Save Jeju Now

No War Base on the Island of Peace

Category: Reblogged

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

    aop
    See Organizing Notes,  Nov. 8, 2011

     

    Re-post from here

     

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

    To whom it may concern:
    December 13, 2011

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

    Dear Judges, Lawyers and Colleagues,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Yours faithfully,

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

     

    apples
    See Organizing Notes, March 8, 2011

     

    Dungree video

    Nov. 8 to 9, 2011

     

    Nov. 7, 2011

  • Rebecca Johnson’s letter to Governor Woo on Nov. 16, 2011

     

    R Johnson
    Photo by Jung Jae-Eun, Media Choongchung, Nov. 12, 2012

    Re-post from here

    Rebecca Johnson’s letter to Governor Woo

     

    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 Disarmament held 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

    …………………………………………….

    Peace activist Rebecca Johnson visits the Jeju Island naval base site

    (Video by No Base Jeju Island)

  • Language, Island, colonial culture and the Jeju naval base

    Re-post from the No base stories of Korea, Feb. 27, 2011

     

    * Image source: Headline Jeju, Feb. 25, 2011헤드라인 제주, 2011년 2월 25일(클릭)
    The sign reads: ‘Allow and actively promote the use of the Jeju dialect in schools!
    ‘Critically endangered Jeju dialect’ of the UNESCO-registered-and-promoted
    It is the responsibility of the Jeju Provincial Office of Education that has not allowed the use of the Jeju dialect for 40 years, who has alledged that it is a ‘rustic and impertinent’ dialect. ‘
    ____________________________________________________________
    Thanks to the activists who are making efforts to decolonize the cultures of their Islands, for example, Michael Lujan Bevacqua who runs the blog called ‘No Rest for the Awake: Minagahet Chamorro,’ it has become clearer to more people that no base movement cannot be separate with the decolonization movement.

    Here in the Jeju Island, the faced situation could be similar to a lesser degree if not the same with the examples in the other regions, especially in those Islands who have been suffering under the imperial eyes and tongues.

    The Headline Jeju on Feb. 25 reported an interesting article ( by Yoon Chul-Soo) which was about one man protest by Kim Young-Bo, a high school teacher teaching commerce, who demanded the free use of the Jeju dialect in schools in front of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Office of Education (The Jeju Provincial Office of Education, afterwards) in the afternoon of Feb. 25, 2011.

    According to the very article, the teacher protested against the Jeju Provincial Office of Education which he criticized because it had not allowed the free use of the Jeju dialect in schools by alleging that the Jeju language was a ‘rustic and impertinent dialect,’ and to which he demanded that it should allow students to freely speak the Jeju dialect in schools.

    Below is the translation of his words cited in the article:

    “The Jeju Provincial Office of Education who has not allowed the free use of the Jeju dialect is very responsible for the Jeju language being critically endangered. Even though the situation is very serious as to the degree that it is registered as a critically endangered language by the UNESCO, the Provincial Office of the Education is not trying to fix such wrong education policy.” 

    It was poignant to hear that the Jeju dialect is critically endangered itself while the UNESCO designated soft corals in the Gangjeong Sea is being threatened with the naval base construction in the Gangjeong village, as well. (* About the UNESCO registered Jeju language, see HERE and HERE)

    Here are further translations of his cited words, as well:

    “I am more infuriated by the fact that no one really seriously concerns about that, except for short time whenever there were media reports on the Jeju dialect being registered as a critically endangered language. Who would succeed the Jeju language if the current halmang(s)(old women) and harbang(s)(old men) die. The language might disappear.”

    “Our generation was not allowed to use the Jeju dialect for talks between teachers and students not to mention for class hours. We had to hear reproach that we were rustic and impertinent if we use the Jeju dialect and we even got a whip. Didn’t the students who had been getting punished get one more whip if they unconsciously used the Jeju dialect, did they? It is for the alleged reason that they look as rustic and impertinent from the point of view of teachers.”

    According to the article, he pointed out that the Jeju Provincial Office of Education was showing the duality by never allowing the Jeju dialect even among the students within schools while it is also making an effort to revitalize the Jeju language such as through hosting or sponsoring competition events such as those on speaking with the Jeju dialect; those on children song with the Jeju dialect, exhibitions on illustrated poems with the Jeju Dialect; and festivals with the Jeju Dialect. It is told that the authority of the Jeju Provincial Office of Education has issued that it has guided that there should be an education course on the Jeju dialect beside sponsoring such events. However, it is contradictorily prohibiting the very use of the Jeju dialect [within schools].

    According to the article, the duality is the very point that motivated him toward his own one man protest.

    What is interesting about the event and article is that those things very remind the current situation of the Jeju Island whose native cultures are being disappeared with corporate and militarism culture in South Korea, especially with the law on the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, which was brought in 2006 with the concept of Jeju free international city and emphasis on the so-called’ ‘globalization.’

    Mr. Go Gwon-Il, a Gangjeong villager thinks the Central and Island governments’ current mobilizations for the Jeju to be one of the new seven wonders even being mobilized with many celebrities along with excessive international propaganda is part of such extended move.

    According to him, the Jeju Island should NOT be one of the new seven wonders because it would make worse the situation of the Jeju Island, the UNESCO triple-crowned site(Mount Halla’s Biosphere Reserve recognition in 2002; Natural Heritage Sites designation of Mount Halla, Seongsan Sunrise Peak and Manjanggul cave in 2007; and the geopark designation in 2010) with increasing capitalism and reckless tourism.

    Otherwise, according to the Wiki on the Jeju dialect:

    One large difference between the Jeju dialect and those of mainland Korea is the lack of formality and deference to elders. For example, while a speaker of the Seoul dialect might say 안녕하세요 annyeonghaseyo (“Hello”) to an older person, a speaker of the Jeju dialect would say 반갑수다 ban-gapsuda (lit., “Nice chatting” or “Nice talking”; roughly equivalent to “Howdy”). To many mainlanders, a child saying this to an adult would be appalling, but on the islands, a more “egalitarian” form of speech is used, perhaps a cultural idiosyncrasy that has hung on after the incorporation of Jeju itself (under the Tamna kingdom, which, though having subjugated itself to Korean states since the 7th century, was not brought under the full centralized control of a Korean state until 1404) into Korea.

     

     

    * Image source: Jeju Weekly, Feb. 6, 2011 (Original source: ‘Art by Choi Myung Sun. Photo courtesy Jejudo Hangeul Calligraphy Society’) The calligraphy written with the Jeju dialect reads:
    ‘ Moosangomassim(Why is it?)
    Umung-ee haejoon bab muk-eo-bob-seo (Why don’t you have some rice mother has cooked?) Chommallo Masi Jotsooda(It is really delicious.) Moosangomassim (Why is it?) Geu-gun Umunim-eui Saranghaneun mosim-ee bab sogobe godeukgodeuk deul-eo-i-si-nan anikkwa (Isn’t it because mother’s loving heart wholly fills the rice bowl, is it?) –Jeju sokkdam gotnae (cited from one of the Jeju proverbs Gotnae)

    There was also an interesting article in the Jeju Weekly. See HERE. According to it:

    Looking at the wider linguistic picture, the Korean language is also losing ground on account of the dominance of English.

     

    But looking at the problem more closely, one sees that much of the Jeju dialect is disappearing fast, partly because the capitalistic logic of “efficiency” has been an excuse for our indifferent attitude. During the rapid economic development in Korea which started in the 1960’s, preservation of cultural diversity was considered “inefficient” since it could deter fast decision making. This has since put the Jeju dialect on the list of critically endangered languages.

    For reference, the 60’s developmentalism was promoted by the Park Jung-Hee military dictatorship who has eyed on the Jeju Island, a historically strategic point by the imperial countries and dominating class, with the turned-out-to-be a failed military base plan then.

    The concern about the possibility of disappearing vernacular terms in the Gangjeong village is being faced with the rapidly accelerated naval base construction: Who would remember the names of Goorumbee(cloud-shaped rocks stuck under the earth), Gaegurumbee (cloud-shaped rocks on the earth), Jinsokkak, (hem-look in the place of deep and and inwardly long water), Neobeunnyo (spacious rock protruded over water), Metboori( * Of which the meaning is not exactly known but according to Mr. Go Gwon-Il in the Gangjeong village, it could be ‘a ritual place offered with rice’) in the Joongduk coast and Natgakk(hem-look in the place of stream) in the downstream of the Gangjeong stream, once all the rocky Joongduk coast in the Gangjeong badang(sea) is reclaimed with concrete by the construction?

    The naval base construction would not only bury the heaven-blessed nature of the Gangjeong village but would also erase all the archaic history of it, violently making scars into the memories of the Gangjeong villagers who might not be able to say any more that their hometown Gangjeong used to be the most water-abundant and the most water-fresh village in the Jeju Island.

  • Walking from the Joongduk Coast to the Gangjeong Stream

    Re-post from the No base stories of Korea, Jan. 24, 2011


    1. Goorumbee (Gureombi) 구럼비 2. Jinsokkak 진소깍 3. Neobeunyeo 너븐여
    4. Gaegoorumbee 개구럼비 (Gaegureombi) 5. Metboori (Moetppuri) 멧부리

    6. Gangjeong Stream + Ackeun stream 강정천 + 악근천

    ………………………………………………………………………….

    One can see many Jeju vernacular terms in the names of the places from the Joongduk coast to the Gangjeong Stream. The below is the explanation by Mr. Go Gwon-Il, Gangjeong villager. Saying he could not assert all his explanations were right but based on his knowledge, in case with inference, he gave us some interesting explanations on the names of places.

     

    1. Goorumbee 구럼비

    Mr. Go inferred the meaning of the word, ‘bee’ in the ‘Goorumbee’ same with that of the word, ‘bille,’ which means ‘rocks stuck into earth,’ while that of the word, ‘Goorum,’ same that of the word, ‘Gooreum,’ which means ‘cloud,’ therefore the meaning of ‘Goorumbee’ as ‘the rocks of cloud shapes.’

    ………………………………………………………………………..

    2. Jinsokkak 진소깍

    The word, ‘So’ in the name of ‘Jinsokkak’ means ‘place of deep water.’ The word, ‘KKak’ means ‘hem of a cloth,’ which is expression of the shape of line that looks like the hem of a cloth on the surface of water into which the bottom parts of the rocks are submerged. Mr. Go said of a tale that has been told in the Gangjeong village for a long time. The story is that when the Seolmoondae Halmang ( ‘halmang’ means ‘old woman’) who is told to have created the Jeju Island in the folktale on the birth of the Jeju Island, lied her body taking the Beom Island (where the UNESCO designated soft corals inhibit underneath) as her pillow and putting her feet into the Baekrokdam ( the crater on the top of Mt. Halla), the Jinsokkak was her womb therefore women who could not have babies long time could have babies if they bath in the end point of the Jinsokkak, where fresh water and sea water meets each other.
    ……………………………………………………………………

    3. Neobeunyeo 너븐여

    The word, ‘neobeun’ in the name of the ‘Neobeunyo’ means ‘spacious,’ while ‘yeo’ meaning ‘rock protruded over water.’
    …………………………………………………………..

    4. Gaegoorumbee 개구럼비

     

    The word, ‘gae’ in the name of ‘Gaegoorumbee’ means ‘the rocks on the ground without being stuck into earth’, different from ‘bille.’

    ……………………………………………………………………………..
    5. Moetboori 멧부리
    * On the Metboori, see also HERE 멧부리에 대해서 또한 여기를 클릭하시길






    .

     

    Mr. Go inferred the meaning of the word, ‘Me’ in the name of ‘Metboori’ as ‘the rice on table for religious serves,’ therefore the meaning of ‘Metboori’ as the ‘(sacred) place where people offered rice.’ For reference, there is a low and big stone-made altar where people used to hold the religious service called ‘Byeolpoje,’ since long time ago in theMetboori. The altar is told to directly face toward the direction of rising Sun in March in lunar calendar (which is approximately April in the solar calendar)

    The Byeolpoje was an annual religious service held by many villagers for the purpose of good lucks to be prosper, while to prevent bad lucks, around March or April in lunar calendar, which is usually before Danoh (one of big festive days in Korea; the word, ‘Danoh’ means the first five days of May, in lunar calendar) and when the yang energy begins to prosper more than yin energy-it is told that if yang energy is much more than yin energy, the epidemic becomes to be rampant. The Byeolpoje was stopped in 1969 (during the Park Jung-Hee military dictatorship) but resumed in 2002 (the period when the ex-President, Kim Dae-Jung reigned). However as the Island government unilaterally decided over the Gangjeong village as the planned naval base area then the navy purchased the land in 2008, the service was also stopped as the villagers found it was hard to freely walk there.
    ………………………………………………………………………………
    6. Gangjeong Stream + Ackeun stream 강정천 + 악근천






     

    In the seawater of the end point of the Metboori, the fresh water of the Keunnae (means the ‘big stream’ and is also named as the Gangjeong stream) and Akkeunnae (named as the Akkeun Stream) meets with the sea water. One calls the place in the downstream of deep water as ‘Bongdoongiiso.’ There exist the stones called ‘Sokdol’ that has many holes as to drift over water.

    One calls the meeting point of the Gangjeong Stream and sea water as ‘Natkkak.’ Its geology is formed of sudden downfall so you can see sometimes water flow that is poured like fall. Because of its clean water, one can see sweet fishes and kind of moss called Polytrichum juniperinum (or pigeon wheat). It is told that there lives the kind of moss called ‘Marchantia polymorpha (called common liverwort or umbrella liverwort) in less clean water.

  • Why the annulment on the cancellation of the absolute preservation area has to be done?

     

    Re-Post from the No base Stories of Korea

     

    __For the original Korean article including maps/images(click HERE) 
    * English subtitles were added by arbitrary to the original images.
    * The last 13 images were  added by arbitrary for readers’ easier understanding.

    ________________________________________________________

    The below is a rough translation of the original Korean document informed at the site of the Jeju Human Rights Center. Thanks to Mr. Hong Ki-Ryong, Chairman of the Pan Island Committee for the prevention of the Jeju Military Base [plan] and for the Realization of the Island of Peace, who informed the document. Currently the Gangjeong villagers are preparing for the final review of the 1st court in November and its final decision in December, regarding their lawsuit on the demanding of annulment on the cancellation of the absolute preservation area by the [former] Island authorities. The villagers and Pan Island committee have carried out a 10,000 Pan Island people’s petition movement to save Gangjeong from June 25 to July 25, 2010. The below document has originally been made for that cause. But with the lawsuit that is critically hanging in November, the below document would be some helpful for readers to understand what the lawsuit is about and how the lawsuit is important in the struggle.

    More pictures, fixes and compensations would come later.
    ________________________________________________________

    Click the images for larger view
    이미지를 확대하시면 크게 보입니다.

    The naval base [plan] does never fit to the Gangjeong village where a heaven-blessed ecosystem, a standing scenery in the Jeju, breathes!

     

    The Jeju Island government and Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Council should withdraw from the cancellation of
    the absolute preservation area, Gangjeong village.

    The cancellation of the absolute preservation area, which is legally and procedurally problematic has to be annulled.

    • The coastal area of the Gangjeong-dong, City of Seogwipo, has been designated as the absolute preservation area during the process of the enactment on the special law on the development of the Jeju Island in 1991 and its total area size of 1,087,878 square meters was re-designated as the absolute preservation area, last Oct. 2004.

    • Of that area, the absolute preservation area in the naval base planned site occupies 105.295 square meters, which is about 300,000 pyeong.

    Image: The Present status of the absolute and relative preservation areas
    around the Gangjeong village
    (source: Document on the Assessment on the Environmental Impact by the naval base [plan])
    (* English titles were added to an original image)

    • Gangjeong was designated as the absolute preservation area for the reason that a beautiful scenery had to be protected. Nevertheless the [former] Island government and navy, deciding to annul the absolute preservation area by getting the agreement with the [former] Island Provincial Council under the cause of the ‘high-power self-regulation right’ of the [former] Island governor, are driving for the sea reclamation according to it.

    • The [former] Jeju Island [government] has submitted its proposal to the [former] Island Provincial Council for agreement on the alteration of the absolute preservation area in the planned naval base area, Gangjeong, and the [former] Island Provincial Council, lead by the members of the Grand National Party [who were the majority then]passed it in a snatched way on Dec. 17, [2009]. Then, [the former] Jeju Island government issued the announcement on the decision of the alteration on the absolute preservation area (The Jeju Special Self-Governing Island Government announcement NO. 2009-157)

    • The Jeju Island authority had omitted the process [that was required] in the article of the related act that read that [the Island] should consult the villagers’ opinion during the process of the alteration on the absolute preservation area,reasoning that it did not need to consult the villagers’ opinion in the ‘negligible case’ such as the reduction of the area size. However, it is greatly questionable whether to annul the protection area of 300,000 pyeong (* 105.295 square meters) to fill up the sea of 100,000 pyeong is indeed a negligible case.

    • Related to that, the Jeju local lawyer’s council stating its position through its press interview on Nov. 12, last year that, “ Whereas the act on the management on the absolute preservation area of the Jeju Island government reads that [the Island] should name underwater resource, ecology system, and 1st class scenery – as the protected regions of the absolute preservation areas, it is but a question on what legal basis the [Island] is driving for the annulment of the absolute preservation area, while it is not doing the investigation on the matter of whether the planned naval base area belongs to such 1st class area or not,” has raised its question on the legal & procedural injustice of the Island’s measure on the annulment of the absolute preservation area, and been still pointing out the legal problems in it.

    • The issue on the annulment of the absolute preservation area in the naval base planned site in Gangjeong has been stained with the problems such as the [former] Jeju Island authority’s arbitrary submission of the proposal for the [Island Provincial Council’s] agreement on the alteration (annulment); its exclusion of collection of the villagers’ opinions; and the Island Provincial Council’s passing the bill in a snatched way, ignoring the meeting procedure of the Island Provincial Council.

    • Currently, the present status of the issue is that its administrative lawsuit is now being raised and being moored in the Jeju local court since the Gangjeong villagers made a decision to file an administrative lawsuit on it, through their temporary general meeting on last January 13, [2010].

    The Gangjeong village is a place of a blessed scenery and ecology system that needs protection.

    • The coastal area of the Gangjeong village is the place of the representing scenery in the Jeju and a ecology system site where the precious national creature resources are variously distributed.

    ※ The present status of the designated protection areas in the Gangjeong village.

    Biosphere protection area (UNESCO): designated on Dec. 2002

    Cultural treasure protection area (Natural memorial NO. 421, by the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea): designated in July 2000

    Cultural treasure protection area (Natural memorial NO. 442, by the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea): designated in December 2004

    Marine ecology system protection area (Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs): designated on Nov. 5, 2002

    Jeju Island provincial maritime park (Jeju Island): Designated in Oct. 2006

    Absolute preservation coastal area (Jeju Island): Issued in April, 2007

    Nature Park (Bomok~ Gangjeong, Ministry of Environment): Oct. 15, 2008

    ※ The present status of the designated protection area, Gangjeong village


    ※ The present status of the inhibiting court -protected species, Gangjeong village, Jeju Island

    * All the below images comes from the Korean sites by search. Please respect the sources. The source links are clicked.

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………
    Soft Coral (연산호):
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………

     

    * Image source: Environmental Doorebak (Original source: Ministry of Environment, ROK, 2005)Dendronephthya suensoni (검붉은수지맨드라미)
    _The 2nd class endangered wild animal/plant species-Ministry of Environment, ROK…………………………………………………………………………………………………* Image source: Environmental Doorebak (Original source: Ministry of Environment, ROK, 2005)Dendronephthya mollis (연수지맨드라미)
    _ The 2nd class endangered wild animal/plant species-Ministry of Environment, ROK
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………* Image source: Environmental Doorebak (Original source: Ministry of Environment, ROK, 2005)

     

    Dendronephthya putteri (자색수지맨드라미)
    _The 2nd class endangered wild animal/ plant species-Ministry of Environment, ROK
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………

     

    * Image source: Environmental Doorebak (Original source: Ministry of Environment, ROK, 2005)Dendronephthya castanea (밤수지맨드라미)
    _The 2nd class endangered wild animal/plant species-Ministry of Environment, ROK
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………

     

    Euplexaura crassa (둔한진총산호)
    _The 2nd class endangered wild animal/ plant species-Ministry of Environment, ROK
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………

     

     

    Verrucella stellata (별혹산호)
    _The 2nd class endangered wild animal/ plant species-Ministry of Environment, ROK
    ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

     

    * Image source: Jeju Sori
    Tubastraea coccinea (금빛나팔돌산호)
    _The 2nd class endangered wild animal/plant species-Ministry of Environment, ROK
    ; and internationally 2nd class endangered
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………* Image source: Scuba Diving school blog
    Antipathes japonica (해송)
    _The 2nd class endangered wild animal/ plant species-Ministry of Environment, ROK
    : Natural treasure NO. 456- Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………

     

    Antipathes lata (긴가지해송)
    _Natural treasure NO. 457- Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea
    ; and internationally 2nd class endangered species
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………
    Animal / plant (동.식물)
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………

     

    * Image source: BRIC Bio species
    Clithon retropietus V. Martens (기수갈고둥)
    _The 2nd class endangered species-Ministry of Environment, ROK
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………* Image source: Media Jeju

     

    Sesarma intermedium (붉은발말똥게)
    _The 2nd class endangered species-Ministry of Environment, ROK
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………
    * Image source: Newsis
    Cladium chinense Nees (층층고랭이)
    _A rarity, but non- court-protected
    ……………………………………………………………………………….
    * Image source: Animal photo album
    Eriocheir Japonicus (동남참게)_ A rarity, but non- court-protected

  • Exposing the Navy, NIS, Island Government’s Psychology Warfare

    Re-post from No Base Stories of Korea, May 14, 2010

    The below videos are the editions by Mr. Go Gwon-Il  (Gangjeong village, Jeju Island) of the original 812th ‘PD Note’ program (about 14 min.), ‘Why the Gangjeong Villagers, Jeju Island, Are Furious?’ broadcast by MBC on May 5, 2009.

    The 1st part is about 10 min and the 2nd is about  3 min.

    One can glance the navy, NIS, Island government’s psychology warfare against the villagers: how the naval base project has been brought up to the Gangjeong village in an undemocratic way, how it brought the conflicts among the villagers and how it caused the fury and frustration of the villagers.

    The Jeju Sori has reported on the program on May 6, 2019.

    The villagers use to say it was like a kind of military operation (meaning psychology and information warfare) when the navy has brought the project in the village. It was not only in Gangjeong, but in the 1st and 2nd naval base candidate areas of Hwasoon and Weemee as well).

    This video will provide some clues on how the military utilizes  division strategy to install bases in  places.

    The most striking evidence of the navy’s psychology operation against the villagers is shown around 8 min.

    Here is the rough translation from that part.

     

    Transcript ( 7 min. 53 to 9 min. to 10 min. 18 sec. )

    7 min. 53  sec. 7분 53초

    이것은 취재중 PD 수첩이 입수한 문건입니다. 해군 기지와 관련해서 유관 기관이 회의한 내용이 담겨 있읍니다. 과연 어떤 말들이 오갔을 까요? 그 내용은 충격적입니다.

    This is the document that the ‘PD Note’ has gotten during the coverage. It contains the meeting contents by institutes, related to the naval base plan. What content was possibly discussed? The [exposed] content is shocking.

    8min.10 sec. 8분 10초

    There was the meeting on the naval base construction issue by the related institutes last September.

    8min.15 sec. 8분 15초

    제주 환경부 지사
    Governor of the Environment Department, Jeju Island

    ‘이제는 추진 단계, 걸림돌은 제거하고 가야…
    Now is the stage to drive [the plan]. An obstacle should be removed…

    해군이 주도해서 공세적으로 해야 한다.
    With the navy’s lead, one has to be aggressive.

    분열은 좋은 상황. 공세적 법집행 필요함.
    Division brings a good situation. Aggressive law-execution is needed.’

    8min. 27 sec.

    경찰 Police

    ‘도에서 조그마한 것이라도 공세적으로 고소 고발해야 경찰도 조치 가능

    The Island has to accuse and prosecute even if it is a small thing. Only then the police can work with measure…

    인신 구속 있어야 수위 낮아져…

    Only by imprisonment of personnel, the level of [resistance] will be low.’

    8min. 40 sec. 8분 40초

    국정원:
    National Intelligence Service

    제주 지검 차장 만나 해군 기지 관련 불법 행위에 대해 엄격히 법 집행 요구…
    The National Intelligence Service met the vice-director of the Jeju Public Prosecutors’ Office and has demanded the strict law execution against the illegal activities related to naval base…

    “외부 세력 개입에 대해 서는 강정 찬성 측에서 문제 제기하면 국정원, 경찰이 측면 지원”
    “Regarding the outside supporters, if the Gangjeong group who is in favor of the plan raises the issue, the NIS and police will side-support to them.”

    […] […]

    10min. 18sec. 10분 18초

    Reporter 보도자:

    “이상하게도 회의록에서 논의된 내용은 마을 내에서 실제 벌어지고 있었읍니다.
    Strangely, The content that has been discussed in the meeting report was actually happening in the village.

    특히 고소 고발 건은 이미 이 마을에서 낯선 일이 아닙니다.
    Specially, accusations and prosecutions are not unacquainted things any more.

    주민들에 따르면 (공무 집행 방해등) 해군 기지 관련해 접수된 것이 총 32건입니다.
    According to the villagers, the cases registered, related to the naval base issues (such as the ‘interruption of the government business execution’) are total 32.”