12 in Pyeongchang, Gangwon province.

The Jeju media reports on May 2 that Kim Sun-Woo, Vice-governor of Environment and Economy, talked about the things during the review process on the location of COP 12 in the meeting with the news reporters accredited to the Island government on the day.

According to Jeju Sori,

Vice-governor Kim introduced an episode saying that, “one of the judges raised an issue on a performance that the opposing groups against the Jeju naval base project carried out during the WCC. It was the most embarrassing inquiry to answer during the examination process.”

He was pointing out the performance in which each activist did not move lying inside the venue of the Convention Center where the WCC was held [from Sept. 6 to 15].

However, the Jeju Sori criticized his remarks:

‘His is in fact merely an excuse. The Island governnment started its activities on the invitation of COP 12 this year. It has been less than 4 months.

Not only its start was very late but it has not gathered Island people’s collective opinions on it. The Jeju Island government has also confessed that “we could not afford it because of the WCC.”

The remarks by the Vice Governor Kim means he was unreasonably venting his wrath to the Gangjeong villagers who are suffering from the naval base project for seven years.’

Media Jeju also wrote that it feels the shady Jeju Island government shameful to attribute its failure on the invitation of the COP 12 to the protesters.

Photo by Jeong Dauri (source)/ An international protester against the Jeju naval base project holds a doll of Indo-Pacific bottle nose dolphin that remain only 100 in Jeju and throughout Korea, in front of the WCC venue, during the 2012 WCC Jeju. For more photos, see the source.

2. Otherwise, the Jeju Island government is driving for the project for the Jeju World Leaders’ Conservation Forum, as a following measure for the Jeju declaration adopted in the 2012 WCC Jeju. The Jeju Island is to poster the forum as the Korean version Davos forum.”

The Jeju-based Halla Ilbo has reported on Jan. 30, 2013, that consultation between the Ministry of Environment and Jeju island government started on the discussion of participation size, program, agenda, budget size, organizing, establishment of foundation, methods of fundraising. Their aim is to hold its 1^st forum in April, 2013.

Its strategy is to jointly sponsor the forum by the IUCN, Ministry of Environment, and Jeju island government and presents a new model for an environment meeting that presents a new vision by the discussion by ‘the highest-ranking leaders in the environment field.’

It is ironic and hypocritical that the Jeju Island government who joins the destruction with the naval base project in the Gangjeong village promotes the Jeju as a world environment herb that is centered on the big oligarchies such as Samsung, the main construction company of the Jeju naval base project.

3. The Island government’s such shameful remarks and moves are in line with the government propaganda to attribute to the opponents against the base project as the ‘pro-North Korea left wing.’

It was on March 18, 2013, that a Korean media, Hankyoreh disclosed that Won Se-Hoon, chief of the ROK National Intelligence Service interfered in the Pre-Presidential election by ‘ordering his employees to interfere directly in national politics.’ The results were employee’s black comments in on-line sites to defame the opponents against the Jeju naval base project. The article reads:

‘Several similarities were detected between Won’s messages and messages posted by Kim on the site Today’s Humor. Her messages also contained criticisms of opponents to the building of a naval base on Jeju Island, praise for former President Lee Myung-bak’s overseas tours, and characterizations of opposition politicians as “pro-North Korea.” The similarities support claims that she acted according to the NIS chief’s orders.’

Some groups including the Office of Jang Hana (National Assembly woman, Democratic United Party), Democratic Lawyers’ Association and People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) have filed for lawsuits on Won Sei-Hoon for the charge of defamation on March 21.

The inter-connections among the Jeju Island government, navy, police, and National Intelligence Service is nothing new. The 812th program of the ‘PD Note,’ a documentary titled, “Why is the Gangjeong Village, Jeju, So Angry?” broadcast on May 5, 2009 has already disclosed on the secret meeting by those institutes, which shows the Jeju Island government, NIS, navy, and police’s intentional and systematic strategy of division and oppression of the village community for the enforcement of naval base construction. See here.

For the Korean leaders, criticism on Won Sei-Hoon’s policies in relation to the WCC and protesters can be seen here, in detail.

Photo by Cho Sung-Bong (Source)/ Villagers and activists opposing the naval base project on the final day of 2012 WCC Jeju, Sept. 15, 2013. Many NGO people from the world who joined the event have expressed strong support to the struggle. For more photos, see the source.

May 3, 2013
The 4th prisoner against naval base, this year

1. Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa, a poet and peace activist, is to be imprisoned.

Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa gesturing “I love Gangjeong,” with his hands in the Dongbu Police Station, Jeju, on April 30. Hours later, he got the arrest warrant from the court. He would be moved to the Jeju Prison on May 3.

Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa is a poet, writer and peace activist with a good-nature smile, lots of humor and tear. He is the poet who loves travel but now he is to be jailed. The first book he asked people in the police station where he is currently held was a Korean and English language dictionaries.

He was arrested on April 28, Sunday, got the arrest warrant from the court on April 30.

He would be the 4^th prisoner this year after Yang Yoon-Mo (arrested directly from the court on Feb. 1), Mr. Park Sung-Soo (volunteered to be jailed instead paying fines on March 25. He was released on April 1) and Mr. Kim Young-Jae (arrested on April 12).

He would be also the 21st prisoner in relation to the naval base. The total numbers of imprisonment are more than that as several people have been repeated jailed: For example, Yang Yoon-Mo.

Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa is told to be moved to the Jeju Prison on Friday, May 3.

According to an activist who met him in the Custody room of the Dongbu Police Station where he is currently held on May 1, He expressed his strong will saying that, “I want neither review of legality for confinement nor bail. Mine was a just protest to illegal construction (destruction), as I am a member of environment group. My 100 bows were what I could do against unjust state power. In my own way, I will prepare for trials, while reading and writing.”

He explained the situation of his arrest on April 28:

“I had no intention to be arrested on the day. However, I sat in front of a gate to protest to police ravage on Catholic mass and 100 bows. I was also protesting to the new Seogwipo Police Station chief who was haughty enough to say, “shot them [with harmful fire extinguishers].” I was to carry on 100 bows, the police interrupted me. So I sat on in protest. When a mass started, I became to naturally join the mass but the mass was also interrupted, too.”

It was his 6^th arrest. Some people suspect that he had been targeted by the police, like Kim Young-Jae, since there was something that was not easily understandable when he was arrested: The truck seemed to intentionally move behind him as if he is clearly doing so called ‘obstruction of business,’ some people have pointed it out.

Videos by Leejesu

Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa’s wish to remaining people in the field is that 100 bows should be continuously carried on:

“The 100 bows in Gangjeong were initiated by the group, Life and Peace Fellowship, mainly by the Buddhist leaders like Dobup. I am a Catholic devotee. However, I have spread the compact disks of 100 bows narrative to many places including workers’ protest sites. It is to build the space for union.”

Photo by Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa/ Students in 100 bows with their teacher, Gangjeong, April 27, 2013, just a day before his arrest.

Photo by Cho Sung-Bong (source)/ Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa joins the writers’ march from Dec. 26, 2011 to Jan. 20, 2012.

2. Update on Yang Yoon-Mo on his 90th day in prison

Yang Yoon-Mo (57, prisoner No. 301) who was directly arrested from the appeal court met his 90^th prison day as of April 30. He got 1 year and six months actual sentence on the day. The Supreme court dismissed his case on April 26, confirming the unjust decision of appeal court.

As he has already lived in prison for two months(2011), 42 days(2012), and three months(as of April, 2013), he left about 1 year.

Here are his words on the final court decision on the dismissal of his case:

“ I think that the judges did not consider enough as they see the political situation as security state. Didn’t they simply dismiss my case, considering it as a kind of security case? I considered re-final appeal. But I knew there are not enough lawyer force [for the struggle] so I didn’t.

I criticize unilateral legal application that drives struggle opposing the naval base as security case. However the essence of the event comes from the corrupt state and government officers.

In my case, it is a resistance to improper legal procedures. It is a protest to the government officers robbing residents’ properties and depriving the people’s basic right and right to happiness. It is wrong that they applied crime to me. Their investigation way is to presuppose that I am a criminal. I will file for an appeal to Constitution.”

He will start to eat rice from May 1, after the recovering period with rice gruel since the end of 52 days’ fast on March 24.

Regarding the case of Yang Yoon-Mo, you may refer to UN Special Rapporteurs’ joint allegation letter to South Korean government on human rights violations in Gangjeong, Jeju.

A new building is being built across the Jeju prison. People say the Jeju branch of the National Intelligence Service moved its location from the downtown of Jeju City to here.

3. Mr. Kim Young-Jae’s prison letter on April 25.

As of April 30, Mr. Kim Young-Jae (41, prison No. 435) got his 19^th day in prison. In his April 25 letter to his senior in the village, he wrote as the below. These are translated excerpts:

I guess that many people were embarrassed by my arrest and imprisonment. However I am fine, different from your concern about me.

It is because I have been preparing for this, expecting my imprisonment long time ago.

During the investigation process, I felt that they had really decided their mind to arrest me. That is why I am more concerning about the peace keepers in Gangjeong.

I strongly feel that they want to arrest and imprison peacekeepers, so that they remove the power for the opposition movement against the Jeju naval base construction. Please particularly heed them.

When I was in the field in Gangjeong, I could not see very well. However, a little distant from it, I become to realize the things that I could not think before.

I become to see how this opposition movement against the Jeju naval base has continuity and meaning in the history of democracy, peace, and unification movements that have been heartbreaking and continuous for tens of years in Korea; and how I am and which position I stand on in those movements. It is becoming really precious time. [..]

Even though I am confined in a small single room, my heart is freer and happier than any other time.

There could be no regret since I have acted according to my consciousness and faith.

Tomorrow (April 26), there is a trial on the case of climbing up to the caisson dock in Hwasoon on last September 6. (* Mr. Kim Young-Jae was one of the five activists on the day)

I will see welcome faces. I wait for tomorrow.

Please tell all the peace keepers that I miss them so much. Please tell them not to be shrunken, not to be exhausted but fight with happiness.

P.S. Please say my special hello to the village uncles. I love them.”

A two-page prison letter by Mr. Kim Young-Jae on April 25, 2013. Source.

4. The military wielding violence to civilians are not punished while the civilians are.

Nine villagers and peace activists got the court decision of probation on April 30. They have been charged of obstruction of business etc. when they entered into naval base construction area in protest of the navy’s violence on Dr. Song Kang-Ho on June 20, 2011.

On the day. Dr. Song Kang-Ho and some people climbed up to a construction barge on the Gangjeong Sea in protest to illegal destruction without restoration of damaged silt protectors. At the time, Dr. Song was hit by the navy personnel during the process.

Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ People ran into and took sit-in in the naval base project committee building complex to protest the navy’s violence to Dr. Song Kang-Ho etc. on June 20, 2011. For more of Cho’s photos on the day, see here.

The criminal department of the Jeju District Court sentenced three people with six months’ imprisonment but two years’ probation while six people, with four months imprisonment but 1 year probation respectively.

Prof. Shin Yong-In, a law Professor of the Jeju University was infuriated to hear the result of court decision to say that:

“Is it persuasive by common sense that a subject who hit the other is are not punished but the people who protest to it are rather punished?

Furthermore, the subject is the soldier(navy). Military personnel’s violence on civilian is prohibited even during the war time. It is clearly a criminal activity. Does it make sense that the soldier who hit the civilian is never punished but the people who protest to it are rather punished?

Video by Cho Sung-Bong (source): Dr. Song is hit by the navy on June 20, 2011.

May 2, 2013
Wang Yu-Hsuan’s Own Words Upon Her Deporation by the ROK Government

The writing forwarded below is by Wang Yu-Hsuan, Taiwan, who wrote this in the night before her leaving on April 26. We, in the village, used to call him Emily, her nickname. She came to Gangjeong in 2011 and has been recently in overseas for two months. It is very emotional day for all the people who have known and thank her wonderful spirit that inspire many.

The South Korean government rejected her entry on April 24, the day of her returning back from the overseas, with neither explanation nor specific information of which government institute demanded the denial of entry against her. Wang Yu-Hsuan became the 2nd international peace worker who were denied entry to Korea since the launch of Park Geun-Hye government, after Ban Hideyuki on April 19, who is a co-representative of the Citizens’ Nuclear Information Center, a representing Japanese anti-nuclear group. (See PSPD)

Regis Tremblay immediately made a video on her on April 24. You can see it, here.

The Front Line Defenders also made a statement denouncing South Korean government. You can check it, here. (Thanks, Gayoon Baek, PSPD, for informing this)

Many Korean news media including Hankyoreh, Ohmynews, Gobal News, are reporting unjust entry denial against her.

She is the victim of vicious Immigration Control Act (See No. 3 and 4, item 1 of the Article 11, which can be indiscriminately applied to any internationals to the violation of their human rights ) of South Korea. 21 internationals have been refused entries in relation to the Jeju naval base issue. Beside that, Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter have gotten injunction and exit order respectively for their peace works in Gangjeong, last year. We hope this tragic moment would inspire many. We thank and bless Wang Yu-Hsuan for her new journey of life.

Wang Yu-Hsuan (Emily Wang), a peace worker, is with her lover, Kim Dong-Won, Incheon Airport, in the morning of April 26. The South Korean government rejected her entry into Korea without explanation.

‘I won’t sign the document which they asked me to sign, and I won’t leave by my own legs.
And I need a clear answer why I have to be out especially when I hold a legal visa by Republic of Korea, and when I applied my legal visa, I did explain well what I do in Korea. I work for peace. I am a peace worker.’ (Wang Yu-Hsuan in the morning of April 25). She has persistently demanded the reason from the Immigration Office since she got this notice from it on April 24.

Dear friends

I am leaving for Taiwan tomorrow with a ticket by my friends. I have to many to say, so I don’t sleep at the late night in the airport waiting room. Please read it.

I want to express my deep thankfulness for every small effort which you have done for me. I am not a perfect peace worker, but I would like to be brave to identify myself as a peace worker.

Since I got to know I am not to be allowed to enter Korea in the afternoon of April 24th, the immediate warm supporting action has been taken by the friends who I know or the friends who I don’t even know around the world.

When I am struggling in the immigration office in Incheon airport on the first day, I had my Korean friends who fly the same flight with me to support me and be with me although soon they were taken away. And in the first day’s stressful process in the immigration office, I won’t forget the endless ringing form the protesting phone calls and it bothered the immigration officers so much during the process. I never forget the immigration officers came to me to ask me to stop the posting on twitter as they’ve been annoyed so much by the protesting phone call and “even the phone call from UK!” said with an annoyed voice by one immigration officer. I talked on the phone of Immigration office with some protesting friends as they requested to talk with me who got stocked in the airport.

As soon as I took the phone from the officer, there’s one funny and impressive action which they did to me in common. Before telling me the encouragement words, they all told to me in the very beginning that “Just listen and don’t talk about the name(듣기만해 이름 부르지마).”

You will know why if you ever stay in Gangjeong. You will know why people become so sensitive about their names. I, as one of the peace worker in Gangjeong, know about it.

As a peace worker, we want to practice trust not doubting but one of the pathetic thing is a vicious circle of mistrusting. How beautiful my name is but for such a long time, I couldn’t tell my name in public.

Look at my case. I’ve never got arrested or received an investigation from the Korean police. I’ve never got a trial in the court. I’ve never easily told people my real name or in the beginning not even my nickname. But now I am rejected to enter to ROK because I am in the “Red List”. (* She means ‘black list.’)

It’s uncomfortable experiences but I am not surprised that ROK know about a small person like me. The Gangjeong police called my nick name “Emily” so naturally as if they have been knowing me for a long time. But I’ve never introduced even my nickname to any of the police, and since one day, even the security guys of naval base called my real name (passport name) to one person who’s appearance is similar with me.

I don’t want to deeply think of how they discovered these personal information as I want to be happier. haha But anyway I keep in mind that the nightmare which happened to many other our foreign friends may happen to me some day. And it happened now. Without the bad record from ROK police, I am directly on the national Red List! And so far, under the pressure of Korea congress men, the ministry of justice of ROK remain silent on the reason why prevent me from entering Korea. It’s an (inconvenient) secret.

Firstly, when I was brought to the immigration office and being told about what happened to me, I wasn’t cool enough to arrange my feelings and words.

I just kept requesting to the officers to tell me why a person like me with the legal visa issued by ROK got rejected to enter to Korea suddenly after a short oversea trip. I’ve been living continuously in Korea since 2011, but suddenly you reject me to enter again, and then how about all my “belongings” there: I still have family and friends there, I have seniors and Juniors there, I have love there, and I have inspiration there.

I just thought ROK, you are very RUDE! You don’t even have the manner which the elementary student usually have.

But Now I a bit regret that I should have said to the immigration officers that “thank you for highly value my peace work in your country by kicking me out. I didn’t know I am such an important small peace worker.”

By giving me the special label, I want to say thank you. You give me a big present to continue the vision of Inter-peace islands solidarity. I traveled out of Korea partially for the Inter-peace islands solidarity, but now I must be out of Korea for at least 5 year. I wonder how to receive your big present with honor.

In the beginning, I didn’t want to leave until I am forced out as I wanted to get the answer from the ministry of justice of ROK but my dear family in Jeju initiated to buy a return ticket for me to go back to Taiwan my home country, which made me not happy in the beginning. They said to me “I am sorry and ashamed but in the end we want you to walk back with dignity not with being carried by police.”

I was not happy but accepted the group decision. But after I clean up my mind in my last night in Korea (actually not Korea but the waiting room in airport), I was happy again as I begin to understand that I should walk back to Taiwan and other islands by my own will to realize “inter-peace Islands”. It’s not new to be carried out for a Gangjeong person but this time, I am not going to be carried out but I will walk beyond because I am not blocking but walking a new way.

Still I demand an official reason from ministry of justice, but now the burden lays on my families and friends in Korea who promised me to take the responsibility. Instead, they asked me to walk ahead with dignity. I am awakened about the price of my final dignity and I’m also awakened about the Big Present from ROK.

Too many thanks to say, so I said to the one.

Let’s work together, let’s not leave each other alone in the way of peace, so that we can finally say no to the war base.

War Base you are really Bad and RUDE!

Wang, Yu-Hsuan ( How beautiful name I have! )
2013/4/26 02:35 am

A sad but unforgettable moment. We wish much bless to both of you!

Photo by Dr. Song Kang-Ho/ Wang Yu-Hsuan raises hand for good-bye to the friends in Gangjeong, invisible for her, though. Just before her leaving on April 26. (Source)

‘After arriving in Taiwan, my passport with this paper was returned back to me. On the column of Reason of Repatriation, it’s written “person who got ENTRY DENIAL ” or maybe I can say “black list. ” but there’s no reason.’ (Wang Yu-Hsuan, April 26)

‘I am one of the people who has known Emily very well. I interviewed Emily who came from Taiwan on a day of July, 2011 when I had been much staying in and reporting on Gangjeong. Emily joined the struggle opposing to the Jeju naval base project, staying in Gangjeong village since June, 2011, along with other members of the ‘Frontiers,’ an international peace group.
Emily was doing silent protest holding her paintings in front of construction gates of the Jeju naval base project illegally being enforced. Can you say it was the ‘act to damage the public safety of the Republic of Korea’? Emily who ate ice cream that villagers gave her in their expression of thanks: Can you say it was the ‘act to damage economic order of the Republic of Korea? Emily who enjoyed the hide-and-sick play with the village children because they were especially fond of her: Can you say her play with children was the ‘act to damage good customs?’ (Lee Jubin, Ohmynews, April 26, 2013)

Photo by Jeong Dauri/ Wang Yu-Hsuan on a day of march ( information on specific date was not given) (source)

‘Dear Korea government, do you want to deport me because I witness the beauty of Gangjeong which you have been trying hard to hide from the world?’ (Wang Yu-Hsuan, April 25) It’s about Gangjeong in my eyes… (Video by Wang Yu-Hsuan )

May 1, 2013