Image: Cho Sung-Bong
On Oct. 16, police roughed out people 12 times to the exhaustion of people who have kept the two gates from the endless construction trucks from early morning. It has usually been about 7 times. Many young activists got bruise and scratched wounds as the policewomen even use their nails. The navy is accelerating construction (destruction) from the anxiety that it may not get the construction budget for next year. The navy has been building caisson production area in the west part of the Gureombi Rock, for which and shipment site in the east part of the Gureombi Rock, it has blasted about 10 % of it this March and April.
Last year, the National Assembly has cut about 96% of about 130 billion won in proposed budget related to the Jeju naval base construction. Many problems including unreliable base design had been exposed through the National Assembly inspection last year. Instead, about 107 billion won budget unused in 2011 due to people’s protests was transferred to 2012 and the navy has been consuming that transferred budget for 2012. Still the navy could not even use half of that as of this October because of fierce struggles by the dedicated people who daily keep the construction gate from the construction trucks, from morning to late evening, sometimes, overnight.
As the end of this year is approaching amidst the National Assembly inspection (The National assembly inspection on the government offices related to the Jeju naval base project is from Oct. 5 to 24) and there will be a Presidential election in December, the navy and conservatives are anxious to finish their job as much as they can do. The growing criticism on the current Lee Myung Bak government is an another factor. The People here have been organizing the nationwide march from Oct. 4 to Nov. 3, which contributes to organize people’s will to change the government and to revoke the Jeju naval base project.
The Headline Jeju on Oct. 9 reported that about 200 billion won was appropriated to the ROK National Assembly in the 2013 budget for the construction cost related to the Jeju naval base concerned by the Ministry of National Defense and DAPA(Defense Acquisition Program Administration).
The cost includes about 108 billion won for the caisson production & deferment in the 1st work area and basic formation for the breakwaters; and 49 billion won for the caisson production & deferment in the 2nd work area and the basic formation of dock. It is also known that about 22 billion won was estimated for land construction.
However, people’s will to stop the Jeju naval base construction will be accomplished. One should not forget the people who daily keep the gates. They are the people who are saving us as well.
Please pressure the ROK National Assembly members to cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project .( *The government says that the total cost for the Jeju navy base project is about 1.7 trillion won) For example, ENGLISH@ASSEMBLY.GO.KR or Moon Jae-In, Permanent Advisor, Democratic United party, Presidential candidate: moonriver365@gmail.com.
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Reference
http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=161923
내년 제주해군기지 공사비 2000억원 편성…항만공사 본격화
국회 제출 예산서, 항만공사비 등 대거 편성
2012.10.09 11:57:38
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See also
http://savejejunow.org/daily-struggle-budget/
Daily struggle has delayed 28 billion won. Help to cut all the budgets on base! (Oct. 23)
