1. Mr. Kim Young-Jae, a peace activist was illegally arrested and got the arrest warrant.
Photo by Park Yong-Sung/ Mr. Kim Young-Jae was arrested on April 12, 2013.
On April 12, Mr. Kim Young-Jae, a dedicated Gangjeong peace activist and a member of the SPARK (Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea) was arrested. He was standing in front of a truck around 1 pm in protest to illegal environment-destroying construction (destruction). His arrest marked the 2nd arrest this year, following the April 8 arrest of Mr. Bae Gi-Chul, representative of the Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island (Pan-Island committee afterward). Mr. Bae was released next night.
On April 14, the prosecutors filed for an arrest warrant against Mr. Kim Young-Jae and the Jeju court issued it against him around 2 pm. With prof. Yang Yoon-Mo who hits his 74th prison day as of April 14, 2013, Mr. Kim became another current prisoner. The total numbers of imprisonment became 24.
Mr. Park Young-Sung, a fellow activist, has reported on April 12 that the arrest on Mr. Kim Young-Jae was illegal and unreasonable. He reasoned that:
1. Even though Mr. Kim left the site after the police’s 2nd request for leaving, the police obstinately and illegally arrested him
2. Even though another activist with a sign stayed longer than Mr. Kim, sitting on chair in front of the truck, the police arrested only Mr. Kim.
Photo by Park Yong-Sung on April 12/ Mr. Kim Young-Jae holds a sign
It should be mentioned that Mr. Kim Young-Jae has been remarkably dedicated activist responsible for coordinating activists in Gangjeong, as well as being a member of the SPARK that has been targeted by the government for years. He was also one of the five who climbed up to a caisson dock in Hwasoon in protest to naval base construction on the opening day of 2012 WCC (World Conservation Congress) Jeju, Sept. 6, 2012.
Photo source: Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyeon’s tweeter/ Mr. Kim Young-Jae being detained in the Dongbu Police station, Jeju City on April 14.
2. “Where there is oppression, there is uprising!”
Amid the people’ fury for the arrest of Mr. Kim, a big trailer advanced into a gate of the naval base project committee building complex 30 minutes later of his arrest on April 12. The trailer was ignorant and uncouth to load its heavy weight on a small road in front of gate. There were risks that protesting people might be injured or some of them could be arrested, too…
In the afternoon, there were also Pan-Island committee activists who visited Gangjeong for protest after their press conference in the morning, which was on the environmental destruction for the naval base construction (destruction). The police forcefully encircled them with physical force, too. However, as the words that ‘where there is oppression, there is uprising, stated by people during 4·3 uprising are still remembered by many people, more people will rise up against bigger government oppression . The aspiration for peace would be greater.
On April 12, a big trailer advanced into a gate. For more photos, see here.
The Pan Island committee’s banner reads, “The Jeju Island government should promptly demand stop on the navy’s illegal construction!
Immediately carry out joint investigation on the ecology affect following illegal construction(destruction)!”
A Jeju activist stops a truck, April 12, 2013
Police forcefully encircling protesting activists on April 12, 2013
Photo and caption by Cho Sung-Bong (site) / The sign reads… “Police, there can be no difference between you and [the oppression force during the 4·3! At the time of 4·3, people’s public sentiments exploded! Ignoring the public opinion that cause should be healed, U.S. captain Brown (* Commander of the US military of Jeju then) killed more than 30,000 Island people, led by military and police, saying, “ I am not interested in the cause of the uprising. My mission is to crack down only.”
The content is clearly exhibited in the Peace Memorial Hall of the Jeju April 3 Peace Park.
Trucks and police were coming every 30 minutes…
(video by Pang Eun-Mi on April 12)
Photo and caption by Cho Sung-Bong/ “How can you endure this tough world without dance?,” she/he asked. You may dance if you love. For more photos by Cho Sung-Bong, see here.
