“Because of Samsung”…Ministry of National Defense Excuses, Upon Protest by National Assembly Members
Image source: Jeju Sori, Jan. 23, 2013/ 12 DUP members’ visit to Kim Gwan-Jin, Minister of National Defense
The Minister of National Defense (MND) excused under the pretext of Samsung for the reason of the enforcement of construction. 12 members of the National Assembly, including Park Ki-Choon, floor representative of the Democratic United Party, denounced the MND.
On Jan. 23, 12 National Assembly members (representatives of the Democratic United Party: DUP) visited the MND and met Kim Gwan-Jin, Minister of National Defense. The meeting was for the protest that six National Assembly members were humiliated to be denied entry into the Jeju naval base project building complex on Jan. 22. (See the below photos. On Jan. 10, two National Assembly members were also roughed up by the police. see here. You can watch the video on Jan. 21, here. ).
The 12 National Assembly members who visited the Minister Kim on Jan. 23 are: Park Ki-Choon, floor representative of the DUP, Woo Won-Sik, Vice-floor representative of the DUP, Ahn Gyu-Baek, Coordinator of the National Defense committee of the National Assembly, Lee Suk-Hyun, Kim Woo-Nam, Kim Gwan-Young, Jin Sung-Joon, Kim Gwang-Jin, member of the National Defense committee of the National Assembly, and Jang Hana.
Park, the floor representative denounced the MND, saying, “without the execution on budget, construction should be stopped [..] Even though the needed is an effort to diligently carry out the National Assembly subsidiary conditions for 70 days, the MND is enforcing construction. The Minister of National Defense has refused to come to the National Assembly, excusing he is busy.”
- Note: The National Assembly had passed the 2013 Jeju naval base budget of about 209 billion won with the subsidiary conditions of ‘execution on budget after the report on the performance on the recommendation items of the National Assembly within 70 days.” For the National Assembly subsidiary conditions, look at here.
However, Minister Kim Gwan-Jin clarified his measure on the enforcement of construction, excusing that there were no words of “construction stop,” in the National Assembly subsidiary conditions.
Further he ascribed the responsibility for the enforcement of construction to a company that is the Samsung being in charge of the 1st work area of the Jeju naval base project, “The construction company that made a total sum contract is continuing construction for the reasons of labor cost, equipment-lease cost and compensation damage on the sub-contract companies. I will make an effort to satisfy the National Assembly subsidiary conditions but there is nothing we can do since the company said it should carry out construction.”
Jang Hana, a National Assembly woman delivered later that the National Assembly members present with the Minister boiled with rage upon the Minister’s such nonsense that Ministry is excusing its violation of law for a private company: “Is Samsung over the National Assembly and law?”
Jang pointed out, “the Ministry of Strategic Planning and Finance is right not to allocate the budget [for 70 days]. The contract should be renewed annually, too. In the case of the Jeju naval base construction, the contract was expired as of January. It is hard to understand that the Ministry is looking on with folded arms while the Samsung is progressing an illegal construction with its own money without being supervised.”
After the meeting, the DUP stated that it would consider legal measure against the enforcement of construction for 70 days even though its actual effect is uncertain.
Yoon Gwan-Suk, spokesperson of the floor representative said, “Regarding the disposal on the passing of the 2013 Jeju naval base budget, the National Assembly conditioned it with the subsidiary items including a thorough verification on the possibility of port-entry by 150,000 ton cruise and its report to the National Assembly within 70 days. Even though ‘construction stop’s was not stipulated in the conditions, there was an agreement on construction stop in content both by the ruling Saenuri Party and opposition parties.”
(Summary of the articles of the Jeju Sori and Jeju Domin Ilbo. See also Yonhap news)
Photo by Rev. Ryu Insik/ On Jan. 21, six National Assembly members (DUP) visited the village and had a press conference denouncing the navy’s illegal construction. Those six members are Jang Hana(3rd from the right), Kim Gi-Sik, Nam-Yoon In-Soon, Eun Soo-Mi, Jeong Chung-Rae, and Jin Sun-Mi. The sign in the back reads, “Stop the illegal construction enforced without budget from Jan. 1, 2013.”
Jan 21, around 11:20 am/ Many reporters came to the six National Assembly members’ press conference held in front of the gate of the Jeju naval base project building complex. The police little showed up and no construction trucks while the members were in the village.
Jan. 21. around 11: 55 am/ After the press conference, the National Assembly members tried to have a talk meeting with the chief of the project committee and to witness the site of illegal construction. But the door was rudely closed for about 30 minutes. Many news reporters including the KBS, one of the main Korean broadcasting companies were eager to report on it.
Jan. 21, around 12: 15 pm/ The six National Assembly members had to finally give up the meeting with the chief of the project committee. One member, Jeong Chung-Rae, is denouncing the navy in his interview with the news reporters.
Photo by A. T on Jan. 21/ The National Assembly members having a talk meeting with the village representatives had the lunch in the village communal restaurant. They would visit the Seogwipo Police Station to protest its violent oppression on people. at 2 pm.
Photo by Paco Booyah/ On Jan. 22, members of the United Progressive Party also visited and denounced the navy’s illegal construction as well, around 10 am.
Photo by Paco Booyah/ On Jan. 22, Nationwide civic groups also gathered in the village, to protest the navy’s illegal construction. It was the Urgent Action day. Around 11 am.
The people’s bow hit 10,000 times as of Jan. 22 (around 5:30 pm). people have declared 30,000 peace bows on Jan. 10. Jan. 22 was also a day that Park Seung-Ho, currently the only remaining prisoner hit 130th day in prison.
The police resumed its mobilization again for the entry of construction trucks in the evening and all over night, after the party and many civic group members returned back to the main land. Here is the video by Dungreei on the night of Jan. 22 (source). An old villager protested police’s mean behavior, denouncing Samsung as well. You can watch another video by Pang Eunmi on Jan. 21, here. On Jan. 23, the police were also protested for tearing a woman peace keeper’s cloths. The police even surrounded another woman peace keeper strongly protesting against it. Watch the Jan. 23 video here. The policeman, Park In-Kyu, was the one who made a peace keeper’s finger injured by hammering the pipes through which people connected their arms together to stop explosive cars on March 9, 2012. ( See the last scene). Protest call to the Seogwipo Police Station, Jeju: 064-760-0112/ the 3rd riot police unit of Busan: 051-971-7634
Near the people’s communal restaurant, Samgeori( three way intersection), a peacekeeper, Deulkkot, is displaying her dolls of people fighting against the naval base project. Despite hard time and ongoing construction(destruction), many people’s dedicated efforts will overcome the difficulties of struggle.
