Category: Reports

Celebrating the 6th anniversary of the launch of the Villagers’Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project

1. Summary on the recent hardships and international solidarity activities.

The recent joint war exercise by the ROK-US-Japan in the water areas of the east and south seas of Korea –including the water area between the east south of Jeju and Kyusu Islands, Japan on May 15 is with the mobilization of Aegis destroyers from three countries and US nuclear aircraft carrier that has brought students’ protest in Busan. The war exercise is suspected of the US Missile Defense system.

Meanwhile, between May 7 and May 17, so many things happened in the village. Following the re-imprisonment of Park Suk- Jin who was directly arrested from the court for the charge of so called violation of bail conditions on May 7, Kim Jong-Il, co-representative of Seoul branch of Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (SPARK) was arrested directly from the Jeju Prosecutor’s Office and imprisoned on May 15. He was unjustly charged of unpaid fines of 450,000 won. It is his 2nd imprisonment in relation to the naval base issue. The total number of current prisoners is five including three before them.

Further, as the Island government conducted murder-like crack-down of people’s sit-in tents(see here and here), even mobilizing some main land policemen, four people including mayor Kang Dong-Kyun, uncle Kim Jong-Hwan, a villager, and two activists of Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa and Koh Gwang-Sung were arrested. They were all released by now.

The crack-down resulted in two villagers’ medical diagnosis or hospitalization. Kim Mi-Lyang, a woman villager was pushed off by the police elbow and fell from 6 m railing. Fortunately she is alive. But she had to get stitches in her belly. She is still in hospital. Uncle Jong-Hwan fell during the police investigation due to tension and stress during the crack-down. More details should come but you can see some photos of them here and video on police’s intentional pushing-her-off, here. On May 10 event, see Organizing Notes, here.

The next day, Jang Sung-Shim, a Catholic follower and Jeju native was arrested when she protested illegal construction (destruction) of the naval base project and demanded the Island government and police’s official apology to Kim Mi-Lyang. She carried out self-injury by hurting her wrist with knife and the embarrassed policemen released her soon the next day (See the photo and video each).

Still, inspiring solidarity activities have been done in Taiwan, Okinawa, and the United States. The details would come, too. Especially Jeong-Young-Hee, Chairwoman of Women Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project has been thankfully invited for the US speech trip for 20 days. We so thank you all the international friends who have shown constant care and support on the struggle.

On May 17, the village welcomed the 6th anniversary of the launch of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project. Here is the text sent by Mr. Go Gwon-Il, Chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project, which was sent to the people in the village in the morning of May 17. You can see the original Korean script and some photos, here (article and photos by Kim Min-Soo, Jeju Internet News, May 17)

2. Celebrating the 6th anniversary of the launch of the Villagers’Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project

By Go Gwon-Il, Chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project

Chairman Go Gwon-Il congratulates the release of mayor Kang Dong-Kyun and Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa, as well as safe returning-back of Jeong Young-Hee, Chairwoman of Women Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project on May 12.

Today is the day when Buddah came to this world , as well as the day that remembers the 6^th year of foundation of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project.

It has really been an exhausting and very hard time.
However, it has been alomost a miracle that merely a small village like Gandjeong has resisted as such against huge organization named Government

Now, the Gangjeong village has become well known with its name in the nationwide and overseas.
Even though the naval base is being driven with its changed and false name of so called civilian-military complex port for tour beauty, we are not losing yet.

Unless we give up, the navy cannot progress to the stage of militarization of the village and Island as it wishes.

Even though the navy has not given up its military residential housing project and is to extend its business such as to entry road and cruise terminal etc., it will be difficult for it to drive as it likes, if only the Gagjoeng villagers’ will is firm.

Even though last six years have not been by our will, our own achievements have been that we have differentiated the direction of government, though small, braking its unilateral way. Isn’t it same with the thing that an ant, though cannot abruptly stop the steps of elephant, interrupts it not to properly walk or to change its direction by making it cover its own eyes or by tickling its ears?

If there are many more ants, the elephant cannot but turn away.

Now the struggle against the naval base has become the fight between justice and injustice, haves who attache to money & power and have-not-s who know to be happy despite small possessions and who live well without law, though the latter do not have power.

The people in the world are watching us.

They will be the judge of this struggle.

The more judges, the more difficult is for the navy to win over us with its unfair acts.

Jeong Young-Hee, chairwoman of the Village Women’s committee to Stop the Naval Base Project has traveled the United States and made public relation on the struggle.

Most overseas Korean societies are supporting the Gangjeong village. She tells that many United States citizens are with us.

It is only possible because we have fought for seven years overcoming the hardships of six years.

The first start has been today, six years ago.

We truly express our respect and gratitude to the initiators who courageously created the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project at the time when it was wrongly presupposed that many would be in favor of naval base.

And thanks so much to the Gangjeong villagers who have courageously endured hardships and crisis. Please be with us in the future as well.

Go Gwon-Il

Chairman of the Gangjeong Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project.

Jeong Young-Hee, Chairwoman of the Women Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project, Gangjeong Village, reports on her US trip on May 12.

Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun, released two days later after his arrest on May 10, talks about unjust murder-like crack-down on people’s sit-in tents and police arrests of them on the day. He chained himself and was dangerously hung to chain during the police crack-down. On May 12, the court dismissed police application on the arrest warrant against him.

Solidarity messages from the friends in the United States. Jeong Young-Hee brought this from her about 20 days’ trip to the US that included Hawaii, Maine. Boston, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

Messages of solidarity from the United States

“We gonna dance in the Gureombi!”

May 17 was also celebrated by the Christian youths. The video is a scene from the event program of Christian youths’ peace pilgrim visit to Gangjeong. “Peace Starts When We Cry Together.” The original title of the music is told to be “We gonna dance in the DMZ.” Some dancers include village chairwoman Jeong Young-Hee and Paco Booyah.

May 18, 2013
A court hearing following prosecutor’s unjust appeal against Paco Booyah

Photo by Save Jeju Now/ Paco Booyah after the court hearing on May 9, 2013

There was an original court judgement on Paco Booyah, an international peace worker staying in Gangjeong on Feb. 8, 2013. See here. He was the 1^st international to stand in the court in person, in relation to the naval base project issue. On Feb. 8, the judge, Kim Kyung-Sun made a decision of ‘postponement of sentence’ on 700,000 won fine, saying he has ‘no criminal record in the past, his act happened during the NGO activities, and the damage of the victims (company) is little as the whole duration of his sitting time [in front of gate] was short (* which was 8 min. during a daily Catholic mass). Even though the judge Kim said he was guilty, she did not accept the prosecutor’s demand of 6 months prison sentence against him on Dec. 21, 2012 when the only hearing of original court trial on him was held.

However, the prosecutor has appealed to court against the original court decision. On May 9, there was a hearing of it in the Jeju local court, which is the first as well as the last hearing of the appeal court. It started around noon and lasted for about 30 minutes.

The prosecutor talked on the reason of his appeal against Booyah saying that: 1. The accused does not acknowledge and does not show any of his repentance, 2. There is the possibility of his committing second offense. 3. [Compared to sentence on Koreans in the same charge of obstruction of business] the original court sentence on him is too weak.

In repute of it, Paco Booyah’s lawer, Paik, argued on harsh and unjust Immigration Control Act, especially in relation to No. 3, saying that she cannot agree with the prosecutor’s definition of weighing of an offence against him. The summary of her repute is that:

The policy of ROK Immigration Office on foreigners is too harsh. She has heard from an Immigration officer that a foreigner with 100,000 won fine sentence could be forcefully deported by option. Further, it is heard that there is even an internal regulation of the Immigration Office that it would forcefully deport a foreigner only if one gets fine sentence. According to the Immigration Control Act, one cannot make re-entry at least for five years if one gets injunction. One cannot ignore possibility that one cannot make re-entry again, for a long time, in fact. In relation to naval base project, about 21 internationals- some of whom have never visited Gangjeong-have been denied entries(* Wang Yu-Hsuan is the latest victim of it). Once deported, the victims have to endure suffering from the matter of separated family, in case. One should not argue on balance with the cases of Koreans.

The lawyer Paik also said that Paco Booyah has been recently carrying out international NGO peace activities by focusing on recording photos. He might suffer from the possibility that he cannot re-enter Korea once deported though he has his family members in Korea.

As Paco Booyah has stated in his statement as the accused, he has not done anything that the police and prosecutors would pick him up, following police call four times and prosecutor’s indictment against him. Even though the current Immigration Control Act is unjust and vicious, he has no intention to make disadvantageous of his life as he has family members in Korea and as the act is currently working. In other words, there is little possibility of his second ‘offence’ that the prosecutor ‘asserts.’ Further it was only 8 min on July 23, 2012 that he made so called ‘sit-in’ that the prosecutors talk. Moreover, it was during the daily Catholic mass and he was sitting there because of hot weather while taking photo record.

The people who watched trial today could not but be shocked that the prosecutor raises his reason of appeal from the baseless inference that Paco Booyah has the possibility of so called ‘second offence’ and that he shows ‘no repentance,’ which is without proof. We should watch whether the ROK prosecutor authority loyal to the government and Samsung would oppress another innocent international peace worker or not. We should also watch whether the ROK judge make a just decision. We should join together to protect their safety.

The court decision on Paco Booyah will be at 2 pm on May 30.

May 10, 2013
Update on the Conscientious Prisoners as of May 5

To read the latest update on the three prisoners, go to here.

Please write letters to:

Jeju prison, 161 Ora 2-dong, Jeju City, Jeju, Korea

Yang Yoon-Mo (Prisoner No. 301)

57, Arrested on Feb. 1, 2013. Directly arrested from the appeal court with 18 months’ actual prison sentence

94^th day as of May 5

Photo by the unknown(source)/ Yang Yoon-Mo during the speech in a church, Daeku, July 22, 2012

Kim Young-Jae (Prisoner No. 435)

41, Peace keeper in Gangjeong. Arrested on April 12, 2013

24^th day as of May 5.

Photo by Park Yong-Sung (source) / Kim Young-Jae with a blue protest banner (left) on Feb. 6, 2013 when Choi Yoon-Hee, Chief of Joint Naval Operation visited the Island government

Lee Jong-Hwa (Prisoner No. 125)

55, Peace keeper in Gangjeong, poet, writer. Arrested on April 28, 2013

8^th day as of May 5

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

May 6, 2013
“Police, if you move this altar, the world will watch over you”

Photo by Save Jeju Now (Source)/ Father Woo holds an Eucharist on May 3. For all 30 photos, see the source.

“Policemen, if you move this altar, 1 billion Catholic followers all over the world will watch over you.” The young Father Woo from Jeju finished ALL the orders of the Catholic mass despite the repeated remarks by Koo Seul-Hwan, security director of the Seogwipo Police Station, who was embarrassed but continued to threaten him that it is an obstruction of business.

It was for the first time that an altar was set up in front of the main naval base construction(destruction) gate since the navy forcefully set up fence on the way to the Gureombi Rock on Sept. 2, 2011.

Kim Mi-Lyang, a woman villager, held up a sign that reads, “Return back the Gureombi Rock to Kim Mi-Lyang, daughter of Gangjeong!” After the mass, we could observe an elderly follower teared and hugged Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyeon. There were lots of woman followers. It was really moving that they danced the Gangjoeng addictive dance together with the peacekeepers in Gangjeong.

Please see the video made by the Peace Nomad and Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyeon’s writing on the meaning of mass in front of gate, here. See also Organizing Notes, here.

Photo by Save Jeju Now/ Catholics dancing after the mass together with the peacekeepers in Gangjeong on May 3

It was April 8 that the construction company thugs blocked the gates then on April 25, Kang Un-Sik, a new chief of the Seogwipo Police Station, fostered threatening mood with his military boots and mobilization of 800 policemen who occupied the two gates. A police unit were searching village to arrest people.

It has become already four prisoners this year, including Yang Yoon-Mo, Park Sung-Soo (released on April 1), Kim Young-Jae, and Lee Jong-Hwa. The people’s press conferences led by the Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island on April 10 and National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island on May 2, were oppressed respectively.

Photo by Park Young-In on May 2 (Source) / People’s legal press conference to denounce government’s abuse of state power in front of gate at 1 pm was even interrupted by the police. For more on the day’s photos by Park Young-In and Kang Eun-Joo, see the source.

The press conference on May 2 was to demand the stop of illegal construction (destruction) and to criticize the government’s recent abuse of state power- indiscriminate arrest, imprisonment, and deportation of people. In Korea, press conference can be legally held without report. However, the police removed people twice to allow the construction trucks to pass by, despite people’s demand for time and protest to it.

The National Assembly has passed about 200.9 billion won budget for the 2013 Jeju naval base project on Dec. 31, 2012. Why does the government enforce illegal destruction that is already tremendous violation of EIA and human rights? Is it because of Samsung that gets 108.3 billion won for caisson production & stationing and basic formation of breakwater in the 1st work area of the project? See here.

The police interrupt people’s press conference to denounce the abuse of state power ( Video by Go Gwon-Il on May 2)

The peacekeepers who have kept the gates day and nights have been at the risk of worsening health, arrest and imprisonment. Wang Yu-Hsuan who has acted in Gangjeong for a long time has become the 21st victim of ROK government’s entry denial, in relation to naval base issue.

Mass that has been daily continued got oppression, as well as life and peace 100 bows. Even though the article 20 of the South Korea Constitution protects the freedom of religion.

However, the exemplar struggle by the Catholic Fathers, Brothers, Sisters and followers in Gangjeong is raising a new beacon of hope in the struggle against the Jeju naval base construction(destruction).

The Fathers’ struggle risks their own dignity as human beings and priests.

Photo by Pang Eun Mi on April 30/ Catholic Fathers are encircled during the mass in front of naval base construction gate to stop construction (destruction) trucks. For more photos, see here.

Photo by Pang Eun-Mi on April 30/ Catholic Fathers are encircled when they take a mass in front of naval base construction gate to stop construction (destruction) trucks. (Source)

Photo by Leejesu on April 29/ Catholic Fathers block destruction trucks

Heart-breaking struggle by Catholic Fathers and Jeju Island people continues while hymns are sung (Video by Pang Eun-Mi on May 2 : Source)

However, isn’t it amazing to imagine all the Fathers, Brothers, and Sisters, in Korea appear in front of the gate to express opposition against the Jeju naval base and will for the true Peace Island?

Such possibility has been shown when lots of Fathers and Sisters from the Jeju stood in front of destruction area and danced together. On the day, you could say The Holy Spirit has arrived in the village.

Photo by Leejesu on April 29 (Source)/Fathers and sisters stand together in front of destruction gates to hold a holy mass.

Dancing Fathers and Sisters (Video by Leejesu on April 29)

Update on May 4: Is it because of Fathers’ strong protests including the setting of altar on May 3? On Saturday, May 4, trucks did not pass by the main gate during the 11 am mass. It could be for a short time. But Fathers’ struggle is very appreciated. Here are some photos of Fathers, Brothers, Sisters and Catholic followers who pray and meditate during the mass. The big brother, Samsung is looking over the field in the form of a big monitor. The police with ‘red hats,’ with the background of fence where people left resistance slogans are decorations of the world where people’s aspiration for peace and democracy is urgent. For more photos, see here. The 1st photo is by Pang Eun-Mi. The others are by Save Jeju Now.

Photo by Save Jeju Now (source)/ Trucks do not pass by the main gate during the morning mass on May 4.

May 4, 2013
The Island government’s shameful remarks and moves after the 2012 WCC Jeju

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

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

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

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

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

According to Jeju Sori,

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

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

However, the Jeju Sori criticized his remarks:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He explained the situation of his arrest on April 28:

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

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

Videos by Leejesu

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I will see welcome faces. I wait for tomorrow.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May 2, 2013
Catholic Fathers Stand Up as Oppression Starts in Earnest.

It is the summary of what happened in the village from April 25 to 28.

Photo by the unknown (source)/ Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyeon is carried off by the police during his protest to stop destruction trucks during recent daily Catholic mass.

The Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (SPARK) wrote on April 26:

“The Park Geun-Hye government’s oppression on people is being started in earnest. Days ago, the incense burning site of the Ssangyong automobile workers installed in the Daehan gate, Seoul, was violently demolished while a warrant of arrest was [unjustly and violently] issued to Ms. Kwon Myung-Sook, member of the bereaved families of Yongsan tragedy.” (* She was released soon)

Prior to it, the Jeju Court confirmed the imprisonment of Mr. Kim Young-Jae (41), a peace activist in Gangjeong, for the charge of obstruction of business on April 24 (Prisoner No. 435). He had been arrested on April 12. Two Jeju activists including Mr. Bae Gi-Cheul and Ms. Lee Jin-Hee, (47), Jeju branch co-representative of the Korea Federation for Environmental Movement (KFEM) were being arrested on April 8 and 16, respectively. Both were released days later. Those arrests happened during everyday people’s protests at the construction gates against the navy’s illegal construction (destruction of the environment) that threatens the UNESCO and government-designated soft coral habitats near the construction area.

Photo by Save Jeju Now/ Mr. Kim Young-Jae in the Dongbu Police Station, Jeju, April 17/ Mr. Kim Young-Jae who was arrested on April 12 has been imprisoned since then despite about 650 people’s appeal.

To enforce drastic policies against people’s just demands, the newly launched Park Geun-Hye government started to clearly show its fascistic nature on April 25. In the Seogwopo Police Station, Kang Un-sik, a Jeju-born, was inaugurated as a new police chief to brutally suppress people’s struggle.

Photo by Cho Sung-Bong (source)/ Kang Un-Sik, the news Seogwipo Police Station chief is with black sun glass and military boots. His brutal words of ‘shot them,’ [with handy fire extinguishers that are known to greatly harm human bodies] on April 25, have been big controversy in the Jeju media. His policies and style reminds April 3rd period (1947 to 1954) when the military and policemen mercilessly killed Island people, under the Rhee Syngman puppet government backed by the US Army Military Government of Korea then.

On April 25, the situation in the village was in emergency. On the day, 10 police companies occupied the gates the naval base construction area. About 800 police personnel including 300 from Jeju, led by Kang Un-sik, a Jeju-born and a new Seogwipo Police Station chief, were mobilized. Three police cars stationed nearby gates to arrest people. People-especially people who have not responded to the police call or didn’t pay fine- were at the risk of being arrested. About 40 policemen searched for the village to arrest some people. Activists who have been fighting long time in front of the gates have been under the great danger of arrests, as well.

Photo source: SPARK

Video by Guerrilla (nickname)

Three activists including one woman activist, mother of a little daughter and two Jeju activists of Mr. Kim Kook-Nam and Mr. Kim Dongdo( Organizing Director of the Jeju brach of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions) were arrested. The woman was for the reason that she had not responded to the police call many times while the two were carried by police for their act to stop the trucks. On the day, even the Press Conference to denounce police oppression and daily Catholic mass was blockaded. The three were released soon days later.

Photo by the unknown/ source/ Mr. Kim Kook-Nam, just before being arrested. He was holding civil disobedience sign in front of gate.

It was the next day of April 24 when Wang Yu-Hsuan, a Taiwanese young woman peace worker who has been in Gangjeong since July 2011 was denied entry to Korea from her two months’ overseas trip, without proper explanations given, and was stuck in the airport, while demanding the ROK authority exact reasons of her entry being denied. She would eventually leave on April 26 with no explanation given. On the day, people’s press conference to denounce the police oppression and even Catholic mass were blockaded. The Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island that held the press conference denounced the police oppression:

” It is told that the police set up drastic measures in Gangjeong. It is really dumbfounding. The police have protected naval base construction (destruction) site that is like a department store of illegal acts in violation of various present laws. Now they threaten citizens who are willing to stop the illegal acts and says they would arrest them [..]

As disclosed, the navy has greatly damaged the Sea of Gangjeong, the treasure of Gangjeong villagers and citizens. However, it has enforced construction(destruction) without any proper measure. It has not even carried out what it made negotiations with the Jeju Island government. It is clearly a violation of approval condition to the naval base construction. What have the police done to such navy?” (source)

Photo by the unknown/ Even people’s press conference was blockaded and interrupted by the police on April 25 (source: SPARK)

Photo by Cho Sung-Bong (source)/ Even daily morning Catholic mass was interrupted on April 25

On April 26, another Jeju activist, Kim Kook-Sang was arrested for his act to stop truck. He was release the next day.

Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ Mr. Kim Kook-Sang holds a sign that reads, “the navy’s illegal construction(destruction) is a violation of the present law. Police, arrest the navy!”

On the same day, the Jeju media reported that the supreme court dismissing Yang Yoon-Mo (prison No. 301)’s final appeal, confirmed the decision of higher court against Yang. The Higher court made decision of 18 months’ actual prison sentence on him on Feb. 1. He was directly arrested from the court on the day. Yang has carried out 52 days’ prison fast until March 24. As of April 29, he hits 89th day in prison… while another prisoner, Mr. Kim Young-Jae hit 18th day. Regarding the case of Yang Yoon-Mo, you may refer to UN Special Rapporteurs’ joint allegation letter to South Korean government on human rights violations in Gangjeong, Jeju. Here is Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyeon and other Catholic Fathers who continue to give hope to people and inspire them again and again.

Video by Pang Eun-Mi on April 27.

Photo by the unknown/ Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa,(in yellow jacket) was arrested in the morning of Sunday, April 28, during his protest

On April 28, a bright Sunday, another peace activist, Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa was arrested around 11:30 am. It is the 5th arrest since April 25.

Video by Leejesu Youmyoung

Photo by Leejesu Youmyoung/ Fr. Kim Sung-Hwan on April 28.

A heart-breaking Catholic mass on Sunday

Video by Pang Eun-Mi

Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyeon finally bursts tear when he sings a daily song of ‘Peace of Gangjeong and love you, Gureombi.’ The videomaker, Ms. Pang Eun-Mi cannot but cry along with him. Since April 25, the construction main gate has been occupied by the policemen and has been forcefully opened to allow 24 hour entry/ exit of construction trucks. Fr. Mun provides communion to Fathers, Brothers and people through the policemen. When he comes to the gate of naval base project committee, he hears one activist has already been arrested. After returning back to a tent across the main gate, he fell down for a while, though he would be recovered soon. Fr. Kim Sung-Hwan keeps the gate alone. Tearful resistance is continued in Gangjeong on a bright Sunday.

April 29, 2013
A sacred tree in Gangjeong was designated as a cultural treasure.

A sacred tree in the Gangjeong Village was designated as a Cultural Treasure No. 544. The Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea (CHAK) reported on April 26, 2013.

Photo by Cho Sung-Bong, Benjamin Monnet in front of the sacred tree in the Netgiriso shrine, July, 2011.

The Headline Jeju, April 26, reports:

‘The evergreen tree, located near the camphor tree habitat (natural treasure No. 162), and belonging to the family of Elaeocarpus sylvestris var. ellipticus is a sacred tree by Jeju folk custom. The villagers have paid their faithful service to it for a long time. Its folk custom and culture value is evaluated high.

The tree’s age is inferred to be about 500 years. Its biological value is high because of its large size with 11.5 m height and very unique shape.

The personnel in the CHAK stated that it “would preserve the tree as natural heritage that the Korean citizens can share together, through the cooperation with the Jeju Special Self-Governing Island.” ‘

The tree is located at the Netgiriso shrine(nicknamed Illuye Grandmother shrine). The word ‘Netgiriso’ means ‘four good omens of fall, rock cliff, sweet fish, and clean water.’ The Netgiriso is the water source of the Gangjeong stream that feeds 70 % of drinking water for about 200,000 citizens of Seogwipo City. It is also a habitat of mandarin duck, natural treasure. The Netgiriso itself is a sacred site where you would not even dare to swim but pay respect and prayer.

Many environment lawyers and activists during the IUCN co-sponsored WCC visited the sacred tree and Netgiriso and expressed their awe to them. See here.

Source: Click here.

Many photos of the sacred tree and Netgiriso by Dir. Cho Sung-Bong are available here. Dir Cho took the photos in July 2011. You can see two internationals of Benjamin Monnet and Wang Yu-Hsuan (Emily Wang) there. Both have been forcefully deported by the South Korean government, in March 15, 2012, and April 26, 2013, respectively.

It is told that the navy is planning to build an entry road in the site about 100 m distance from the tree area.

Photo by Save Jeju Now: Kang Mi-Kyung, a meditator of the Seogwipo City leads the prayer in front of the sacred tree in Oct., 2012. The scarf in the back is a present by Ron and Joan Engel, Center for Human and Nature, who visited Gangjeong during the WCC, September, 2012. (source)

April 28, 2013
Non-violence in times of war: Protest and resilience in Jeju, South Korea

Re-blog from the Intrepid Report

Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ People take meals during protest in front of construction gates. For more photos of protest by Cho Sung-Bong, see here.

Non-violence in times of war: Protest and resilience in Jeju, South Korea

by Carole Reckinger

April 16, 2013

In the midst of warmongering and a worsening of tensions between North and South Korea, a group of peace activists is continuing its non-violent struggle against the construction of a naval base on the island of Jeju, South Korea.

Tensions between North and South Korea are not new and the importance of building the base have been repeatedly put forward by the South Korean government as playing an important role in coastal defense. It claims the naval base must be completed and put into service as soon as possible in order to react quickly to any further military provocations by North Korea.

Since 2007, the small fishing village of Gangjeong has led a non-violent resistance against the construction of a naval base right next to a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Despite 94% of the villagers having opposed the base in a referendum, the government has not respected the wish of the people concerned and seems to be buckling under the pressure of corporate conglomerates and the weight of the United States’ wish for an increased presence in the Pacific.

In November last year, I spent a month in Gangjeong village. Day after day, I observed the disproportionate police reaction to the non-violent blockade of the entrance to the construction site and. The most striking feature of the protest was the protesters’ resilience. Young and old and from a multitude of social backgrounds, despite their bruised bodies, the odds stacked against them and the risk of high fines or imprisonment, they kept returning to the front of the gate to fight for what they believe is right. But since tensions have been rising with the North, police crackdown has become more severe and more protesters have been arrested.

‘Professional troublemakers’

From the time the construction of the base was announced, activists, Catholic priests and nuns, Protestant pastors, law professors, teachers, artists, writers, families and students from all around South Korea have joined the villagers’ protest. In order to hinder and delay construction, protesters file lawsuits and press for a reconsideration of the project nationwide, but also regularly block the entrance to the construction site with their bodies, chain themselves to anything available and go on hunger strikes. The fight against the naval base currently mobilizes more than 125 non-governmental organizations across South Korea and more than a hundred abroad [1].

The reasons for which activists from across South Korea and abroad oppose the base are manifold. They include calls for environmental protection, social justice, demilitarization and non-violence. Support for the anti-base movement at the national level is limited, one reason being that the mainstream media has not picked up the topic. When it has, it has portrayed the activists as troublemakers and has tried to discredit them. In times of heightened tensions with the North, calls for demilitarzation, peaceful resolution of conflict and the protest against military bases are heavily criticized, and the Gangjeong protesters are insulted as undermining the security of the state and being pro-North Korean agitators.

The protest demographics, however, invalidate accusations of professional trouble-making as the movement is composed of housewives, taxi drivers, teachers, farmers and students, from all ages and social backgrounds. Many activists in Gangjeong, are members of pro-disarmament and peace groups/networks, and clearly oppose a militarization of the ‘Peace island.’ When Jeju last hosted a military base in 1948, 30,000 people were killed, 40,000 houses burnt down and 90,000 people made homeless (with a population of 300,000 at the time), as the government sought to quell an uprising led by a small group of alleged communist insurgents.

Only in 2003 did the South Korean government apologize. President Roh Moo-Hyun called the massacre, which became known as the April 3rd incident, a “violation of human rights by the state.” He declared Jeju the “Island of World Peace.” But the official peace rhetoric was short lived. Only four years later, the same President finalized plans for the naval base on Jeju. “We do not understand why South Korea, with more than 100 military installations, still needs another military base,” says the mayor of Gangjeong. “We are not convinced by the argument that this naval base will enhance the security of our country” [2].

The ROK Navy already operates seven naval bases in South Korea and the Republic of Korea Armed Forces is the sixth largest army in the world. [3] Since the end of the Korean War, South Korea has a joint military partnership with the United States through the US-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty. South Korea relies on its security partnership with the United States to protect itself from external threats, most notably North Korea.

A new tactic of discouragement

In the midst of the growing tension between North and South, demilitarisation and peace messages will not be given much space in the national discourse and the mainstream media. The risk is high that security arguments will be used to crack down on the peace workers and smother the years old struggle to an end.

During the long years of dictatorship, dissent and civil disobedience would have been met with bloody repression. Today, the government is not in a position to use such deadly violence on its people and uses other tactics. Since the start of the construction, around 700 arrests have been made with 500 indictments and 22 people imprisoned. However, following the presidential election of Park Geun-hye in December 2012, fines against the protesters have been soaring. The total amount of fines for anti-base protest has reached approximately US$450,000 in addition to damage compensation fees of approximately US$280,000. Between January and mid-February 2013 alone, around 100 people went on trial and were sentenced to combined total fines of US$90,000 [4]. This seems to be the government’s newest tactic to discourage protesters from taking part in the protest. This is a much more discreet but just as effective method of repression.

It is clear that in the eyes of the government, the local community’s livelihood and the natural and human resources on which it depends come second to geo-strategic and corporate economic interests. The current North-Korean military threats will further undermine the nonviolent protest against the militarization of Jeju and the government seems prepared to use all levels of state power to go ahead with the project, from massive executive reinforcement to legal and political measures. With all the media attention focused on the war rhetoric, the fight of the Gangjeong activists is at risk of being forgotten.

Notes

1. Information retrieved from www.savejejunow.org
2. Personal interview conducted 19 November 2012 in Gangjeong, South Korea
3. Quoted in Republic of Korea Armed Forces, Wikipedia entry, Retrieved from www.wikipedia.orghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Korea_Armed_Forces
4. Gangjeong Village story (feb 2013), severe judicial oppression fought with healing hands

April 18, 2013
Solidarity from Maine, US and AWC_Japan

The two below messages are forward from Carolyn, Maine, US and Y. Nakamura, AWC_Japan. 1. Solidarity from Maine, US (April 15, 2013) “It is a link to one of the radio stories I produced in February about Gangjeong. This one aired last week.’ ‘Gangjeong village’s struggle against a navy base – produced by WERU volunteer Carolyn earlier this year, after she returned from a trip to the area [..]’ http://archives.weru.org/weru-news-report/weru-news-report-20130409 ‘I’m sending along a photo of a banner we’ll bring to area demonstrations. Love and miss you.’ ( By Carolyn)

Photo by Carolyn/ Solidarity from Maine, US

Source: Times Record/ The Times Record, April 15, 2013, reported the news on Gangjeong struggle in a page of its printed version.

Friends in Maine, US, thankfully delivered the Timed Record newspaper prints. along with the Nuclear Resister March newsletter. Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun in his office.

2.. Solidarity from AWC_Japan (April 15, 2013)

Photo by Y. Nakamura/ Solidarity from Japan(April 15, 2013)

Photo by Y. Nakamura/ Solidarity from AWC_Japan

‘Regarding rising military tension over Korean Peninsula, AWC-Japan held a protest action against ongoing massive US-ROK military exercise at US consulate in Osaka today, April 15, 2013. At the same time, we denounced Japanese government’s warmongering and racist propaganda against DPRK. We are planning to hold similar action at US embassy in Tokyo. No war on Korea! No to US-Japanese military alliance! US troops out of Asia-Pacific!’ ( By Y. Nakamura)

April 16, 2013