Author: savejejunow.org

Details of Father Moon’s Tetrapod Accident on April 6, 2012

As you all may know, today we here in Gangjeong have suffered a huge shock. Finally we see the result of the over aggressive and illegal actions of the police. Father Moon was almost murdered. It is a miracle that he is still alive.

Today is Good Friday according to the Christian calendar. Because of this, at 11 a.m., the ocean team, the catholic fathers, other catholics, and other activists joined together to perform the “Stations of the Cross” traditional catholic ceremony. This ceremony involves 14 “stations” marking the last moments of Jesus’ life before his death. We adapted it and made 14 stations all around the edge of the destruction site. At each stop the Fathers led us in prayer and short meditations related to Jesus death and also to our struggle here. We began at the Naval Base Office gate and ended on the west pier of Gangjeong Port. It was a very beautiful and moving time.

During the final station, #14, an activist went down the huge concrete tetrapods to the water to swim. This area is a public area and none our actions were even close to illegal. As the activist attempted to enter the water, a coast guard officer very aggressively chased him, despite both of them being on the dangerous tetrapods. This scared and angered many of the people attending the mass, and several people walked out onto the tetrapods to see, and also to ask the coast guard officer to be more careful.

When this happened, another coast guard officer came and also began acting very aggressively, trying to illegally block our access to the public area of the tetrapods and the surrounding water. As the coast guard officer tried to block another swimmer from going down to water, Father Moon, tried to help the swimmer and block the coast guard officer. Shockingly the officer was very aggressive even though they were both dangerously at the top of the tetrapod pile (and he was a young man, while Father Moon is elderly and walks with a cane). Many people called for the officer to be reasonable and careful and that Father Moon could fall down. As they struggled, suddenly the coast guard officer accidentally caused Father Moon to lose his balance and fall.

The next moments were a terrible shocking nightmare to all of us watching. The young coast guard officer regained his balance but Father Moon could not and fell into a huge hole between the tetrapods. As he dropped around 5 meters, his body bounced off the tetrapods below three times, before he landed at the bottom. All of us were totally shocked at this horror that had happened for absolutely no reason, and many of us thought that Father Moon was dead. Although several people went down to him, it was very deep and we were afraid to move him in case of spinal injuries.

Finally, the 119 (Korean Emergency Rescue) came and after around 30 minutes lifted him out. He was taken to a hospital in Seogwipo for tests and treatment. He has been conscious this whole time. Very, very happily, he did not die. As has been reported, according to initial tests and scans he broke several vertebrae in his back quite seriously and will need to stay in the hospital at least 3 months. He has been moved to Jeju University Hospital in Jeju City. We are still waiting for the final report about his condition after a complete medical exam, but its seems that he didn’t hit his head. Of course he is very weak and shocked and in a lot of pain. When we met him, he asked about Brother Song and when he heard that Brother Song has developed a ringing in his ear because of police violence, he cried. We are all in a state of shock here.

Finally to add to our shock and sadness, the coast guard has decided that our lives are not important and that they are going to lie to cover their mistake. They are claiming that Father Moon pushed the coast guard officer and then the officer didn’t touch him and he fell on his own, losing his balance because of the push. Of course, in the moments after it happened, you could see very clearly in the face of the officer that he knew he had made a huge mistake. And even if this story were true, why was he even there and why was he aggressively blocking us from a public area? But now the police are going to lie to cover it all up! Are they really human? Have they no sympathy for suffering? Do they not care about human life? Unbelievably shameful.

Please pray for Father Moon. Please pray for all of us here. And please pray for the hearts of the coast guard, that they will not lie about what they have done.

Update 1: April 6, 11:44 p.m.

We are still waiting for more details but a slight update: apparently Father Moon has broken 4 vertebrae in his back (earlier 3 were reported) and also broken one of his hands. Also he will need to stay at least 6 months in the hospital to recover (before 3 months were reported). More updates as we hear them…

Update 2: April 19, 11:44 p.m.

Father Moon is out of the Hospital! 13 Days ago we watched this 71 year old man fall 5 meters to what we thought was his death. He said he thought it was his death too. He broke 4 vertebrae in his back, he broke his arm, he was bruised all over. The doctors said, that two other patients who were in their 30s and fell only 3 meters were paralyzed. The doctors said he would have to stay in the hospital for 6 months. 13 Days later, and he’s walking around, smiling! Tomorrow, he will go to his hometown to rest for around a week. Amazing and unbelievable! If you don’t believe in miracles, now’s your best chance…Hurray!!!

April 6, 2012
Navy attempts to define the naval base construction area as military restriction zone: an alarm for people

[April 3 Catch up: important] Navy attempts to define the naval base construction area as military restriction zone: an alarm for people

Source: Headline Jeju, April 5, 2012 / Article 8 of the MOU, April, 27, 2009

Article 8 (Exclusion of the limitation in the exercise of rights) In constructing the civilian-military complex harbor, the Minister of National Defense, despite the article 4 in the Military Bases and Installations Act, shall not designate the outside areas of the fence border in the civilian-military complex harbor on the ground and of the seawall in the military harbor on the sea, as the protection(restriction) areas for the military base and military facilities; and shall not do the activities that condition the exercises of the villagers’ survival rights such as passage, altitude, farming, fishing & architecture and their property rights.

Source: Headline Jeju, April 5, 2012, Gureombi Rock wired-fenced by the naval base project

According to the Jeju island government on April 4, the navy defense command headquarter of the Jeju sent it an official letter titled, ‘Inquiry on the opinion of the [Jeju] self-governing province regarding the matter on designation and management of beautiful tourism port for mixed civilian-military use as military facility protection zone,’ on March 12.

The navy’s point was to inquire the Island government whether it is OK to define the current naval base construction (destruction) zone as military facility protection zone.

The Island government rejected the navy’s letter, saying it is a violation of recommended items in the report by the sub-committee on the investigation on the Jeju naval base project (which was under the special committee on budget and balance, National Assembly) in 2011.

The ‘military facility protection(restriction) zone’ means a zone defined by the Ministry of National Defense to protect the facility in direct common use for the military purpose and to carry on smooth military operation. By the designation, these are not allowed: entry without permission; capture and collection of marine products; picture-taking, description, recording, measure of military base or facility; and publication and duplication on documents or books on them

The 1st clause of the report by the sub-committee of the National Assembly on Oct. 22, 2011 reads: “The Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs (MLTM) should revise the ‘Enforcement decree on the Port Act ( law on harbor and bay),’ by June, 2012 and alter the basic plan of the harbor and bay so that the water area of cruise and facility can be designated as the ‘TRADE PORT’

The report also reads that the Ministry of National Defense(navy) should revise the ‘Enforcement decree on Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act,’ by June, 2012 and [the three parties of] the MND(navy), MLTM, and the Jeju Island should promote the conclusion on the agreement on the common use on the civilian-military harbor and bay until June 2012 so that those steps should wipe out concerns that the Jeju naval base would be operated primarily as military harbor.”

The position of the Jeju Island government, rejecting the navy’s report is that if the construction area is to be the military protection area when the Enforcement decree on Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act and agreement on the common use on the civilian-military harbor & bay are not concluded yet, it does not fit to the recommended items by the sub-committee of the National Assembly.

People here are suspicious that the navy attempts to thoroughly block the entry by the villagers and peace activists in the construction (destruction) area during the remaining construction(destruction) period. It is because more strict control than current would be possible once the project area is designated as military zone.

Problem is that there is no way for the Jeju Island government to stop the navy when it promotes the designation on the military facility protection zone, completely ignoring the MOU in 2009 and National Assembly report in 2011.

The MOU on April 27, 2009 reads:

Article 8 (Exclusion of the limitation in the exercise of rights) In constructing the civilian-military complex harbor, the Minister of National Defense, despite the article 4 in the Military Bases and Installations Act, shall not designate the outside areas of the fence border in the civilian-military complex harbor on the ground and of the seawall in the military harbor on the sea, as the protection(restriction) areas for the military base and military facilities; and shall not do the activities that condition the exercises of the villagers’ survival rights such as passage, altitude, farming, fishing & architecture and their property rights.

……………………………………………………..

Here is an excerpt translation from the Headline Jeju on April 5:

‘Even though the details of type of military facility protection zone and scope of control, regarding the Jeju naval base project, were not given, it was confirmed that the navy’s inquiry to the Island government is a suggestion of the whole area of the Jeju naval base project area(* 480,000 square meters)

By law, military facility protection zone should be defined within 500 m distance from the most outside barrier of military facility.(* therefore more than 480,000 square meters of land and water area)

If the Jeju naval base is designated as military facility zone, the area of the Gangjeong village becomes the military zone where ordinary people’s entry is prohibited.

By law, forceful leaving is applied as measure in case of trespassing, and more than two years’ imprisonment, if there is damage on military facility.

The problem is that there is no way for the Jeju Island to deter the navy if the navy attempts to promote the designation on the military facility protection zone, completely ignoring the MOU in 2009 and recommended items by the National Assembly in 2011.

It is because, by the law on the military facility protection, the designation on the military facility protection zone is done by the examination committee on the military facility protection zone by the Ministry of National Defense.

It is not an item that should be permitted by local self-governing province but ‘consulted’ with administration agency for designation. However, the opinion of ‘OK’ is not mandatory but merely ‘procedural’ item.

Therefore if the navy ignores the MOU and National Assembly advice, and enforces designation, there is possibility that [the navy’s conspiracy] works.

It is why the Jeju Island government demanded the navy to carry on the National Assembly recommendation, ignoring the navy’s official letter.

The matter on designation on the military facility protection zone would be led to controversy on serious violation of the two documents, along with the promise of the docking capacity of two 150,000 cruise.

………………………………………………………….

The villagers and activists reject the idea whether it is a so called beautiful tourism port for mixed civilian-military use or military base. Woo Keun-Min, the Jeju Island governor, should revoke the resolution by the ex-Island government that cancelled the designation of the absolute preservation area ( * the Gangjeong stream and Joongdeok coast of which most part we call it as the Gureombi Rock) in Dec. 2009 ; and should revoke the navy over the license on reclamation on public water and its adjacent surface(coastal area) of the Gangjeong village, if he truly wants the stop of current destruction by the Jeju naval base project and don’t want to see his Jeju island as a war base.

Woo Keun-Min kmj5369@jeju.go.kr or jejumaster@jeju.go.kr

…………………………………………………………………

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Reference

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=146918
‘기본협약서’ 약속 파기…군사시설보호구역 ‘파문’
[초점] 제주해군기지 군사보호구역 설정, 기본협약 파기 수순?
“군사보호구역 지정 안한다” 협약 정면 위배…국회권고도 무시
2012.04.05 08:26:41

http://www.jejudomin.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=30344
제주해군기지 부지 군사보호구역 지정하려다 ‘퇴짜’
지난달 12일 제주도에 의견 묻는 공문 보내
도, “국회예결 소위 권고사항과 위배” 거절
2012.04.04 19:53:58

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=146804
제주해군기지 사업부지를 ‘군사시설보호구역’ 지정?
[초점] 제주도에 군사시설보호구역 공문 보낸 해군의 의도는
6월말 ‘시행령 개정’ 국회 권고 또 무시…공사방해 차단용?
2012.04.03 23:00:42

……………………………………………….
For Koreans: 해군은 군사 시설 보호 구역 지정 시도를 통해 어떻게 아래의 계약을 스스로 위반하는가?

1. 2011년 10월 22일 국회 권고 사항: ‘무역항’ 이란 단어 및 제주해군기지가 군항 중심으로 운영될 것일는 우려를 불식시키도록 할 것’이란 귀절에 주목

‘2011년10월22일 국회 소위원회가 채택한 보고서 1항에는 “국토해양부는 크루즈항만수역과 시설을 ‘무역항’으로 지정할 수 있도록 2012년 6월까지 ‘항만법시행령’을 개정하고, 항만기본계획을 변경하라”고 적혀있다.

또 국방부(해군)는 크루즈 선박이 출입할 수 있도록 2012년 6월까지 ‘군사기지 및 군시설보호법 시행령’을 개정하고, 국방부(해군)•국토부•제주도는 ‘민•군 항만 공동사용협정서’를 체결을 2012년 6월까지 추진해 제주해군기지가 군항 중심으로 운영될 것일는 우려를 불식시키도록 할 것”이라고 명시돼 있다.’ (제주 도민 일보)

2. 2009년 4월 27일 MOU (국방부, 국토부, 제주도): ‘군사시설보호구역으로 지정하지 아니하며, 통행․고도․영농․어로․건축 등 주민의 생존권과 재산권 행사를 제약하는 행위를 하지 아니한다.’ 에 주목

제8조(권리행사의 제한 배제) 국방부장 관은 민․군복합항을 건설함에 있어 군사기지 및 군사시설보호법 제4조에도 불구하고 육상의 민․군복합항 울타리 경계와 해상의 군항방파제 밖의 지역에 대하여 군사기지 및 군사시설보호구역으로 지정하지 아니하며, 통행․고도․영농․어로․건축 등 주민의 생존권과 재산권 행사를 제약하는 행위를 하지 아니한다.

(전문은 마우스를 내려주세요)
http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2010/07/jeju-naval-basetranslation-memorandum.htmlImage: Article 8, MOU, April 27, 2009 by the Ministry of National Defense

April 6, 2012
April 5 People’s news conference on police violation on human rights; History is repeated 64 years later

Source: Lee Sang-Min, Jeju Domin Ilbo, April 5, 2012/ A disabled woman holds a banner depicted of police violence on people during the April 5 press conference

As daily sit-in was continued on April 5, the people in the village had a news conference in front of the naval base business committee building complex at 10:30 am, April 5, 2012. The title of the statement by the Gangjeong village was “Are the police taking the citizens as rioters even until the 64th anniversary of 4.3? The police should try to get public trust.’ Cho Hyun-Oh, the Chief of ROK Police Agency visited the Jeju, bringing clash with the Gangjeong villagers who demanded meeting with him, in front of the Seogwipo police station (# He is to meet local officers on April 6)

In the statement, the people pointed out that:

“Like the main land policemen 64 years ago who led the massacre of the Island people on April 3rd, the police that have been led by Lee Dong-Min who came from the main land have made a record of accidents in a month since his inauguration, which is more than the whole numbers of illegal and unjust police behavior in Gangjeong village in the past.” ( # Lee Dong-Min, the new police chief is also the one who allowed the navy to blast the Gureombi rock)

“When the male policemen arrested women, the male policemen indiscriminatingly took away them touching their thigh, taking off their clothes. The police broke citizens’ fingers, arms and legs, wielding violence to them. Citizen’s hands were swollen by hammers, wrists were broken off, teeth were smashed, and chin was torn. Since the start of the blasting the Gureombi Rock, more than 90 people were arrested while 20 people, swooned, were carried in ambulance. We are living days like being slaughtered dogs and pigs.”

The numbers of 90 within less than a month are compared to 164, in the whole last year. The numbers are in detail; 19(near the naval base committee building etc on March 7), 20 (in the Gureombi Rock etc. on March 9), 16( in the Gureombi Rock on March 12), 9 (in the explosive storage etc on March 31) for example. The charges have been obstruction of business, obstruction of government affairs, general obstruction of traffic, property damage etc.

The people demanded police of open hearing regarding police mal practice of fake charges against people; halt of illegal taking camera shots of citizens that provoke citizens; and fairness.

Full translation of 3 page statement comes later. You can see the original Korean script here.

In the conference, a disable woman also testified on police’s metal harassment and physical injuries to her and on arrest of a man who protested against such violence on her.

There were two banners in the news conference: one about police violence and the other, painting by Natasha Mayers

Source: Lee Sang-Min, Jeju Domin Ilbo, April 5, 2012

You can also watch the news conference video here. Dungree, the video editor put the scenes of mentioned cases on March 29(when Mr. Lim Ho-Young was arrested) and April 1 (When Dr. Song Kang-Ho was arrested) beside the cases of March 19 (police hammer violence), March 25(police trampling down a villager’s garlic field and arrested citizens protesting to it) and March 26( When the Jeju island government officers forcefully demolished people’s tent to an injury of a woman head. (Video source)

April 5, 2012
Lim Ho-Young’s Account on Illegal and Violent Police Arrest of him on April 2, 2012

Photo by Lim Ho-Young on March 29, 2012/ In the Police Station right after his arrest

On March 29, 2012, Lim Ho-Young, media team leader of Gangjeong village was arrested under the charge of ‘obstruction on government affairs’ while he protested against police who ordered unidentified civilian-costumed men to take camera shots of people, which was illegal. During the arrest, he was kicked in the knee and hit in the face with camera, bleeding in his forehead. On April 2, Wooki Lee has visited Lim currently being held at the prison in the Jeju Dongbu Police Station. On the day the court made decision to imprison Lim and he is moved to be prison on April 6. The following is a transcript of the handwritten letter Lee received from Lim on April 2.

*******************************************

I’m doing all right. They’ve issued a warrant for my arrest today and for some reason, I feel all the more composed for it. Even as I was being arrested two days ago, I didn’t think anything too serious would happen. But once the police investigation began, I realized that the authorities had plenty of charges already prepared for me.

I’m beginning to come to terms with the actions of the Navy and local police, since I must have been quite the nuisance for them all this time. The police have assessed my charges as having “deliberately caused aggression with the police by recording video footage, manipulating this footage in a malicious way, and spreading this distorted information to the public by posting it online.”

I couldn’t help but laugh for a while on this note. Is this really how far Korea’s police intelligence has declined? I’m sorry to disappoint, but I don’t possess any video-editing skills. And I have no memory of posting any footage of conflict with the police online. Furthermore, I haven’t had the time to post any kind of footage online since late last year. All I can think of relating to footage would be the few instances in which I provided on-site footage to Dungree.

If this is what the police have reduced me to, what more could I possibly expect from them? Even at a stretch, no more than 30% of their claims against me are true. I’m sure most of these charges will be cleared in court, but nevertheless I have been arrested and must prove myself before a judge. I’ve been placed in a dire situation in which I cannot gather enough information and evidence to prove my case. This is an unjust treatment by the face of justice itself, to say the least.

How the Navy has handled the matter is even more appalling. On March 8th, a scuffle broke out with Navy soldiers by the main gate of the naval base. Captain Tae-yang Lee of the Korean Navy has falsely testified that I assaulted him during this incident, hitting him with my fist once on the face, and twice with my camera. That bastard! Tae-yang Lee is the one who assaulted Dr. Kang-ho Song on June 20th last year, kicking him over ten times when he climbed up a barge. And on March 8th, he just started to attack me the moment he saw me, hitting me on the face with his fist despite the fact that I had glasses on. He eventually broke my glasses and the lens fell out. I was indeed furious at his irrational behavior, which led me to thump him a few times on the head with my right hand, the hand that had been holding my camera. I did not hit him with much force, let alone downright assail him as he had done to me and Dr. Song. Why is it that every single time, the Navy refuses to acknowledge their own mistakes and claims that they were the ones getting assaulted?

Captain Lee also testified that I damaged federal property by tearing off a large part of the fence surrounding the naval base. It’s a steel-plated fence that sits two meters high, which they claim originally cost about \500,000 ($500). This may seem an absurd price for a flimsy fence, but keeping in mind that this is the same Navy that managed to pay a whopping \1,000,000 ($1000) for a lousy USB drive, I guess such things might not be so absurd after all.

Truth of the matter is, I didn’t tear down that fence on purpose and with my two hands. I was clutching onto the fence when Navy soldiers on the other side of it kicked me repeatedly, causing part of the fence to tear in the process. This can be clearly seen in the video footage the police have recorded as evidence of the scene. This ridiculous pincer operation between the police and the Navy has led to my official arrest today.

I fear that I will have to remain like this for at least another two months. I believe they’re trying to stop us and weigh us down by imprisoning our bodies and ultimately abusing governmental authority. If we were to let such things strike us with fear and break our spirits, then we’d be doing nothing more than falling in according to their calculations. It will prove a struggle, no doubt, but we need to stand strong against their unwarranted actions. Authority and arrest is not what we should fear.

Writing this letter has helped me come to terms with my frustrations. I’m sorry for not being able to stand among you all, and the townspeople of Gangjung, but I have hope and I believe there will be something I can achieve in my place here. What pains me the most is that I won’t be able to keep the promise I made to my son, to go and see him when he enters sixth grade next week. I find comfort in knowing that my son is a strong, good-hearted child who will understand the situation his father is in. Still, it would have been nice to have been able to congratulate him in person for becoming vice president of the student council…

I’m planning to spend my time on reading books now. It was something I had always wanted to do during my time in Gangjung. I’ll reflect upon all the moments I had in Gangjung, and every single person I met there. I’m grateful for having had the opportunity to be with you all. The past eleven months I spent in Gangjung have truly been the most meaningful moments of my life, and I know all of you feel the same way. I know it’s a tough struggle, but let’s not lose hope and keep going strong. It may not be the time right now, but in the end, there will come a time when we can all smile together.

Sincerely,

Ho-young Lim

March 31st, 2012

(Translated by Stefanie Hong)
(Thanks to Jungmin Choi to arrange translation request)

*******************************************
It was known to be later that the violence by the Gwangju riot police was one of the worst that has occurred in the struggle against naval base. On the day, the police broke off fingers, arms of a man and threw down him who protested against violent arrest of Mr. Lim. The police also ignoring women’s human rights, brutally carried away women as part of attempt to scatter people, touching their bodies. The police also took away a woman’s mobile phone and hit her back head when she protested it. The police also used slanders to protesters and scolded a villager whose garlic field was trampled down by them, saying, “Why are you agitated for such minor thing?”

Dungree video on the day, including the scene of arrest of Mr. Lim Ho-Young

The activists’ account can be seen here and here.

Mr. Lim Ho-Young’s handwriting received on April 2, 2012. He was injured in his forehead when he was arrested on March 29, 2012.

April 5, 2012
Dr. Song Kang Ho’s Handwritten Statement Regarding his Violent Arrest on April 1st, 2012

(Translated from Korean; Click here for original Korean version)

On April 1st, at around 2 p.m., I was on Gureombi to protest against the heavy construction equipment that is destroying Gureombi. From outside the razor-wire fence on the western side of Gureombi, I was shouting, “Don’t Destroy Gureombi!” and “Stop Construction!” and “Stop!”

In that place, I was not alone but together with Priest Moon Jung Hyeon, Priest Kim Sung Hwan, and [former Jeju Assembly woman] Hyun Ae Ja, venting our pent up anger. Despite our protests, about 10 meters inside the fence, two huge hydraulic excavators were break rocks and loading the broken rocks into a dump truck. I felt deep despair because even though we yelled and shouted, the construction workers didn’t listen. Because of my despair, without knowing what I was doing, I found myself grabbing the fence, pulling it down to the ground, and stepping across it, wanting to shout at them near the excavators. In front of me, around 30 riot police blocked the way with their shields and their captain sneered mockingly. As soon as I crossed the fence, I was surrounded and isolated. When I tried to resist, the police beat me, pushed me to the ground and held me down with their feet. They twisted my left hand and pinned it behind my back. One police officer painfully jabbed his finger into my ear. The ground was covered with sharp, broken rocks but their feet pushed my feet forcefully downward. While they carried me, my head hit the rocks on the ground two or three times.

Around 2:30, I was delivered to a naval jeep and transferred to the Naval base office gate. There, a police car was standing by. Around 100 police officers made a big wall and blocked the villagers and activists who came to protest, making a space for the police to move me into the police car. I thought that my arrest was unjust, so I resisted being put in the car. During that time, the police tried to force me into the car. While doing so, my body was turned upside down at the open car door and my upper body fell to the ground and under the car. Because of this, I tried to hold anything that I could grab causing my upper body to be pulled underneath the car. Several police officers pulled my legs but my head became stuck between the car and the asphalt ground. I yelled that my head was stuck, but the police officers were not concerned, and pulled my legs more strongly. From the left side of my chin to the middle of my chin my neck was stuck on some metal structure underneath the car.

My lower body continued being pulled by several people and because of the pressure on my neck, I couldn’t speak anymore, only groan furiously. As the police pulled my body more strongly, the edge of my teeth began to crack. I could feel and chew tiny sand-like grains of tooth inside my mouth. I heard the bones in my neck popping and became afraid that my head was separating from my body. To protect myself from dying or at least protect my head from separating from my neck bones, I frantically tried to escape to my left. During this whole time, the police just continuously pulled my legs and several times some of the police officers even pulled my genitals. I couldn’t see their faces but I could hear their mocking laughter. Behind me, I heard Priest Kim Sung Hwan protesting their cruel treatment towards me. After 5-10 minutes of fear and pain, I pulled myself towards the left with all of my strength, to release my chin from the metal structure where it was stuck. I could barely release my neck and then police pulled me out.

After the police put me into the police car, I spit out my broken teeth, which the police complained about. Behind the driver’s seat, one police officer with the last name of “Goh”, punched me with his fist. I felt pain from his fist on the left side of my stomach.

After that, in the Seogwipo Police Station, I appealed about the pain in my chin, neck, right shoulder, and back. I was lying down at that time and asked them to borrow a cell phone to make a phone call. However, they derided me saying that since I was lying down, I must just be sleepy, so I should just sleep. After giving this answer they disappeared. I had requested that they call 119 [Korean emergency medical number] but they didn’t call for 30 minutes.

I am filing a lawsuit with the Korean National Human Rights Commission against the police officers who arrested me. I request legal punishment and penalties for the police officers who treated me in an unreasonable way, so that the police will no longer trample on people’s human rights, threaten people’s lives, and disrespect people’s bodies.

April 2, 2012,
Song Kang Ho

April 3, 2012
Corporate greed behind the Jeju naval base project: Gangjeong villagers’ statement

The Gangjeong villagers’ statement on March 27, 2012 shows the connection between the central and Island governments and Samsung C & T, One of the main contracted companies for the Jeju naval base project (So-called Beautiful Tourism port for mixed civilian-military use). Different from the original MOU by the ex-Island government and ex-ministers of the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of the Land, transportation and Maritime Affairs on April 27, 2009, of which the purpose was for the docking capacity for two 150,000 cruises along with military vessels, the currently flawed Harbor & bay layout by which even the military vessels cannot even freely enter, not to mention cruises, has been in big controversy since last October. The villagers’ March 27 statement provides an important clue that the project came from corporate profit-oriented greed rather than ‘national security.’

(Translated by volunteers) Emphasis is by the arbitrary.

………………………………………………………………………………..

The Jeju Island government should not join the re-evaluation of the simulation test.

Only by that, it would avoid Island people’s suspicions on it.

We have doubt why the Jeju provincial government agreed with Korea Maritime University’s sailing simulation result that had exclusively been requested by the Samsung C&T Corporation. Even more suspicious of the government is that the illegitimacy of many criteria reflected in the report has been questioned. Especially for the re-evaluation, it is the prime minister office’s suggestion that the possibility of cruise operation is more focused than the adaptedness for a port facility so the changing the detail rule should necessarily be led as the result unless the operation itself is judged to be impossible. Only the possibility of putting into and out the port’ is to reckoned, not the moor stability, the very important function for the port. It means, in other words, that the Jeju Island government is involved in the decision highly likely to result in something that the navy has already framed. The Island government is subject to going through the channel in an approval for the way of construction that now the navy goes ahead.

<figure.1> The cover of Ship operation simulation and its report on Feb. 23, 2012

(# The report subject is described as the Korea Maritime University)

Let us look at some of the reasons the simulation report must not be accepted.

<figure.2> Project outline on ordering ship operation simulation

(# The ordering institute is Samsung C & T in the task period of Dec. 12, 2011 to Feb. 28, 2012.)

According to the report and outline above, on Dec. 12. 2011, Korea Maritime University was requested for the sailing simulation by Samsung C&T corperation. The report says the simulation has been done by suggestions made by the technology verification committee which we adequately think was in charge of the prime minister’s office of which the verification committee has been the only existing committee on the verification on putting out/into the port for 150,000 ton cruise.

The technology verification committee, however, held their meeting on Jan. 26. 2012 and on Feb 15, the report with proposals of the technology verification committee was submitted. How can then it be possible to place an order for outsourcing on Dec.12. 2011, 2 months before the report the committee proposed? There should be behind the scene between the interested parties as seen by the simulation stated with 27 knots which has originally been claimed to be the standard of the maximum wind velocity for a safe port in the Jeju island. The report is cooked otherwise.

Another question is raised that the ordering client is Samsung C&T corporation, not the Ministry of National Defense. The client should be the Kunil Engineering which set up the master plan for the construction and took a charge of outsourcing If not the Ministry of National Defense, but how come Samsung C&T corporation only responsible for the construction site #1 in the port facility for the naval base did those instead. The report is nothing but a reference provided it is made not by the design agent, but the construction company. Why did the prime minister’s office make a choice of the report? Was the office without condition supposed to go along with what the global trader, Samsung does?

On [Jan. 21], 2011, the Jeju Island government signed a memorandum of understanding with Samsung C&T corporation to boost the export. The unveiled terms and condition in the MOU caused many suspicions. We cannot but to ask if there is a relation between the Island government and Samsung which could possibly make the simulation with 27 knots.

Lastly, ‘Jeju Naval Base subcommittee’ of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts of National Assembly advised last October to the prime minister’s office that the technology verification committee be organized with the same number of appropriate experts recommended each by both the government party and opposition party in National Assembly, Ministry of National Defense, and Jeju province. The simulation must be done with the advice mentioned as such. No one our province suggested is found in the committee whatsoever.

This report should in conclusion not be and cannot be accepted. We can say that there is no use trying the re-evaluation based on the result from this report. In the meantime, Samsung C&T corporation committed illegal businesses twice for the caisson conveyance with a barge which did not undergo the safety inspection and pushed ahead the unlawful construction yesterday by drilling to blow up the Gureombi rock at night and attempting blast at dawn. The Jeju Island government must for now turn down the re-evaluation, carry out the hearing held on 29th and issue a stop order for the construction.

.

Tomorrow, we will address the issues on the illegitimacy and short of design criteria in this report.

March 27.2012

Gangjeong village Association

( # Translated by volunteers)

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# For more on the MOU between the Jeju Island government and Samsung C & T on Jan. 21, 2011, please see:

‘Jeju Island government had made contract for partnership with Samsung C & T to achieve export of 1trillion won on Jan. 21, 2011.

It reported that the Jeju Island and Samsung made contact to collaborate on scouting for bright export goods, supporting for foreign marketing and inheriting on export know-how for the Jeju Island government officers.

The Samsung C & T is told to be the matrix of Samsung with its total sale price exceeding 10 trillion 876 billion won last year, which is near four times of the Jeju Island budget for [2011]. It was also told that all the information and resources acquired during the process of execution on the agreement conclusion would be ‘absolute secrete.’ (Please mouse down of the source site)

March 30, 2012
[Immediate Release] Repeal the deportation order against Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter!

Photo by the village international team/ Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter in the Dongbu police station on March 14, 2012.

Photo by the village international team/ On March 14, 2012, In front of the Dongbu Police station, Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter are met by the Jeju Immigration Officers who noticed them that they would carry the two to the Jeju Immigration Office to get investigated on the matter of deportation

[Immediate Release] Repeal the deportation order against Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter!

By the Gangjeong Village International Team, March 15, 2012

(Translated by Jooyea Lee. See the Korean statement here.)

On March 14th, Jeju District Public Prosecutor’s Office released 13 who had been arrested two days before, but requested an extension for the arrest of Ms. Seri Kim. At around 4:00 p.m., they transferred the French activist, Mr. Benjamin Monnet and the peace activist from the U.K., Angie Zelter, to Jeju Immigration on the basis that they would decide on deporting these two activists.

Lawyers for Democratic Lawyers’ Association, along with the Gangjeong International Team had previously met up with the three individuals at 10:00 a.m. Ms. Seri Kim was wearing a neck support for the injury that occurred when two Daerim contractors violently restrained her. In addition to her neck pain, Ms. Kim complained of pains on her left shoulder and also on her knees. The toes on her right foot were also twisted, according to her. At 2:00 p.m., Mr. Benjamin Monnet visited the local hospital, also complaining of the pains caused by injury when Daerim employees pushed him: on his legs; the back of his neck; muscle pains on his upper and lower back. The inside of his left knee occurred when Jeju coast guard overturned Mr. Monnet’s kayak and rapidly advanced the guards’ rubber boat. Doctor said it will take two weeks for the injury to heal completely.

On March 12th, both Ms. Seri Kim and Mr. Benjamin Monnet had crawled under into the barbed wire side of the Gureombi rocks, where they sustained 2 and half hours on an excavator, in order to avoid potential violence from the Daerim employees. As for Ms. Angie Zelter, she had cut the barbed wire—installed illegally by the Korean navy. The Police charged Ms. Kim for obstruction of business on March 12th, as well as for obstruction of traffic on March 7th—she had held out in front of the vehicles, which belonged to those who set barricades, to stop the blast). For Mr. Monnet, the police charged him with: unlawful interference with official duty (for the event that occurred on Feb. 27th); misdemeanor, infliction of injury, obstruction of business (March 12th). For Ms. Zelter, misdemeanor for entering into the construction site over the fence (March 9th); so called group damage with dangerous tool (* which means wire cutter to cut the wire razor fence) and misdemeanor (March 12th).

All these allegations are arbitrary and malicious interpretation/application of the law, considering the customary violence against the villagers and activists who protested against the naval base construction. No action has been taken towards Mr. Benjamin Monnet’s lawsuit against Daerim employees and the police respectively—Mr. Monnet was beaten on Nov. 9th 2011 by Daerim employees; and by the Police on Dec. 26th, 2011. On April 6th, 2011, despite the police assault against the film critic Mr. Yang Yoon-Mo, no investigation so far, as for the accountability. Mr. Monnet only pushed the policeman in order to protect himself, rather than injuring the police as he had been charged as such. As for the charges that were brought upon himself regarding the incidences on Feb. 27th and March 12th, Mr. Monnet strongly claims that they are lies and excessive charges.

On March 6th, Jeju Provincial Governor Mr. Woo Keun-Min, jointly with representatives of Jeju—both the ruling and the opposition parties—had requested the provisional pending on the Gureombi blast as well as for the construction itself, expressing regrets at the unreasonable execution of the construction with all the design errors. But the navy, ignoring the needs of these Island representatives forged ahead with the blast to destroy Gureombi—Korea’s one and only costal wetland and the bedrock inhabited by where rare flora and fauna; an area that deems to be connected to Gangjeong Stream that provides 70% of drinking water to Seogwipo residents. The construction site is the country’s only UNESCO soft coral habitats and also where Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins make appearances, which are designated by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as endangered species.

The three individuals—Seri Kim, Benjamin Monnet, and Angie Zelter—devoted themselves through consistently non-violent and peaceful measures under international law: the principles of peace: against the construction of naval base and militarization, they simply tried to prevent the destruction of the Earth through another military base.

But the Jeju Immigration Office, after investigating nearly three hours ordered deportation for Mr. Monnet at 8:00 pm, when ten Immigration Office employees entered the office. Female employees, as if they had been prepared to do so, started collecting evidence with their cameras. The three-hour investigation on Mr. Monnetwas all an act. Lawyers for Democratic Society representative, appalled by this, urgently raised the complaint but the staff arbitrarily transferred Mr. Monnet, unfed and still in his prisoner’s uniform. Their excuse was being that Mr. Monnet should be on the last flight out of Jeju.

Angie Zelter, who is also confined at the Jeju Immigration Office will be investigated around 3:00 p.m. on March 15th. Around 11:00 am or 1:30 pm, Seri Kim’s case will be examined to issue an arrest warrant against her. In solidarity with the film critic Mr. Yang Yoon-mo, Angie Zelter is temporarily fasting. Benjamin Monnet is also fasting in the prison of Hwasoon Immigration Office, Gyunggi province against illegal destruction of the Jeju naval base project and illegal arrest.

We strongly condemn the Lee Myung-bak government who, in addition to the illegal construction (destruction) and arrests, is forging ahead with the forceful deportation of international activists who are dedicating themselves to protect the Island of Peace, Jeju. Lee Myung-bak regime’s human rights abuses are unscrupulous, as it ignores the potential diplomatic criticism. In addition, the construction and the human rights violations in relation to the construction cannot be explained without the United States’ undue desire for domination as it tries to utilize the Jeju naval base as a springboard to contain China. It is also the move to undermine the international solidarity against the Jeju naval base construction. The struggles against the Jeju naval base construction has already evolved into international struggle. Capitalism and government and any other forces that resist the contemporary needs for peace cannot be sustained.

Immediately release those arrested and;
Repeal the deportation order against Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter;
Stop the illegal naval base construction immediately!

March 15th, 2012

Gangjeong International Team

…………………………………………………….

We have just heard that the entry by the three members of the Veterans for Peace, US. Who were supposed to visit the Gangjeong village on March 14 has also been denied. We strongly denounce the Lee Myung-Bak government who shamelessly commit violation on human rights internationally.

…………………………………………………….

Reference articles and videos

Video by Dungree: Letter to deported Benjamin (April 18, 2012)

Articles

http://space4peace.blogspot.kr/2012/03/people-keep-coming-to-gangjeong.html

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

PEOPLE KEEP COMING TO GANGJEONG

http://www.space4peace.blogspot.com/2012/03/deportation-from-jeju.html
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 2012
DEPORTATION FROM JEJU

http://www.space4peace.blogspot.com/2012/03/three-vfp-leaders-denied-entry-into.html
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 2012
THREE VFP LEADERS DENIED ENTRY INTO JEJU ISLAND

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2012/03/117_106941.html
Arrest warrants sought for 2 foreign protestors on Jeju
03-14-2012 18:31

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2012/03/14/14/0302000000AEN20120314007800315F.HTML
Police seek first arrest warrants for foreigners in naval base protests
2012/03/14 17:15 KST

March 15, 2012
Save Gureombi! Save Yang Yoon-Mo!

Jeju Sori, March 5, 2012 (with a video)
People’s press conference in the morning

On March 5, 2012, the Island governor expressed his position demanding on temporary reservation of the naval base construction (destruction). However, it is very likely that the Seogwipo Police station under the central government scenario would allow the navy to blast the Gureombi rocky coast. People are being intensely organized to fight against the blast on uncertain but coming-soon day. Please pressure more the Island governor Woo Keun-Min. The life of Yang Yoon-Mo who is identified with the Gureombi rocky coast and who hits the 28th prison fast as of March 6 may depend on your help: Please save Gureombi and Yang Yoon-Mo!

(1) Save Gureombi, Save Yang Yoon-Mo!

March 5 began with people’s determined press conference in front of the Seogwipo Police Station around 11 am amid rain drops. It was rainy all day. Villagers and people from the Island, nationwide, and international (Angie Zelter) demanded the authorities to stop the plan on the blast of the Gureombi, to stop construction immediately and appealed to save Yang Yoon-Mo who has been told that he would cut even water and bits of salt if the coast begins to destroyed in earnest by the naval base destruction. (For photos/ video, see an attached photo and those in the links)

(2) The Island governor demanded a temporary reservation on the naval base construction (destruction) and ‘fair verification,’ on base layout.

Around 1pm, the Island governor Woo Keun-Min made public his position, in the form of four people’s joint statement. The statement was titled ‘press conference statement by the four demanding a temporary reservation on the construction [of naval base] for fair verification.’

The four are, beside governor Woo: Oh Choong-Jin, chairman of the Jeju provincial council, Kim Dong-Wan, chairman of the Jeju branch of the Saenuri Party (* former Grand National Party, the current ruling party of South Korea) and Kim Jae-Yoon, chairman of the Jeju branch of the Democratic Unity Party

You can see the whole original Korean script, here:

The point of the statement is, in a word, that the four cannot accept the position of the Central government that currently enforces the Jeju naval base construction. The four’s main demand is a ‘fair verification’ that should be a prior task before any continuing construction (destruction) regarding the current controversy on the fatally flawed base (harbor & bay) layout, on the premise of the so called ‘beautiful tourism port for mixed civilian-military use,’ where free entry & exit of the 150,000 cruise are guaranteed.

While the villagers, of course, oppose the idea of so called ‘beautiful tourism port for mixed civilian-military use,’ which is only a fake, the governor’s such statement was positively interpreted by many people in the sense that it ‘provided a ground for the peaceful settlement of the naval base issue though being late, since it was declared amidst impending matter of the blast of the Gureombi rock.’ (A part of the comment by the United Progressive Party, March 5)

A Jeju media interprets such Island government and politicians’ position that the central government has brought upon itself by its unreasonable enforcement on naval base construction ignoring even the opinion by local government, not to mention the villagers and Jeju Island people.

(3) Despite the Island government’s position, the navy’s enforcement on the blast on the Gureombi is very likely. More pressure on the governor Woo Keun-Min is indeed needed.

Above all, there is little possibility that the measure authorized by the highest decision frame of the national policy control meeting of the central government, of which the content was stated by the Prime Minister on Feb. 29, following President Lee Myung Bak’s open announcement to enforce the Jeju naval construction (destruction) on Feb. 22, is to be changed.

A bad sign can be glimpsed by the Island governor’s failure to meet the very two- chief of the Jeju Provincial Police Agency (Chung Chul-Soo) and chief of the Seogwipo Police Station (Lee Dong-Min)-who were absent in their offices at the time of the visit by the governor himself and Oh Choong-Jin, chairman of the Island council who had wanted to deliver their faced wish to them to pose on the plan on the blast of the Gureombi.

Chung and Lee, the chiefs of the Jeju province and Seogwipo City police agencies are told to say only later that they would “make a decent decision, (following laws and ordinances) on the matter of allowing [the navy-contracted companies] on the use of gun powders by March 8 (* the police answer-due date for any civilian appeal is given five days, except for weekends. The companies have applied for it on March 2)

(4) The navy-contracted companies have already drilled more than 45 holes in the Gureombi rock to put the gun powders. People are intensely organizing themselves to stop the disaster on the first day of the navy’s conduct of the blast. If carried, the blast is planned to go for five months. People here have to endure very difficult time at least for a month then.

The Seogwipo Police station, after its start on the review on the companies’ application document, entered on field investigation of the naval base construction area in the afternoon of March 5.

According to the Jeju Domin Ilbo:

‘The total amount of the gun powder applied by the navy-contracted companies is 44ton. For the blast, the Samsung C&T will be charged of the 1st construction work area in the land part, while the Daelim Industry and its sub-contracted companies are charged of the 2nd construction work area in the coast.’

The companies are to make the caisson-building area after blast. The caissons of huge cement blocks will be laid on the site of sea-dredging, killing the UNESCO-designated soft corals and the IUCN(International Union of Conservation on Nature) endangered Indo-Pacific bottle nose dolphins.

(5) With your more pressure on the Island governor who has the right to cancel the navy over the license to reclaim the public water and its adjacent surface and who has the right to rescind over the ex-Island government’s wrong decision to cancel the absolute preservation area in Dec. 2009 (* The absolute preservation areas in the Gangjeong village are: the Joongduk coast of which we call most part as the Gureombi and the vicinity area of the Gangejong stream), the plan on the blast of the Gureombi can be at least postponed. It would also save the life of Yang Yoon-Mo who has declared that he would cut even water and bits of salt upon the main destruction of the Gureombi rocky coast.

Please remind his words:

‘If Gureombi (the sacred rocky coastline) lives, I live. If Gureombi dies, I die. Do not cry for me. Cry for the future generations who may not be able to feel the beauty of Gureombi. Gureombi is the medium to connect myself and the sky. The self, the sky, Gureombi have become one. This commitment is a call from God.’

(Note by Mary Beth Sullivan upon her visit of Yang Yoon-Mo on Feb. 28)

Source

To write a letter to Woo Keun-Min:

Mr. Woo Keun-Min
Governor
The government of Jeju-do
312-1, Yeon-dong, Jeju-si, Jeju-do
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Fax: +82 64 710 3009
E-mail: jejumaster@jeju.go.kr

Also please consider to write a protest letter to:

Mr. Lee Myung-Bak
President
1 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu
Seoul, 110-820
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Fax: +82 2 770 4751
E-mail: foreign@president.go.kr or president@cwd.go.kr or president@president.go.kr

Mr. Kim Kwan-Jin
Minister, Ministry of National Defense
No. 1, Yongsan-dong 3-ga
Yongsan-gu, Seoul
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Tel: +82 2 748 1111
Fax: +82 2 748 6895
E-mail: cyber@mnd.go.kr

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Image source:

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References

1. People’s press conference in the morning, Catholic mass in the afternoon, police alignment on the day

[Photos/ Video]

http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=111953
경찰서로 향한 강정주민들 “발파시 총력 대응”
2012.03.05 12:36:49

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=143899
“구럼비 발파는 대국민 태러 행위…즉각 중단하라”
강정마을회-범대위, 구럼비 발파허가 반려 촉구 기자회견
“상부의 지시 아닌 서귀포경찰서장이 직접 판단해야”
2012.03.05 12:09:55

http://www.seogwipo.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=76982
“구럼비 발파 허가, 파국을 불러 올 것이다”
해군기지 반대 측, 5일 서귀포경찰서 앞 기자회견
“폭파는 도민 모욕이자, 서귀포시민 식수원 위협”
2012년 03월 05일 (월) 12:49:41

http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/area/522095.html
‘구럼비 폭파’ 눈앞…제주 강정 ‘폭풍전야’
2012.03.05 20:48

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articlePhotoView.html?idxno=143946
강정마을 곳곳에 경찰 배치…긴장감 고조

[현장]구럼비 발파 앞두고 공사현장-강정포구에 경찰 배치
“무슨 계엄상황도 아니고 정부 방침에 치가 떨린다”
2012.03.05 16:13:15

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2. Governoor Woo Keun-Min’s press conference at 1pm and visit to the police stations after it, March 6

http://www.jejudomin.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=28785
“재검증전까지 해군기지 공사 보류하라”
우근민 지사, 제주도 참여 크루즈 시뮬레이션 재실시 요구
강정마을엔 해군기지 정책수용여부 묻는 ‘주민총회’ 제안
새누리당 도당 참여 눈길 “총선정국 피해가자는 의도 아니”
2012.03.05 13:42:17

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=143953
정부 방침 ‘거부’ 초강수, 해군기지 공사 중단될까
[해설] ‘마지막 승부수’, 우 지사 ‘4인 공동입장’ 배경과 전망
정부 일방적 발표 큰 반발 자초…검증요구 수용여부 관건
2012.03.05 17:47:11

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=143914
“해군기지 설계검증 때까지 공사 보류하라”
우 지사-도의회-여야 ‘4인 공동’ 기자회견…정부방침 ‘수용 거부’
“공정한 검증이 먼저…강정 주민총회 후 수용여부 결정하겠다”
2012.03.05 13:27:37

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=143917
[전문] 우근민 지사 등 ‘4인 공동’, 해군기지 공사보류 요청 기자회견
2012.03.05 13:30:56

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=143929
우 지사 “구럼비 발파 안될 말…직접 나서겠다”
경찰에 발파허가 보류요청…경찰청장 ‘자리 없고’, 서장면담도 ‘불발’
2012.03.05 14:59:09

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=143931
통합진보당 “우 지사 공사 일시보류 요청 환영”
2012.03.05 15:05:01

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=143954
“청장도 없고, 서장도 없고”…우 지사 머쓱
우 지사-오충진 의장, 구럼비 발파허가 보류요청 경찰서 방문 ‘냉대’?
2012.03.05 17:54:50

http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=111977
지사-도의장 도착 10분전에 자리 뜬 경찰서장
2012.03.05 15:38:14

http://news.khan.co.kr/kh_news/khan_art_view.html?artid=201203052215235&code=950313
“해군기지 공사 보류해달라” 우근민 제주지사 공식 요청
2012-03-05 22:15:23

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3. Detail on the navy plan on the blast of the Gureombi

http://www.jejudomin.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=28779
구럼비 발파허가 여부 6일이후 판가름
서귀포경찰서 “물리적으로 오늘안에 허가 판단 어려워”
화약 신청량 총 44톤 가량
2012.03.05 12:43:16

March 6, 2012
Jeju Council members and Jeju-based National Assembly men oppose the blast plan

Re-blogged from the Organizing Notes, March 4, 2012, ‘From This to This’

Which view do you like? Which vision of the future do you support?

Below Sung-Hee Choi brings us the latest twists from Jeju Island. Things are moving swiftly. You see the internal debate raging in South Korea. Please know that what we each do in our own community to support the villagers on Jeju Island will have some impact.

Sung-Hee Choi writes:

On the matter on the blast of the Gureombi, the Island provincial council would have an emergency general informal gathering at 11am on March 5. Three National Assembly men based on Jeju Island warned the Lee government. The Jeju regional branch of the Democratic Unity Party warned the possibility of the 2nd Yongsan tragedy, as well.

Upon the navy’s plan on the enforcement on the blast of the Gureombi, the Island council members and Jeju-based National Assembly men are all together denouncing the central government.

1. Oh Choong-Jin, chairman of the Jeju Island Council said in his interview with the Headline Jeju that “In the government measure this time, the opinion of the Jeju was harshly cut. The central government declaration on the enforcement of construction (destruction) is very disdaining of the Island people. In our meeting, we would seek for our own measures and would strongly urge the government to stop construction as the Island governor has rights to stop it.”

If the members of Saenuri Party (Former Grand National Party, the ruling party) are passive or express their opposition on such move, confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties are expected. Currently in the Jeju Island Council, the numbers of the ruling party members are smaller.)

2. Kang Chang-Il, Kim Woo-Nam, and Kim Jae-Yoon, three members of the Jeju-based National Assembly (All are members of the Democratic Unity Party) warned the central government in their joint statement, saying that, “If the Gureombi Rock is blasted , bigger disaster will come. The Seogwipo Police Station should not approve the navy’s blast on the Gureombi Rock.”

“The navy has re-applied for the blast of the Gureombi Rock to the Seogwipo Police Station, riding on the Lee government’s drastic measure. It is told that the matter has already been decided in the ‘secret meeting’ by the related offices of the Prime Minister Office, excluded of the Jeju Island. The Lee Myung-Bak government is showing an attitude of through ignorance on communication, full of arrogance and self-righteousness in its drive for the Jeju naval base.’

“How much more pain the Lee government is to inscribe into the Island people, by its enforcing of the construction masking the naval base as a ‘civilian-military combined port of call,’ ignoring the opinion of the National Assembly and villagers? How many people in the Gangjeong village should be arrested, taken away and imprisoned under the charge of obstruction of business for the government to pay attention to the voice of the Island people?”

“The Jeju Island and all the Island people have constantly demanded the central government to stop the enforcement on the naval base project and to form the objective and neutral verification committee on the layout. The police should never approve the navy’s blast of the Gureombi Rock.”

3. The Jeju branch of the Democratic Unity Party demanded the navy and its contracted companies to immediately stop their attempt to blast the Gureombi in their emergent statement on March 3.

The Democratic Unity party members said,

“In case of the blast on the Gureombi rock, the Gangjeong matter could bring an unexpected results and further concern on the possibility of the 2nd Yongsan tragedy has been raised. (The Samsung and Daelim companies who are leading the base construction, both were involved in the 2nd Yongsan tragedy in January, 2009. At the time five men resisting against forceful eviction were killed by the SWAT teams. These corporations were bulldozing entire neighbhorhoods and building high rise building that they would control.)

“The fact that the National Assembly has cut most of this year’s [base construction] budget with the agreement by the ruling and opposition parties is because the National Assembly has publicly acknowledged the problems of the currently driven Jeju naval base business. If the Lee Myung-Bak government is to drive the business despite that, it is a behavior thoroughly ignoring the National Assembly, the representative institute of the People.”

“In the condition when the ‘continuous business,’ is not guaranteed even though the construction including the blast of the Gureombi is enforced, it may remain disgrace of the totally unreliable national business that remains only a serious wound.”

“ The Jeju Island having publicly announced that the justification on the business has been in fact damaged though it is a national policy, has to make all the efforts to stop the blast of the Gureombi as a manager on the public water and its adjacent surface.”

March 5, 2012
Rebecca Johnson’s appeal letter to the court on behalf of the three arrested (Dec. 13, 2011)

See Organizing Notes, Nov. 8, 2011

Re-post from here

Appeal Letter of Dr. Rebecca Johnson to Judges regarding judicial charges against Kang Young-sil, Choi Sung-hee and Dr. Song Kang-ho

To whom it may concern:
December 13, 2011

Regarding judicial charges against Ms Kang Young-sil, Ms Choi Sung-Hee and Dr Song Kang-ho

Dear Judges, Lawyers and Colleagues,

I am unable to be here in person but request that this letter be submitted as evidence in the judicial proceedings regarding nonviolent demonstrations by Ms Kang Young-sil, Ms Choi Sung-Hee and Dr Song Kang-ho at the Hotel Shilla, November 7-8, 2011.

I, Dr Rebecca Johnson of the above address in London UK, was an invited participant at the 10th ROK-UN Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Issues: The Past and Future of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, which was held at the Shilla Hotel, Jeju, November 7-8, 2011.

I flew from London for this Conference, and was asked to serve both as an expert presenter and a rapporteur for one of the sessions. As a panel speaker, I was on the Conference platform when a young woman quietly and peacefully entered the room and held up a yellow banner with the message “No Naval Base”. Indeed, the speaker who was presenting at the time, Professor Han Yong-sup, drew attention to this protest, which was part of a larger but equally nonviolent demonstration at the entrance of the Conference. Like others in the Conference, I was interested to learn more about the concerns that the protesters were raising, and asked questions about this in conversations with several of the participants from the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic service, many of whom are my long-standing friends from many years of collaborative work on security, non-proliferation and disarmament issues. The protest sparked some interesting and informative discussions, but at no time did I or anyone else in the Conference feel worried, alarmed or threatened by the protesters, who behaved completely nonviolent throughout.

I was therefore shocked to be told after the Conference concluded that three of the protesters had been arrested, taken into custody and held overnight. I was even more dismayed when I heard that these two women and religious brother had been hurt and injured by police or hotel staff in the course of that unnecessary arrest. The Conference was on issues of security, disarmament and non-proliferation, and I think it was completely relevant and legitimate for nonviolent demonstrators to try to participate and inform us about a local issue – happening so close to the hotel we were meeting in. Freedom of protest and freedom of speech are important characteristics and rights in democracies, and it should have been important to guarantee these rights and enable citizens such as the Gangjeong protesters to exercise these rights without being hurt or arrested.

From what I saw and heard, the protesters behaved respectfully towards both the international and South Korean participants in the Conference. It is true that they were not formally invited to the Conference, but they did bring us important information. As I wrote in my rapporteur’s report for the United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs (ODA), their protest “brought home a personal dimension of the relationship between military policies and conventional weapons deployments, missile defences, nuclear weapons and dangers, regional insecurity and potential long term threats to the environment, including space, as well as raising challenging questions about the UN’s role and responsibilities and the links between human rights, environmental protection and disarmament and human security. In effect, this broader context formed the backdrop to Session I’s discussions about whether the achievement of disarmament, nonproliferation and freedom from nuclear insecurity will require a paradigm shift from the framework and assumptions of cold war arms control towards humanitarian-based disarmament, and if so, where such an approach might arise and what it might entail.”

The protesters invited the Conference participants to visit Gangjeong and see for ourselves the environmental and humanitarian desecration being caused by the construction of the unnecessary naval base. As I had time the next day, I visited Gangjeong and spoke with many of the villagers and concerned South Korean citizens. I was deeply concerned at the environmental destruction and that explosives were being laid in preparation for blowing apart the Gureombi. Over dinner on Monday evening (November7), our host, the Governor of Jeju, the Honourable Mr Woo Keun-Min, called Jeju an “Island of World Peace” and expressed his hope that Jeju would be designated one of the new Seven Wonders of Nature. His hopes seem to be completely contradicted by what I saw being done to Gangjeong as part of the construction of the naval base for Aegis destroyers (associated with the launch of armed missiles as part of a ‘missile defence’ force).

I was not distressed by Ms Kang Young-sil, Ms Choi Sung-Hee, Dr Song Kang-ho or any other of the nonviolent protesters who came to talk to us about the naval base. On the contrary, they gave me information that I consider important and relevant to my reasons for being at the UN-ROK Conference. I was, however, very distressed that they were arrested and have been charged for this, as if they had done something wrong or criminal.

I am unable to travel back to Jeju to act as a witness in trial proceedings on this matter, but I respectfully request that this letter be used in evidence on behalf of Ms Kang Young-sil, Ms Choi Sung-Hee and Dr Song Kang-ho, confirm‍ing that their exercise of freedom of speech and demonstration during the UN-ROK Conference November 7-8 2011 should not constitute any kind of offence in a democracy such as the Republic of Korea.

Yours faithfully,

Dr Rebecca E. Johnson
Executive Director
Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy
To whom it may concern:
December 13, 2011

See Organizing Notes, March 8, 2011

Dungree video

Nov. 8 to 9, 2011

Nov. 7, 2011

January 5, 2012