Save Jeju Now

No War Base on the Island of Peace

Author: savejejunow.org

  • 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.

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    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.

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    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.

     

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    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 )

  • December starts with continuous sit-in in the center of Seoul and release of all the arrested on Nov. 28

    On Dec. 1, while two young activists who were arrested on Nov. 28 and indicted by prosecutors since then were finally released by the court review on arrest warrant, the people who have started fast sit-in along with hair-shaving on Nov. 29 ended their sit-in in front of the National Assembly, after confirming many people’s solidarity and pledge by the politicians (See the below translated statement). Instead the sit-in will continue in the outdoor sit-in camp in the center of Seoul. Many people were happy at the good news that happened all together on the day. Today, Dec. 2 is Sunday. The Presidential election day of Dec. 19 is approaching soon. Construction vehicles passing the naval base project gates in Gangjeong stopped from the evening of Friday, Nov. 30 and people could take care life again after the high points of Nov. 28 and 29. However, in front of construction gate, the company thugs are removing people’s lumbers that people have filed up as barricade.  Gangjeong can never rest. Anyway, here are the stories on Dec. 1.

    Photo by Park Yongsung/ Two people who were arrested on Nov. 28 were finally released on Dec. 1. By the Dec. 1, all the three arrested on Nov. 28 were released.

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    1. People’s statement ending the outdoor sit-in in front of the National Assembly on Dec. 1

     

    Statement by the ‘Let’s live together’ Sit-In Camp Village:

    The struggle to cut the budget on the Jeju naval base project and to stop construction will be continued

    Mayor Kang’s overnight sit-in protest on the street without the tent in front of the national assembly in Seoul. . .enduring the coldest night with the vinyl. . .Photo by Park Rae-goon (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)

    On Nov. 28, the Saenuri Party unilaterally passed the original budget bill on the 2013 Jeju naval base project that the Government has submitted, in the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly. The Jeju naval base is a project  full of flaws from the design to construction process; such as suspicion on the unreliable construction, charges on manipulation and unreasonable construction have been endlessly raised. However, despite such numerous problems, the Saenuri Party committed undemocratic and unjust behavior confirming, without proper verification,  whole amount of 209 billion won that the Government has submitted as the Jeju naval base project budget next year, .

    Thereupon, to stop the 2013 Jeju naval base budget to be passed in the Budget and Balance committee of the National assembly, Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyun, mayor Kang Dong-Kyun, Fr. Mun Kyu-Hyun, Father Jeong Man-Young (Kolbe Chung), Mr. Song Chang-Wook (a Jeju resident), Park Soon-Hee (ex-representative of Nationwide Catholic Committee for the Justice) etc. decided hair-shaving and started fast sit-in, bearing an outdoor sleep amid the cold winter winds along with the friends of ‘Lets’ Live Together’ Sit-In Camp Village in front of the National Assembly.

    When such hair-shaving and fast sit-in started, members of the Democratic United Party, Progressive Justice Party and United Progressive Party visited the camp and pledged the budget cut on the naval base. The Green Party members and Kim So-Yeon, Presidential candidate of the Workers also expressed their same will, having the outdoor sit-in together. Various human rights, civic labor movement, environmental groups supporting the cause of outdoor sit-in, also pledged to join the struggle to stop the Jeju naval base budget next year being passed in the National Assembly.

    Currently it is told that the National Assembly tentatively agreed to postpone the [decision] by the Budget and Balance committee that decides the budget next year, to the afterward of the Presidential election. The politicians who visited the outdoor sit-in camp in front of the National Assembly and who promised that they would stop the passage of the Jeju naval base budget [in the National Assembly] must keep the promise without fail. If not, we would stage a struggle to inquire the responsibility for breaking their words not only to the Saenuri Party(* the ruling conservative) but also to the opposition parties including the Democratic United Party.

    Now trusting their promise, we are to return back to the “Let’s live together Sit-In Camp Village” in front of the Daehanmoon [of the Deoksou Palace, in the center of Seoul]. However we make clear that our struggle does never finish with the ending of our sit-in in front of the National Assembly. Through the sit-in struggle extended in the “Let’s Live Together Sit-In Camp Village,” we will fight to the end for the whole cut on the 2013 Jeju naval base budget, and further, to totally revoke the Jeju naval base project.

    The sit-in in front of the National Assembly is not the sit-in only for the Gangjeong villagers and activists who oppose the Jeju naval base. It is also an outdoor sit-in of the “Let’s Live Together Sit-In Camp Village,” being with the bereaved families of Yongsan, laid-off workers of Ssangyong automobile company and anti-nuclear activists fighting against the nuclear development. We who are evicted and pushed away are fighting in solidarity, feeling one another’s pain together. Our fighting is a joint action in life and solidarity in struggle to stop this cruel system that increases the wealth and power of the haves who take the bitter grievous tear and cry of the poor and powerless as manure.

    We will fight together to the end until the day of total revocation on the Jeju naval base project with our power of solidarity and joint action. Our solidarity and struggle will continue.

    Dec. 1, 2012

    Let’s live together Sit-In Camp Village

    (The original Korean statement(see here) was forwarded by Baek Gayoon, National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island)

     

    Videos on Sit-In in front of National Assembly from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1

    The 2nd night of Sit-in protest in Seoul urging the entire budget cut of Jeju naval base. . .Enduring the coldest night of this winter with the music. . .Lee Tae-ho, secretary general of PSPD, is playing the alto recorder(flute) ‘Gabriel’s Oboe’ of ‘The Mission’. . Video by Fr. Youngmin Choi, Jesuit priest (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)

    Freezing night on the street. . .even the vinyl roof was not allowed for the sit-in in front of the national assembly bldg. . .After the catholic mass at noon on December 1, the overnight sit-in has closed as the budget and balance committee of national assembly was informed to be held after the presidential election on December 19 to decide the funding of Jeju naval base of 2013 finally. Flim by Dunguree Park Seong-su (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)

     

     

    Other images in Seoul

    Post by Christian Karl/ No naval base sign projected on the City Hall building, Seoul
    Photo and caption by Emily Wang/ Festival in front of Deoksugung Palace. In front of the Deoksugung palace, a delicious and cheerful festival is going on. It’s a festival to give the solidarity to many social issues in Korea, including the budget issue of naval base. People are making the struggle cheerful in the cold winter in Seoul.

     

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    2. All the activists  were released by the evening of Dec. 1. However, abuse of state power has to be continuously raised as an issue. 

    Among the three arrested on Nov. 28, Mr. Kim Kook-Nam, a Jeju native who climbed up to a car wearing wire net at the risk of imprisonment was released by the evening of Nov. 29. However, Mr. Park Han-Baek and Mr. Park Jong-Hoon, two young men at their 20s and 30s who came from the main land were not released until the evening of Dec. 1. Mr. park Jong-Hoon was underneath a construction vehicle to stop the entry/exit of construction vehicles while 25 year old Park Han-Baek was just sitting in front of car with other people. Both of them were told to be charged with accumulated charges in the past, too, for their protests to stop the base project.

    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ The photo is Mr. park Jong-Hoon who was not released until Dec. 1. Mr. Park Jong-Hoon entered underneath a car to block construction vehicles on Nov. 28. See more photos by Jang Hyun-Woo, here.

    Otherwise, in case of Mr. park Han-Baek,  “The police carried a 25 year old young man away to a police car by an error judgment in presence of Lee Dong-Min, chief of the Seogwipo Police station(* A man from the main land and who ordered the blast of the Gureombi Rock, which went for two months, starting on March 7, this year). While the police acknowledged wrong order, the police and prosecutors were complicit to request imprisonment of him for investigation, charging him obstruction of business. See the below video.

    On the unjust arrest of a 25 year old young man on Nov. 28

    Video by Gami Kim (Source: Click here)

    Photo and caption by Park Yong-Sung on Nov. 30/”Two men are now in the Dongbu Police station, Jeju City and there would be the court review on the execution on arrest warrant against them in the Jeju local court at 4 pm, Dec. 1.”

     

    Upon the release of the two, peace activist, Park Yongsung wrote:

    ‘It is very clear that there is happening cracks among the police, prosecutors and court. I want to believe that the power of people can change politics. We want to believe that Gangjeong can change the world.

    Two friends told running to us, “I am sorry to make you have worried on me. My conviction for Gangjeong and peace became stronger when I acknowledged that I may be imprisoned. It is thanks to you who made all the efforts for us. “

    The lawyer is told to have succeeded to dishearten the infamous prosecutor, Park Kyun-Joon [who has seldom failed to send people opposing base project to the prison.’

    Another peace activist, Jo Yak Gol mentions that  abuse by state power to indiscriminately issue arrest warrant to people should be stopped.  Here is his video and summary on what really happened on Nov. 28.

    On the day of ruling party’s unilateral pass of budget bill in the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly, violent police oppression on the people’s non-violent civil disobedience happened.

    Video and summary by Jo Yak Gol(Source: Click here)

    Summary( translated)

    1. The police are dragging an international peacekeeper to the ground. He was only taking photos. The police even lie that he fell down because he mis-stepped. The police even prevent people’s rights to free speech and report.

    2. A peacekeeper(Mr. Park Han-Baek)  was arrested by the order of the chief of the Seogwipo police station, Lee Dong-Min, with no reason given, during the police roughing out of people. While the police acknowledge that arrest of him was by an error judgement, the chief of the Seogwipo Police station escapes the site amid people’s protest. The young man is now facing the court review on arrest warrant against him.

    3. The police arrest a peacekeeper(Mr. Kim Kook-Nam) who was just quietly sitting on the car with wire net in his upper body. The police threw down him to the police vehicle with no safety equipment around.

    Eventually the man was injured by the wire net during the police’s violent arrest of him. (released on the night of Nov. 29)

    4. A woman cries during the police roughing out of people, while she was pushed down here and there, with her under clothes exposed. The police just continue their job, ignoring the woman.

    5. While a peace keeper(Mr. Park Jong-Hoon) underneath a truck with his hands handcuffed to the truck, Koo Seul-Hwan, the security director of the Seogwipo police station order his policemen to forcefully cut the handcuffs and take him away. Koo Seul-Hwan, the chief of the security director is the very guy who ordered to use hammer on March 19 and electric air saw on April 16 to cut the PVC pipes through which people connected their arms together to stop explosive cars and construction vehicles. Despite Park’s  scream of pain, the police ignores it. The young man, Mr. Park Jong-Hoon  in his early 30s is now facing court review on arrest warrant against him.

    The police overexertion of crackdown in violation of human rights is only for the interest of navy and Samsung!

     

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    3. See also Carol Reckinger’s blog: “Gochak “Detention Circles

     

  • Former Minister of Unification visited Gangjeong

    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo, Nov. 30, 2012/ Visit by the former Minister of Unification. The former Minister of Unification witnessed state violence on citizens himself. For more photos by Jang Hyun-Woo, see here

    On Nov. 30, Lee Jae-Jung, former Minister of Unification visited Gangjeong, seeing himself on the police violation on human rights in Gangjeong.

    Will it make any difference? The Ex-Roh Moo-Hyun government for which he has worked as a Minister of Unification, decided to build the Jeju naval base in 2007 in the name of Civilian-Military Port of Call, despite the opposition of majority of villagers. It was under the current Lee Myung-Bak administration to expand the base project as the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty now turned out to be only false mask of ‘pure’ military base.

    Lee Jae-Jung, former Minister of Unification and 33rd Minister for Unification who was essential to the North and South Korea summit meeting 2007, lead the intense prelude to the second inter-Korean Leader’s Summit of 2–4 October 2007 (You can see Oct. 4 joint statement here. He is also known to have opposed the base project in 2007.

    However, the politicians under the Ex-Roh Moo-Hyun government should be responsible for the current situation. And he should not be the exception. Until they thoroughly apologize to the Korean citizens their fault in 2007 and make all efforts to revoke the Jeju naval base project, people will not pardon them.

    We hope the Former Minister, seeing in his bare eyes, the real situation of people’s desperate struggles in Gangjeong, make his best effort to cut the whole budget on the Jeju naval base project!!!!

    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo, Nov. 30, 2012/ The former Minister of Unification witnessed state violence on citizens himself. For more photos by Jang Hyun-Woo, see here

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    See also Carol Reckinger’s blog

    High level visit in Gangjeong and the fight continues

     

    Photo by Carol Reckinger

  • Statements against the ruling party’s snatch of budget bill in the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly on Nov. 28

    Photo by Jeong Dawoori/ Fr. Mun Kyoohyun, Mayor Kang and Fr. Mun Jeong-hyun (From the left) directly after shaving the heads in protest of the ruling party’s snatch of the budget bill on the Jeju naval base project on November 29 in Seoul. For more photos by Cho Sung-Bong, see here (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)

    In the morning of Nov. 28, as the news was told that the Saenuri Party unilaterally railroaded the 2013 Jeju naval base budget without the presence of the Democratic United Party (main opposition party/ ‘DP,’ afterward) members in the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly, four Jeju-based or born National Assembly men and women (all DP) made a protest statement.  The Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island and National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island also made a joint statement. And those were followed by the villagers’ emergency statement upon the above news and intensified protest with the arrest of three people in the village on the day (All were released as of Dec. 1).  The people including the villagers would declare on hair-shaving and fast protest on No. 29.  The below is the collection of the three statements(translated) on Nov. 28. The statements reflect the degree of people’s fury on the ruling Saenuri’ party’s creeping of the National Assembly and its snatch of the budget bill on the Jeju naval base project.  For  Nov. 29 protest photos and summary, see here

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    1. Four National Assembly members ‘statement:

    The Saenuri Party’s pass of budget on the Jeju naval base in snatched way should be revoked!! It should be totally nullified!!

    Today [on Nov. 28], the Saenuri Party passed the Jeju naval base budget in snatched way in the general meeting of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly.  Even though the ruling and opposition parties had talked to dispose the issue by agreement through enough discussion, the Saenuri party ignoring it, acted with even snatchin an unreserved way.

    It has never been precedent in the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly that a budget bill was passed in a snatched way even with a vote in its budget examination. It is because there is no ruling and opposition regarding security matter.

    We, the present National Assembly members have claimed whole cut of the Jeju naval base project budget for four reasons on Nov. 5, 2011. We especially stated that whole cut of budget is inevitable for construction stop and whole re-examination because the Government has not properly carried out the subsidiary opinion by the Budget and Balance Special Committee of the National Assembly in 2007 that the Government would use the base as the ‘Jeju Civilian-Military Port of Call’; and National Assembly’s five recommendations such as ‘conclusion on the protocol with the Jeju Island,’ presented during the budget examination by the Budget and Balance Special committee of the National Assembly in 2011 (* See the below reference)

    Despite that, the Saenuri Party ignored the dignity of the National assembly by itself, acting snatch of the bill in an unreserved way on today, Nov. 28.  In relation to the Jeju naval base project, the Saenuri Party committed a behavior of violation on the National Assembly that it passed the 2013 Jeju naval base budget in snatched way as the original Government proposal even without subsidiary opinion.

    The Jeju naval base project is dividing the Jeju Island people. Even though the National Assembly has a natural responsibility to settle such conflicts during the examination process on budget, the ruling and Saenuri Party and Park Geun-Hye, Presidential candidate of the Party have shown no will on the settlement of conflicts among the Jeju Island people and no true will on the unity of citizens.

    The present National Assembly members strongly denounce the Saenuri party’s Jeju naval base budget-snatching and declare it is a total nullity.

    Nov. 28, 2012

    Kang Chang-Il. Kim U-Nam. Kim Jae-Yoon and Jang Hana, Democratic United Party, all the present

    The five recommendations by the Budget and Balance Special Committee of the National Assembly in 2011 are:

    △ Revision of enforcement decree on the Port Act and change of basic plan on harbor and bay so that the base can be designated as a trade port [in part]/ Revision of enforcement decree on Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act for the guarantee of entry/exit of cruise / Conclusion on the protocol on the civilian-military joint use on the harbor and bay among the Ministry of National Defense (MND), Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs (MLTM) and Jeju Island

    △ Consultation on the division of the rights on official regulations on harbor & bay: And conclusion on maintenance/repair of harbor & bay facility.

    (*On June 29, the revisions on the two bills mentioned above were promulgated. But the protocol was not concluded yet because of the Jeju Island’s raising of question on technical verification on the entry/exit of cruise. There is also the Jeju Island’ dissatisfaction on the rights of official regulation. See here.)

    △ Technical examination on the possibility of port entry by 150,000 ton cruise

    (* It turned out that, according to recently disclosed technical verification simulation movie, it is possible for cruise to enter the port only by support of four tug boats. See here.)

    △ Support on the vicinity areas of the Gangjeong village)

    (* On Oct. 25, the villagers dissipated the hearing supervised by the Office of Prime Minister, saying the villagers are not deceived by so called local decelopment with the projecy. See here)

    △ The procedures and ways on the investigation on the surface of the earth for cultural treasures to be processed in lawful way.

    (* The investigation on cultural treasured were full of law-evasiveness and illegality)

    (Source: Jeju Sori, Nov. 29, 2012)

    Photo by Lee Woo-Ki, Nov. 29, 2012/ Jang Hana, a young National Assembly woman who has disclosed many times on the government fraud on the Jeju naval base project, cries right after Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyun shaved his hair with the start of fast in protest of the Saenuri Party’s snatching the budget bill on the Jeju naval base project on Nov. 28, in front of the National Assembly in Seoul in the morning of Nov. 29. For more photos, click here and here.Photographer Lee Wooki says. ‘Jang Hana, a newly elected member of the National Assembly and a Jeju-born. While fighting lonely and laboriously against enormously established political power, her heart is always for Gangjeong…Now she is the only true National Assembly member in South Korea.’

     

    2. Statement by the Pan-Island and nationwide organizing committees to stop the naval base regarding the ruling party members’ snatch of the budget bill in the National Defense committee of the National Assembly

    The below  is a translation. Its original Korean statement can be seen here.

    ……………………………………………………………………………….

    Dismantle the Saenuri Party that has disposed the Jeju naval base budget in snatched way!

    -The Democratic United Party should actively stand to cut the budget!

    1. The 2013 Jeju naval base budget that should be fair to be totally cut was disposed in snatched way by the Saenuri Party in the National Defense committee of the National Assembly in the morning of Nov. 28. The members of the Saenuri Party belonging to the National Defense Committee repeated bad habit as the members of ‘the party specialized in snatch’ to pass the budget bill on the Jeju naval base that the Defense Program Administration Agency has proposed. It was a snatch carried out in 10 minutes of the opening ofmeeting in the meeting room of the National Defense committee of the National Assembly.

    2. The Jeju naval base project has been unilaterally enforced ignored of the principles such as local residents’ agreement and lawful procedure. Under the Lee Myung-Bak government of the Saenuri Party, nothing has been done with proper elucidation and verification from the total base layout flaws to the controversy on unreliable caisson production and outside pressure to the verification meeting supervised under the Office of Prime Minister.

     The recommendation items last year which had been through the agreement between the ruling and opposition parties of the Budget and Balance sub-committee of the National Assembly have been seldom kept. In such situation, the snatching budget-pass by the Seanuri Party this time means they merely overturned their decision items by themselves.

    Even though it turned out to be impossible for two 150,000 ton cruises for the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty to come alongside the pier-which the Government has at least promised- as a result of verification and therefore the members of the Saenuri Party know that they need new access to that matter, they thoroughly ignored it.

    3. In the time faced of the Presidential election, the snatched passage of budget this time by the members of the Saenuri Party of the National Assembly is merely a mean-spirited trick, reflected of its intention on security trade with the issue of the Jeju naval base.

    Especially even though candidate Park Geun-Hye has said that she would make the Jeju as the 2nd Hawai’i with the building of the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, which is nothing to do with the will of the Jeju Island people, it is only to betray citizens for the party to stand idle on the passage of budget in the situation when even basic verification has not even been completed. If the party is to make great unity while deceiving citizens, the party should be basically dismantled and its candidate has to be declared of having no basic quality [as the President (candidate)]

    4. The Democratic United Party should also actively respond on the matter of the Jeju naval base. In relation to the Jeju naval base, candidate Moon Jae-In has promised to the citizens and Jeju Island people on construction stop and re-examination. Even though it was not without the efforts by a part of the party, it is still a question whether the Democratic United Party has possibly acted to properly keep such promise. Even now, we demand the Democratic United Party actively step to keep the promise by candidate Moon and its party opinion of construction stop and re-examination during the remaining process by Budget and Balance Committee of the National assembly.

    Nov. 28, 2012

    Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island

    National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island

    Photo by Emily Wang, Nov. 29, 2012/ For more photos by Emily Wang, see here and here.
    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo, Nov. 29. For more photos by Jang Hyun-Woo, see here. / Even during the people’s hair-shaving event in protest of the Saenuri Party’s snatch of budget bill on Nov. 28,  police oppressed them only to make construction vehicles to enter and exit the main gates of the Jeju naval base project area, enforced in the Gangjeong village, Jeju

    ……………………………………………………………………………….

    3. Villagers Emergency statement (Original Korean statement can be seen here)

    Candidate Park Geun-Hye proved out that she is a ghost of the military dictatorship that would lead the Republic of Korea into a dark age.

    -Denouncing the Saenuri Party that passed the 2013 Jeju naval base budget in snatched way

    The Saenuri Party passed the next year budget on the Jeju naval base project as its original proposal without the presence of the members of the Democratic United Party in the general meeting of the Budget and Balance committee of the National Assembly.

    Even though the Jeju naval base has a name of so called the Civilian–Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, it is strictly a military base and of a security project. A security project is a business that absolutely needs people’s agreemet therefore it is a project that the ruling and opposition parties should make an agreement and allocate budget. Still the Saenuri Party abusing its more than half seats in the National Defense committee passed the budget in snatching way. It is the behavior of infringement on the National Assembly as the Jeju-based National Assembly members of the Democratic United Party claim.

    As a result, it was disclosed that the Lee Myung Bak government turned out to be irresponsible regime, lack of morality as already seen in the affairs of private property in Naegokdong, Seoul, BBK, inspection on the civilian; to ignore public poll and enforce the projects distrusted by citizens as seen in the four river project and nuclear power plant; and to increase the gap between the rich and poor for its economy policy centered around the Chaebol(재벌/ a South Korean form of business conglomerate). Still it was also disclosed that Park Geun-Hye, candidate of the Saenuri Party is not willing to punish the current regime and heads for another immoral regime which is not different from the Lee Myung Bak government, as to look on snatched pass of budget bill even on a security project.

    How the Saenuri Party dares to make limp of the budget bill in snatched way in the National Assembly during the Presidential election perod, if not from the intention to return back to the Yushin period with the election of candidate, Park Geun-Hye, as the President, following Lee Myung-Bak regime that is told to have retrogressed Democracy to decades ago!

    If candidate Park Geun-Hye does not apologize on the incident on the snatched bill and does not cooperate on budget cut, The Gangjeong Village Association will enter the campaign to defeat candidate Park Geun-Hye, together with all the solidaity groups who are with the Gangjeong village and all democratic citizens in this country who resist to self-righteousness and dictatorship.

    And Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyun, mayor Kang Dong-Kyun etc will start undefined fast and hair-shaving for the purpose of whole 2013 budget cut on the Jeju naval base project, from tomorrow of Nov. 29, in protest against candidate Park Geun-Hye and Saenuri Party that forcefully carried out snatching of the budget bill in the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly. We have a strong faith that history has been always for the victory of people that have broken down the violent coercion by dictatorships. Therefore we will win without fail and will fight until we win.

    Finally, we ask Presidential candidate Moon Jae-In and Democratic United Party to make all the efforts to cut the whole budget on the Jeju naval base with the willingness to judge immoral candidate and party.

    Nov. 28

    The Gangjeong Village Association

     

    Photo by Emily Wang, Nov. 29, 2012/ Mr. Go Gwon-Il, Chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the naval base, holds a sign om the current conscientious prisoners against the naval base project
    Photo By Jang Hyun-Woo, Nov. 29, 2012/ Jeong Young-Hee, Chairwoman of the Village Women’s Association. It is her 2nd time to shave hair in protest against the naval base project. She has cut her hair on May 26 in protest of the Island governor who is complicit to enforce the naval base project.

    …………………………………………………………..

    Article on Nov. 28 protest in Gangjeong, see here and here(Carol Reckinger)

    Summary and photos (Seoul, Gagnjeong)  of Nov. 29 protest (in English), see here and here (Carol Reckinger)

    Summary and photos of Seoul protest on Nov. 29 (in Korean): See Catholic News, Nov. 29, 2012

    Videos on Nov. 29 protest

    20 people shaved the heads in Seoul and Gangjeong, Sit-in overnight protest and fasting started in front of National Assembly on November 29, against the government budget bill of Jeju naval base railroaded in the defense committee only with the presence of the ruling party members. The night of Seoul and Gangjeong is very very cold. . .Videos by Dunguree 박성수 (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)

    Video on Seoul protest, Nov. 29 (Source: Click here)

    Video on Gangjeong protest, Nov. 29 (Source: Click here)

    Video on Gangjeong protest, Nov. 28 (Source: Click here)

  • Jeju Region Professors’ Open Inquiry to the Two Presidential Candidates

    Photo: Hankyoreh, Nov. 28, 2012/ ‘Banners for candidates for the Dec. 19 president election in Seoul’s Eunpyeong district. Nov. 27 was the official start of campaigning. (Ryu Woo-jong, staff photographer)’

     

    The Presidential election in South Korea is on Dec. 19, 2012. Only 20 days are left from now on. On Nov. 27, a day before the ruling Saenuri Party’s violent unilateral railroading of budget on the 2013 Jeju naval base project (about 201 billion won) in the National Defense committee of the National Assembly on Nov. 28 (The budget bill is now passed to the Budget and Balance Committee of the Assembly for final talk on it), the Jeju Region Professors’ Association to Stop Construction and to Discuss Again on the Jeju naval Base’  made public its open inquiry to the two big Presidential Candidates: Park Geun-Hye (bio) in the ruling Saenuri Party and Moon Jae-In in the Democratic United Party, the main opposition party (bio). It is clear that the two big candidates have a common position on the Jeju naval base that it should be dual form of the civilian and military, even though their measures on the currently, clearly illegal, law-evasive construction (destruction) may be different. The professors, pointing out the whole process of the Jeju naval base project has been a deception, chase the two Candidates to make their clear positions regarding current big exposures. You can see the original Korean statement, here.

    …………………………………………………………………………

     

    Open inquiry to two Presidential candidates of Park Geun-Hye and Moon Jae-In, on the Jeju naval base project that betrays citizens

     

    From today, [Nov. 27, 2012], official election campaign for 22 days [until Dec. 19] to elect the 18th [ROK] President starts. We expect that Park Geun-Hye, candidate of the Saenuri Party and Moon Jae-In, candidate of the Democratic United Party would stage fierce two-power confrontation this period. The Jeju Region Professors’ Association to Stop Construction and to Discuss Again on the Jeju naval Base’ (‘JRP,’ afterward) truly hope that the two candidates enter for fair and clean contest, centered around policy matters.

    Even though the whole country enjoys a festival to elect the President, there happen endless daily conflicts around the enforcement of construction in the Gangjeong village, Jeju. Various law-evasive enforcements of construction and violation on human rights are being staged there. From Jan. 2010 to Oct. 2012, 650 people have been taken away and arrested. Among them 22 people were imprisoned and 480 people were indicted. Recently, 24 hour construction was enforced for the navy to secure the 2013 budget on the naval base project therefore the clash between the police and Gangjeong villagers has become intensified, which resembles a battle field. While the country is holding a festival, an atmosphere of a morning house fills the Gangjeong village, Jeju.

    We, the JPR is to openly inquire on the positions of two candidates, Park Geun-Hye and Moon Jae-in on the Jeju naval base project that is being enforced deceiving the South Korean citizens.

    The Government has driven construction quibbling that the Jeju naval base project is to build a Civilian-Military Complex for Tour Beauty for 150,000 ton cruise to freely enter and exit. The Government basis of the justification for the construction drive was the ‘Result and Measure plan on the Technical Verification on the entry/exit of cruise (‘report,’ afterward),’ reported by the ‘Technical Verification Committee on the Cruise Entry/Exit of Port in the  Civilian-Military Complex for Tour Beauty (‘Technical Verification Committee,’ afterward). However, it is unfortunately turning out that the report is of falsehood and betrayal.

    To recollect, a question was raised whether the Jeju naval base project is not the Civilian-Military Complex for Tour Beauty but in fact, of building a [pure] naval base or not, in September, 2011 when Kang Chang-Il, a [Jeju-based] National Assembly member and a member of the Democratic United Party, exposed the fact on the conclusion of so called dual MOU (see the below reference). Thereupon, the ROK National Assembly recommended to the Government to form a verification technical committee and to objectively and fairly disclose truth. Following its recommendation, the Office of Prime Minister has formed the ‘Technical Verification Committee on the Cruise Entry/Exit of Port in the Civilian-Military Complex for Tour Beauty (‘Technical Verification Committee,’ afterward). Since then, the Office of Prime Minister has written ‘Result and Measure plan on the Technical Verification on the entry/exit of cruise (‘report,’ afterward),’ in which the content was that cruise entry and exit of port is possible, based on the activities by the technical and verification committee meeting. It was Feb. 29, 2012 that the National Policy Control meeting supervised by Kim Hwang-Sik, Prime Minister, decided to drive the Jeju naval base construction based on the report without setback. Since then construction (destruction) has been enforced in earnest (* including the blast of Gureombi Rock for two months, from March 7)

    Reference: In Sept. 2011, It has been disclosed by Kang Chang-Il in the ROK National Assembly that while the MOU owned by the Jeju Island government was titled as the ‘Memorandum of Understanding Related to the Construction of the Civilian-Military Complex Tour Beauty Harbor (Jeju Naval Base),’ the MOU owned by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) was titles as the ‘Jeju Naval Base.’ For the translation of the MOU on April 27, 2009, see here. For the news article on dual MOU, click here. See another reference article on Feb. 20, 2012, here.

    However as Jang Hana, National Assembly woman made public the meeting minutes of the technical verification Committee, a question was raised that the report had been framed. The suspicion raised by Jang Hana, National Assembly woman, turned out to be factual by the testimony by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou(Korea Maritime University) who has joined the technical verification committee meeting, in the inspection by the Administrative and Self-Governing committee of the Island Council on Nov. 19. According to his testimony, the report by the technical verification committee meeting was written in the condition of induced meeting result for the Government to avoid the change of base design and construction stop.

    Eventually, the Government enforced law-evasive construction betraying citizens as if the Jeju naval base is a Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, based on false basis for the enforcement of construction by now, while committing shameless acts of barbarism violating the human rights of Gangjeong villagers and peace activists who make effort to stop it.

    We truly ask to two candidates: Do you really think it is a just project that the Government drives committing the law-evasive and human rights violation and betraying citizens even though it is a national policy project related to national security?

    Candidate, Park Geun-Hye, has said related to the issue of the Jeju naval base that she would “certainly raise the Jeju as a Cruise tourism herb by which two interests of security and Jeju development can be both captured. And Moon Jae-In, Presidential candidate of the Democratic United Party said that “the form should be that of co-existence of civilian port for possible cruise entry of port and military port purposeful of port of call, as the National Assembly decided.” And he would “stop construction and re-examine the project content according to democratic procedures.” Should the Jeju naval base construction be enforced even though situations and truths have been disclosed? Does candidate Park Geun-Hye think the current construction should be a tour herb that covers security and Jeju development? Does candidate Moo Jae-In think it would be a beautiful port where civilian and military port purposed for port of call can co-exist?

    We, the ‘JRP” has claimed that the Jeju naval base construction should be stopped and the matter on the continuous process of the construction should be decided through discussions again. Given the disclosed facts that the construction has been processed based on false basis, our claims have become more firm. We hope that the two candidates state your true opinions regarding our position. We also ask you to disclose your positions on the measures on the Government that deceives its citizens and violates their human rights.

     

    Nov. 27, 2012

     

    The Jeju Region Professors’ Association to Stop Construction and to discuss again on the Jeju Naval Base

     

    Photo by Jeju Sori, Aug. 10. 2011/ The Jeju Region Professors’ Association to Stop Construction and to discuss again on the Jeju Naval Base(JRP)
    Presidential election promotion posters in the village, Nov. 2, 2012

    ……………………………………………………………………..

    Regarding Kyle Kajihiro’s letter(April 25, 2012) to Koreans, a critique of Park Geun-Hye’s remark on Jeju both as tourism and military base, based on the model of Hawai’i, see here.

    …………………………………………………………………….

    Reference

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165874

    “해군기지 문제 어떻게 생각하나” 대선후보에 공개질의

    제주교수협, 박근혜-문재인후보에 질의서 전달

    2012.11.27  15:36:17

  • Gangjeong Rises Up in Anger at Lack of Budget Cuts for the Jeju Naval Base Project

    Police attack, a Jeju islander on top of a van in front of the naval site main gate. Image: Carole Reckinger

    In response to the news that the Jeju Naval Base project budget for 2013, 200,900,000,000 Won, was passed completely without any cuts by the National Assembly and the majority holding Saenuri Party, Jeju citizens, villagers, and activists rose up in anger with direct action. Three people were arrested.

    An activist chained beneath a van. Image: Carole Reckinger

    Two vehicles were parked in front of the gates to the naval base site and people chained themselves underneath. At one gate, Anglican priests held a prayer service and at the other another person climbed on the roof of a van wrapping himself in barbed wire. People surround the vehicle with their bodies, firewood, junk, and whatever else they can find as usual. Soon hundreds of police arrived. They surrounded the Anglican prayer service so that they couldn’t leave and join the other gate’s struggle. Then they moved to the main gate of the construction site.

    The van is towed away. Image: Carole Reckinger

    There police surrounded the people and made their usual “gochak” detention circles to throw the people in, blocking them from blocking the gate. One by the one, people were dragged away and thrown in the detention circles. Then they roughly knocked down the person on top of the van, without regard for his safety. He was arrested. Then they cut the chains off the person under the van and arrested him along with a person who was simply accompanying to check his condition, totaling three arrests. Finally the van was towed away and the cement trucks went in and out. But it took almost an hour and a half.

    It was a very heavy struggle which left many villagers and activists in tears. The police, seemingly indifferent, soullessly did their jobs and walked away.

    Tomorrow, in response to the lack of budget cuts their will be protests in Seoul and several people including Father Mun Jeong Hyun and Gangjeong Village Mayor Kang will shave their heads and begin fasting. The budget will now go to the final stage, the Budget and Balance Committee.

    A Gangjeong villager mourns the unceasing oppression and destruction of his hometown. Image: Save Jeju Now

  • 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)

  • Gangjong Villagers’ Unity Day and other weekend stories in Gangjeong

    Gangjeong is alive. Its vivid life seldom stops despite ongoing construction inside the construction area during the weekend. Here are some sketches and stories of Gangjeong on Sunday, Nov. 25 by the early dawn of Monday, Nov. 26. Meanwhile  our friends in Okinawa had a Mangetsu Matsuri (Full Moon festival on Nov. 24, Saturday. You can see the full report and pictures here.  You can also see the solidarity messages and pictures from Jeju to Okinawa here. 

     

    1. Gangjeong Villagers’ Unity Day

    Nov. 25, 2012/ Gangjeong Villagers’ Unity day. People in tent across construction gate cheers the villagers. For more photos, see here.

    There was a Gangjeong villagers’ Unity Day event amid the rainy afternoon of Sunday, Nov. 25. The event started at 5 pm. About 30~40 villagers gathered in rain coats. The villagers marched to the Jeju naval base project committee building complex with the flags that read ‘no naval base,’ and ‘The Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty is a FRAUD.”

    In front of the committee building complex, mayor Kang Dong-Kyun said, “We should call it not the base project committee but a fraud group.” He also emphasized villagers’ task to inherit the Gangjeong stream nearby it to their descendants as it is, without environmental contamination by the destruction of naval base-building.

    There was a lecture by Prof. Cho Young-Bae, a Gangjeong native and currently a reverend, too. The subject was about the ‘co-existence and harmony’ for the Gangjeong community. He said the importance of saving community beside the task of stopping the naval base project. His speech reflected villagers’ greatest pain of broken community between con and pro on the Jeju naval base project.

    The village proud of 400 years old history had been well preserved of its traditions: Respecting elders and caring children through various traditional community events. However, one of such most exemplary communities has suffered near for six years by now because of conflict and division between the con and pro opinions on the naval base. Almost every villager became to have their opponents within the members of their family or relatives.

    It is worthy to note that the Jeju has relatively well preserved the protocol of traditional Korean culture and spirit. The community spirit has been expressed in a word, ‘Sooneuleum (수눌음),’ a Jeju dialect.

    ‘In the spirit of Souneuleum, people help those of the sick, with no parents and disable first. All share their stuffs for the people in poor and difficult situation. It is the tradition of Jeju to overcome its barren nature environment [of wind and stone] and to live together for more than a thousand year…Sooneuleum is a kind of exchange work that is called as Pooamashi(품앗이) by which people help in rotation one another in fishery, agriculture and cattle breeding . “While Pooamashi needs compensation in exchange, the Sooneulem is based on ‘no condition,’ in helping the people in difficult situation.” (Han Gong-Ik, President of Jeju branch, Korean Culture Centers’ Association) (Source: Click here)

    Prof. Cho Young- Bae says it is not the navy that we should really fight against. It is more of struggle against self-righteousness and exclusiveness inside us. We should not hate the betrayers like Mr. Yoon Tae-Jung, ex-mayor of the village who betrayed majority of villagers who are opposing the naval base project, but criticize their crimes of self-righteousness and exclusiveness that contradicts to the spirit of co-existence and harmony, Prof. Cho emphasized.

    In the kitchen, village women cooked warm meals of boiled pork (a traditional Jeju food) and Bibimbab, a meal of rice mixed with vegetables.

    After the meal, there was a performance of Korean traditional music by professional performers.

     

    2. Song concert by the Gangjeong Flower band

    The diligent Gangjeong flower band never takes rest. Visiting and consoling the three key spots of the village (Natgiriso,  the sacred source of the Gangjeong stream; Gangjeong port; and construction gates near the Gangjeong stream), the band sang for life and peace. You can  here their recent song titled ‘Kimbab from the Paradise ‘that calls for whole budget cut on the Jeju naval base project.

    Photo by Hwang Hyun-Jin, a member of the Gangjeong Flower band on Nov. 25, 2012

    Here is a short remark by a member of the band. “We just finished part 2 of our music concert in the Gangjeong port. People lie, sit or stand and say hello to the Gureombi Rock. We are the ones who love the Gureombi Rock in each one’s own way.“(Hwang Hyun-Jin, post on Nov. 25)

     

    3. We don’t want to confront against foreign workers

    News from the protest field around 3:10 am on Nov. 26 (Fwd. translated)

    Photo by Park Yong-Sung/ Two reverends during Sunday. The letters on the chairs in front of construction gate read: “Let’s save the Gangjeong village.”

    ‘During the weekend, the construction(destruction) inside the naval base project area was continued. The villagers and activists are keeping the gate 24 hours. It was this dawn (around 3 am) when  only two people were in the gate: Workers and thugs brought about 10 Vietnamese workers who roughed out us. Imagine that we are surrounded by 10 Vietnamese workers who seldom know the situation and with whom language communication is not possible. The Vietnamese friends say to us smiling us ‘hello’ in Korean as if they think it is a play. How horrible I felt on it to face their pure eyes.

    A knocking situation. Two of us tied our bodies to a lumber with a chain saying to them no vehicle should  enter until this situation is informed to the responsible personnel in the construction site and police promise us no recurrence of such situation. Not to mention illegality of construction, the companies order foreign workers to do such job which has been done by the police. I hate to think of any possible violent situation [in which I face against the foreign workers)

    The beginning of long week after a weekend break like X-mas started again.’ (Park Yong-Sung)

     

    4. A story by a graduate of the ROK Military Academy

    Mr. Song Chang-Wook is a graduate of the ROK Military Academy. He was admitted to it as the top in its passing examination more than 25 years ago. He is  a strong and cheerful peace activist now. He has been arrested many times for his non-violent protest to stop the construction vehicles in front of the naval base construction gates. He tells a remarkable story.

    Photo by Cho Sung Bong 
    Song Chang-Wook sleeping in front of construction gate during the night time protest early November. Director Cho mentions on him, ‘There will be no other man who can sleep in such proud form, giving up all his stuff to empty himself and fill himself again’

    ‘In Seoul, I happen to be invited to dinner by my same year graduate friends in the ROK military Academy. I ran by taxi to Itaewon (* A part of the Itaewon is very popular among the United States military personnel, known as the GI town. See here). I told to my friends on the reasons of opposition against the Jeju naval base project. My friends  are currently working in the Defense Security Command, Aviation Operations Command, Graduate School of Korea National Defense University, ROK-US Combined Forces Command. And one of my friends has worked in the trade business in the past. They looked very shocked by my telling. They told me they have been never aware how the project is being driven in such shameful ways.

    A friend told me that the Graduate School of Korea National Defense University (KNDU) has formed a relationship with the Gangjeong elementary school tens of years ago. According to him, one day a man who claims himself as a village representative ( * It is very likely that the man was ex-village mayor, Yoon Tae-Jung) came to the KNDU and appealed to them to please help him saying that ‘professional protesters,’ from the outside  have come to the village and make propaganda to and divide the villagers while the villagers desperately want the naval base construction. So my friend who have thought that the situation the man told was true told me that he was sorry to hear me. My friends told me that they are my side and encouraged me. Even though I am tired to drink with them,  I feel warmhearted by their words. We should make more efforts to spread truth following my friends’ advice.” (Song Chang-Wook around 2 am, Nov. 26)

     

    5. Solidarity in Japan, Iwakuni  and Nagoya (Post by Yoshio Nakamura on Nov. 24 and 25)

    Mr. Kim Jong Il, member of Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, showed his solidarity to people in Iwakuni who oppose consolidation of US bases there. He spoke about history of military relationship between US and South Korea and up-date of struggle against naval base on Jeju during AWC-Japan’s anti-US base rally in Iwakuni on November 23-24   (Post by Yoshio Nakamura on Nov. 24)

    Post by Yoshio Nakamura on Nov. 24/ Mr. Kim Jong Il, member of Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea made a speech in Iwakuni, Japan on Nov. 24

    Mr. Kin Jong-Ill shared anti-naval base struggle on Jeju in Nagoya, Japan (November 25, 2012)

    Post by Yoshio Nakamura on Nov. 26/ Mr. Kim Jong-Il, member of Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea made a speech in Nagoya, Japan on Nov. 25

     

    6 Gangnam style???…pfff……Gangjeong style!!!!: Video by Carol Reckinger

    Visit her great blog that includes wonderful pictures and stories on the current struggle against the naval base. Click here

    Gangjeong Style from Carol Rekinga on Vimeo.

     

    7. The nature as it is

    Gangjeong Stream of November. . .Photo by Cho Sung-bong. For more photos, see here. (Post by Regina Pyon)

  • Village mayor’s lawsuit against the Prime Minister to demand 0.9 cent solatium

    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ On Nov. 23, village mayor Kang Dong-Kyun filed a lawsuit against the Prime Minister to demand on 0.9 cent solatium for betraying citizens.

     

    On Nov. 23, 2012, Kang Dong-Kyun, Gangjeong village mayor, filed a lawsuit against the Prime Minister, Kim Hwang-Sik, to demand 1 won solatium. 1 won is 0.9 cent by the US currency standard. Why? The below translation explains the purpose of the lawsuit that is hoped to be extended into citizens’ campaign to demand the Prime Minister to make an official apology, stop construction and cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project.

    Prof. Shin Yong-In, Professor of the Law School of the Jeju University and legal advisory to the Village Association mentions in relation to it:

    “With the exposure by Jang Hana, National Assembly woman, on the technical verification committee meeting minutes and testimony by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou, member of the technical verification committee, in the Island Council inspection, it became completely clear that the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty is a fabrication. Therefore any justifications for construction drive and budget allocation have become disappeared [..] If that part becomes certainly AN ISSUE, our struggle will have tremendous power to bring construction to be stopped and whole budget to be cut [..] We should demand the Prime Minister to make an official apology for his deception to people and to stop construction (destruction). And the Presidential candidates should make public their positions on the Government that cheats  people”

    ( Korean language source: Click here)

    The Prime Minister should make an official apology to the people for his deceiving of them!

    Stop construction (destruction)!

    Cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project!

    ………………………………………………………………

     

    Mayor’s statement

    : Filing a lawsuit against the Prime Minister, Kim Hwang-Sik, to demand 0.9 cent solatium

     

    1. On Feb. 29, 2012, ‘the result and measure plan on the technical verification on the port-entry & exit by cruise,’ related to the Jeju Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, was discussed in the National Policy Control meeting that Kim Hwangsik, Prime Minister, presided over. As the result of meeting, the participants in the meeting told to confirm that it is possible by and large for 150,000 ton cruise to enter and exit port of the the Jeju Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, decided to drive the construction such as dredging in earnest, to complete construction by 2015 as planned.

    2. Since then, the site of Gangjeong was transformed into a situation being alike a battle field where endless daily clashes occur between the navy that enforces construction (destruction) with the mobilization of police and peace activists that make efforts to stop it. For a year of 2012 alone, about 390 people have been arrested.

    3. However, on Nov. 19, 2012, it was exposed through the inspection by the Administration and Self-Governing Committee of the Jeju Island Council that the report by the technical verification committee meeting supervised by the Office of Prime Minister was framed on the condition that the Government doctored the meeting result to avoid layout alteration and construction stop, which was through the testimony by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou, Korea Maritime University, who has joined the technical verification committee meeting. It has  turned out that Government personnel [in the meetings of technical verification committee] raised [different opinion of] whether there is a firm need to change a harbor and bay design when as much as 150 billion won is more needed for the layout change for cruise to enter the port. It also turned out that the chairman of the technical verification committee meeting induced conclusion into the way that no construction stop is to be realized, he saying in person that it is the basic measure of the Government to conclude the verification matter, when various matters such as the talk that even the entry of military vessels are difficult, not to mention cruise ships, were raised in the meetings. It is also told that the Government changed the 2nd simulation result report by the Ministry of National defense as if it is the report that the technical verification committee has officially acknowledged even though it was a mere reference material. Prof. Kim Gil-Sou told in conclusion that he considers the base design was not for the civilian-military complex port from the beginning.

    4. Otherwise, according to the movie that Park Won-Chul, Island Provincial Council member, obtained, it turned out that the simulation was done with the use of four not two tug boats, different from the Government assertion. The government lied from the beginning to the end. As a result, it has become clear that the Civilian-Military Complex Port that the Government and navy have made so much propaganda is merely a fraud play against their citizens.

    5. In the old age of history, Confucius has told that three elements of security, economy and people’s trust are important in doing politics. He has also said if one should unavidably abandon one, the first should be security, second is economy, then the last one is people’s trust. The people’s trust to Government is the most important element for the Republic of Korea to exist. The Government cannot exist if it is not be trusted by people. Still the Government has thoroughly betrayed people as if it is the Jeju civilian-military complex port while it is in fact Jeju naval base. How can you trust the Government that betrays people. It should be an example that the Government who betrays its people is thoroughly punished so that Government cannot betray its people again.

    6. Since the decision by the National Policy Control meeting supervised by Kim Hwang Sik, Prime Minister, is based on the result of the inducement and manipulation of the result from the technical verification by the technical verification committee, Kim Hwang-Sik, the Prime Minister cannot avoid his responsibility for his intention or fault on it.

    7. Since I have been forced to take speechless mental suffering due to the decision of construction drive by the intention or fault like above, Kim Hwang-Sik, Prime Minister, is responsible for the compensation of solatium for my mental suffering.

    8. Now I became to make decision to demand solatium to Kim Hwang-Sik, Prime Minister, on my mental suffering. Even though I long to demand hundreds millions of solatium to him, as I, upon the naval base construction, became to have more than 150,000,000 won debt since I have had no time to spare to care for my household, my health has become worse, physically, too, and I suffer for insomnia, I made decision to demand only 0.9 cent to him in the hope that all the citizens join this lawsuit for solatium, and in symbolic sense as well.

    9. I demand Kim Hwang-Sik, Prime Minister officially apologize to deceive people even now and cancell the decision on the resumption of construction, based on the falsified technical verification report. If Kim Hwang-Sik, Prime Minister neglect my demand and continuously ridicule citizens, I will extend my lawsuit to demad 0.9 cent solatium into all citizens’ movement.

     

    Nov. 23, 2012

    Kang Dong-Kyun, Mayor of the Gangjeong village, as the starting runner for the lawsuit to demand 0.9 cent solatium

    (Korean language source: Click here)

    …………………………………………………………………………………..

    See also the Jeju Weekly, regrading the decision by the Office of Prime Minister on Feb. 29, 2012 and blast of the Gureombi Rock on March 7, 2012.

    http://www.jejuweekly.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=2444

    Seoul plans 1.7 trillion won investment in Gangjeong

    Naval base contractor gets police go-ahead for explosives use

    Friday, March 09, 2012, 09:21:06

     

    See also here on the  villagers’ refusal to accept the proposal by the Office of Prime Minister

    http://savejejunow.org/you-cannot-buy-us-with-money/
    “You cannot buy us with money!” Villagers dissipated the Prime Minister Office presentation again.

    Oct. 26, 2012

    …………………………………………………………………………………….

    People’s 24 hour protest and completion of the 3rd caisson

    Meanwhile, people’s 24 hour protest to stop construction vehicles went on. The night time entry/exit of cement mixer trucks resumed on Nov. 19 after 10 days ‘ absence. The 24 hour mobilization of police and people’s 24 hour protest resumed again, too.  Despite the weekend break, the whole scene will restart on Monday, Nov. 26, again.

    Photo by Lee Woo Ki/ People carry stones over night to stop the night time entry/exit of trucks . For more photos on night time protest by Lee Woo Ki, see here.

     

    Scene of violent oppression on protesters in the night of  Nov. 20.

    Video by Yange Gon (Source: Click here)

     

     

    Scene of the caisson production area on the Gureombi Rock, Gangjeong village , around 7am, Nov. 24, 2012, Saturday

    Video by Navi (Source: click here)

    The 3rd 3,300 ton caisson has been recently completed and is in the condition of being dried at the cost of human rights violation and environmental destruction during 24 hour construction that started on Oct. 25.

  • 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