It is evident that Civilian-Military complex port is not possible. We urge you to give orders to stop construction of Jeju naval base and conduct a preliminary feasibility study.
Seventy-Eight figures from various backgrounds have once again come together to appeal to Jeju Governor Woo Geun-min for stopping the construction. They urge the Governor to demonstrate his democratic leadership and courage to resolve fundamental problems of conflicts by facing innumerable problems and flaws regarding the naval base construction.
Dear Governor Woo Geun-min,
We express our respect for your efforts to resolve conflicts generated by the naval base contraction.
As you may already know, construction of naval base at Gangjeong village has been full of illegality and expedients from the beginning, and it has been forced to be carried out without legitimate process even though most villagers opposed the plan. Fundamental principle of democracy is to consolidate people’s opinions through democratic process. Unfortunately, this process has never been respected. Moreover, dismissal of absolute preservation zone near the Kurumbi rockbed and authorizing alterations to the Gangjeong coastal water (natural monument number 442) have also been carried out by unsuitable and unlawful means. Looking at the dire environmental damage faced by a majority of naval bases located at places such as Hawaii, Guam and Subic, it is obvious that serious and extensive environmental damage to Gangjeong village and Bum Island will be done once the navy base is constructed.
Moreover, since it was pointed out last year at the National Assembly, a number of facts have confirmed that constructing a civilian-military complex port has not realistic chance of realization despite the promise made by the South Korean Government and the navy. We understand that your decision on last March to take one step back and implied ordering cease of construction was based on these factual errors regarding construction of navy base.
Despite your efforts, the Government and the navy only resort to a temporary expedient while in fact forcefully continue to construct naval base and has not presented either its political will or realistic plan to construct the civilian-military complex. Fundamental problems cannot be solved by a navy-led simulation test led by navy or assigning the base as a trade-port. By designating even the cruise harbor part of Jeju naval base as military installation protection zone and letting commanding officer have jurisdiction over harbor access authorization, the South Korean Government is building complete Naval Base rather than a civilian-military complex port.
It is evident that the base under construction in Gangjeong village is designed for easy access for aircraft carriers while the civilian port function which allows access to 150,000ton cruise ship is not even under taken into consideration. The Government had suggested designing a harbor where 150,000ton cruise ship can be anchored, but it became clear that the Government itself proved the plan unrealistic. The uncovered facts so far are enough to halt the landfill operation of public water surface that was authorized previously by Jeju island and may even enough to revoke public water surface landfill license.
Governor Woo,
Countless nation projects have degraded to inefficient projects and are becoming nuisances to civilians and self-governing bodies. Main reason for degrading is exaggerated demand predictions and poor validation survey to force national project. Even though we regret after completing the construction, it is too late to compensate destroyed environment, damaged resident communities and economic loss by the self-governing bodies.
Rather than letting future of Gangjeong villagers to deceptive remedies such as transferring of controlling ports, it is time to conduct entire re-investigation on fundamental basis of constructing navy base including preliminary feasibility study, environment impact study and simulation test of accessing 150,000ton cruise ship. We need to closely examine a benefit in return by damaging wonderful natural environment at Gangjeong costal water and constructing a navy base that most Jeju people worry about. For doing this, giving order to halt construction must be given as a first step.
Governor Woo,
Ordering to stop construction is crucial to protect human rights of Gangjeong villagers. Whole village community is destroyed due to enforced construction without having proper consultation with villagers. Conflicts between villagers who have continued peaceful protest and police and navy who have enforced construction resulted in arresting more than 250 people this year only. Police even created a situation similar to martial law by prohibiting any peaceful demonstration at major places near Jeju navy base construction sites. We sincerely appeal to you to order stopping construction in response to earnest request of Gangjeong villagers. What we urgently need now is a fact finding mission on human rights violations in Gangjeong rather than blasting the Kurumbi rockbed and landfill operation.
Governor Woo,
Since the construction of Jeju navy base, the Government and navy’s attitude is not anything more than a momentary way out of the complaint. To resolve these problems, we urge you to order stopping construction. As the Governor of Jeju, we urge you to demonstrate his democratic leadership and courage to resolve fundamental problems of conflicts by facing innumerable problems and flaws regarding the naval base construction
7 May 2012
Below 78 individuals endorse this letter (alphabetical order)
AnKim, Jung-ae (The National Campaign for Eradication of Crimes by U.S.Troops in Korea)
Bae, Jong-ryul (Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea)
Baek, Chang-wook (Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea, Daegu)
Baek, Gi-wan (Research Institute of Unification)
Baek, Mi-soon (Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center)
Baek, Nak-chung (Professor, Seoul National University)
Choi, Jin-gyung (Women Making Peace)
Chung Hwa (The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism)
Chung, Hyun-bach (People’s Solidarity for Participatory, Civil Peace Forum)
Do Bub (Buddhist monk, The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism)
Ham, Sae-woong (Catholic priest)
Huh, Sang-soo (Jeju Social Issues Consultation)
Hyun, Gi-young (Writer)
Jang, Seok-woong (Korean Teachers & Education Workers’ Union)
Jeon, Byung-saeng (Protestant minister,
Ji, Young-sun (Korean Federation For Environmental Movement)
Jo, Hun-jung (Protestant minister)
Jung, Hae-sook (former Korean Teachers & Education Workers’ Union)
Jung, Hyun-gon (Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea)
Jung, Ji-chang (The Korean People Artist Federation)
Jung, Sang-duk (Won Buddhism)
Jung, Wook-sik (Peace Network)
Jung, Yong-phil (Federation of Korean University Students)
Kang, Jeong-goo (Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea)
Kang, Woo-il (Bishop in Jeju, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea)
Kim, Geum-ok (The Korean Women’s Association United)
Kim, Hong-sik (Professor, Myungji University)
Kim, Hyung-tae (Catholic Human Rights Committee)
Kim, In-jae (Democracy and Law Study Association)
Kim, In-sook (Korea Women’s Association for Democracy and Sisterhood)
Kim, Jin-sook (Korean Confederation of Trade Unions)
Kim, Kyu-bok (Green Korea)
Kim, Kyung-hee (The Korean Women’s Association United)
Kim, Kyung-il (Anglican Gwangju Parish Priest, Lifepeace)
Kim, Mi-hwa (Comedian)
Kim, Sang-geun (Protestant minister, South Korean Chair of the All Korean Committee for Implementation of the June 15 Joint Declaration)
Kim, Se-kyun (Professor, Seoul National University)
Kim, Sun-su (Minbyun-Lawyers Association for Democratic Society)
Kim, Young-hoon (Korean Confederation of Trade Unions)
Kim, Young-ju (The National Council of Churches in Korea)
Kwon, Hye-hyo (Actor)
Kwon, Mi-hyuk (The Korean Women’s Association United)
Lee, Chul-su (The Korean People Artist Federation)
Lee, Do-heum (Professor, National Association of Professors for Democratic Society)
Lee, Gang-sil (Korea Alliance For Progressive Movement)
Lee, Gang-taek (Korean Federation of Press Unions)
Lee, Gwang-suk (Korea Farmers’ League)
Lee, Hae-dong (Protestant minister, Peace Museum)
Lee, Hae-hak (The National Council of Churches in Korea)
Lee, Ho-jung (Catholic Human Rights Committee)
Lee, Si-young (The Association of Writers for National Literature)
Lee, Suk-tae (People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy)
Lee, Sun-jong (Won Buddhism)
Lim, Bo-ra (Protestant minister, Hyanglin Church)
Lim, Gwang-bin (Protestant minister, National Clergy Conference for Justice and Peace)
Lim, Jung-hee (Culture Action)
Lim, So-hee (Nanum Munhwa)
Mun, Jeong-hyun (Catholic Priests’ Association for Justice_
Mun, Kyu-hyun (Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea)
Myung Jin (Buddhist monk)
Myungsook (Activist, Sarangbang Group for Human Rights)
Nam, Boo-won (Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea)
Oh, Jong-ryul (Korea Alliance For Progressive Movement)
Oh, Myung-sam (Korean Island)
Park, Dong-ho (Seoul Catholic Parish Commission for Justice and Peace)
Park, Heung-soon (Association of the Korean National Fine Artists)
Park, Jae-seung (Lawyer)
Park, Kyung-jo (Green Korea)
Park, Rae-gun (Human Rights Foundation Saram)
Park, Suk-Un (Citizen’s Coalition for Democratic Media)
Park, Woo-jeong (Citizen’s Coalition for Democratic Media)
Park, Young-suk (Salimi Foundation)
Pyun, Regina (Korean House for International Solidarity)
Shin, Tae-sub (Citizen’s Coalition for Democratic Media)
Yang, Moon-heum (Professor, Dong-guk University)
Yeo, Hye-sook (Women Making Peace)
Yun, Hui-sook (Korea Youth Corps)
Yun, Mi-hyang (Korean Council for Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan)
