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.
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.
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The Jeju Island government should not join the re-evaluation of the simulation test.
Only by that, it would avoid Island people’s suspicionson 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.
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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)
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 BenjaminMonnet 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
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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.
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Reference articles and videos
Video by Dungree: Letter to deported Benjamin (April 18, 2012)
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)
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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1. People’s press conference in the morning, Catholic mass in the afternoon, police alignment on the day
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.”
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
Princeton University, New Jersey, USA
November 16, 2011
Dear Governor Woo,
I was privileged to be invited to speak at the recent UN-ROK Conference on Non-Proliferation and Disarmamentheld at the Shilla Hotel(* Samsung owned) in Jeju on November 7-8, 2011. At the dinner that you so kindly hosted I was delighted to hear you speak of your desire to see Jeju Island recognised as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature as well as an Island of World Peace. Together with the UNESCO triple-crowned status, Jeju island is among the world’s most precious cultural and national treasures.
I was also very impressed with the peaceful protesters who came to talk to us about the way in which construction of a new and unnecessary naval base for submarines and Aegis destroyers is causing desecration of Gangjeong village and coastal waters. When the UN Conference ended I went to Gangjeong to see for myself, and was shocked at the devastation being inflicted on this beautiful part of the world. I met Catholic priests, fruit farmers, village leaders and Haenyo divers and heard how the base construction — and in particular the planned detonation of explosives at Gureombi — will devastate their fishing areas and could destroy their livelihoods forever.
I have worked on disarmament issues for many years, and have studied the negative impact of military bases for local populations. As well as destroying the livelihoods of local farmers and the famous Haenyo sea women, the Gangjeong naval base will increase the risks of rape and other forms of violence against women and girls. As it destroys traditional fishing and agricultural jobs, the base will cause an upsurge in prostitution and erode women’s rights, security and safety. Is this what you want on Jeju Island?
I have just heard that Gureombi is scheduled to be blasted open on November 18. I beg you to have this irrevocable destruction of the seabed halted immediately.
As I learned on my visit, the marine ecosystem connected with Gureombi is a precious heritage of the South Korean people and must be protected and preserved. The destruction of Gureombi threatens the surrounding marine life, the traditional Haenyo fishing areas, and the clean water that farmers and villagers depend upon for their survival.
You have the power to stop the use of explosives at Gureombi and Gangjeong, and I appeal to you to halt this violence as a matter of the greatest immediacy and urgency.
You also have the power to order the Navy to stop construction of the naval base so that the interests of Jeju Islanders can be properly considered and assessed. If it is not already clearly recognised what a crime of vandalism will be committed if these explosions and the construction of this unnecessary naval base go ahead, at least halt the construction so that an independent environmental and cultural impact assessment can be conducted before any further violence and desecration are inflicted on the environment and Jeju people.
I am sure that you do not want your legacy to be the governor who enabled the destruction of this unique natural environment and site of ancient Korean relics. I am convinced you would rather be remembered as a protector of democracy and peace on Jeju Island rather than the person who destroyed the livelihoods of local villagers and opened the door to the rape and prostitution of Jeju women – a human rights violation that invariably accompanies military bases such as that which is being planned.
I appeal to you to act with the wise foresight of which I know you are capable and put a stop to the blasting of Gureombi and the wanton destruction of Gangjeong for a naval base that is not needed for South Korean security and which the vast majority of local people oppose. Uphold the principles you expressed at the UN meeting and your promises to those who elected you and stop the blast and construction immediately.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours Sincerely,
Dr Rebecca Johnson
President, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN Europe, Middle East, Africa)
Dr Rebecca E. Johnson
Executive Director
Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy
24 Colvestone Crescent
London E8 2LH
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 207 503 8857
mob: 07733360955
website: www.acronym.org.uk
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Peace activist Rebecca Johnson visits the Jeju Island naval base site
Will the Jeju naval base business make rich the Island people? Park Ki-Hak, Research Institute for Peace and Reunification of Korea, refutes such navy and government logic. Beside the translated parts below, he also mentions the cases of naval bases in Pyeongtaek, Donghae, Jinjoo, and Busan in South Korea and of Hawai’i where economic and environmental damage is serious. The government used to mention Hawai’i as an example that the Jeju should refer to and follow, saying that the Hawai’i tourism has been benefited from the military bases there.
Will the Jeju naval base business make rich the Island people?
By Park Ki-Hak
Oct. 14, 2011
( # Summary translation)
The navy says more than 40% of 772.6 billion won (six years’ business term, standard in 2006) of the Jeju naval base construction cost would be allocated to the Jeju local enterprise. However, the ‘result on the impact analysis of the Jeju naval base,’ carried by the joint civilian-government team in 2006 evaluates that it would be only 18% of the construction cost that directly contributes to the income improvement(annual average income improvement: 23.2 billion won/ job numbers: 1,697) therefore ‘it would not be desirable to cling to that point.’ Still, even 18% is excessively exaggerated.
Even though the report assumes that the Jeju region construction enterprises would take charge of 30% of harbor & bay construction, 30% of land construction and 70% of new construction on the military residence, regarding smallness of the construction business in the Jeju region it is unrealistic,. It is proved by the fact that the share rate of local enterprise is 15% each in case of harbor & bay and land construction that the Samsung and Daerim carry in consortium each. Also the assumption that the Jeju local enterprise would use 100% of the labor force from the actual field of the Jeju is unrealistic in cases of the constructions on new apartment, harbor & bay, land, and communication construction. In accounting the numbers of jobs, the report is also exaggerating the numbers of jobs by basing on total production by one person, which is far smaller than the wage of Jeju worker that should be criteria.
