Jan. 7 was a busy day for the Gangjeong Village. The Gangjeong Village Association warned to the police through its official letter to Jang Jeon-Bae, Chief of the Jeju Provincial Police Agency, titled, “The police should immediately take off their hands from the Jeju naval base project of illegal construction,’ saying that “if the police continue to repress our just claims and activities with their mobilization of state power, we cannot but file for the judiciary disposal against the related personnel.” (You can see the original Korean statement, here and related article here.)
Otherwise, the village representatives meeting with Woo Keun-Min, Island governor, for about an hour in the Island government hall in the Jeju City at 5 pm, delivered a villagers’ opinion letter to him. The letter included the contents on the demand on the construction stop during the 70 days’ verification period and on the thorough verification on the simulation on 150,000 ton cruises planned within this month and ‘civilian-military complex port for tour beauty-the National Assembly subsidiary conditions attached to its passing of 2013 Jeju naval base budget. It is told that the Island governor Woo, showing positive attitude on the villagers’ demands, expressed his will to deliver the villagers’ opinions to the Office of prime Minister. (Please refer to a Korean article here.)
In the evening at 8 pm, there was a general meeting by the villagers and activists who, fully filling the meeting room, discussed about the tasks and plans of the struggle in the future. Various discussion on how to unify centered on the villagers, how to inform the truth to the Island people and how to express our will etc. The details of content will be known through the future struggles in time.
The below is a collection of photos taken by many people from the morning of Jan. 7 to the early dawn of Jan. 8. They are the photos on the people’s picketings against illegal construction despite the National assembly demand on 70 days’ construction stop. Many young activists contributed to make the pickets on Jan. 7.
Around 9:30 am, the company thugs removed all the timbers of the barricade for the entry of construction trucks. Meanwhile, people’s 100 bows went on.Around 10:23 am: The company thugs and security guys remove the trucks whenever there are little people in front of the gates, not necessarily for the entry for trucks. It is the talk with one security man (not the man in the photo). “Sir, why do you remove our stuffs. Are you properly getting wages for your works? We hear that the Government did not allocate construction costs from Jan. 1 because of the National assembly subsidiary condition on 70 days.” “It is a voluntary work.” “Are you serious? You don’t have your family members whom you should feed?” A peace activist uses his body to protect timbers.Around 10:30 am, Jan. 7/ Various construction vehicles come and go. Where did the bidgets for those come from?Around 10:30 am, Jan. 7/ Suspicious automobiles..Around 11:10 am. Jan. 7, 2013/ During the Catholic mass, a construction truck is waiting for exit inside the gate of the construction area.
Around 12:55 pm, Jan. 7: The police threaten people that they would arrest the young man and a Catholic priest under the charge of obstruction of business. The Catholic priest is holding a sign that reads, “Stop the illegal construction that is being enforced without allocation of budget since Jan. 1, 2013!” The young man is holding a sign, “Here is the Gangjeong village. Here is our village that we have to save to the end.”
Director Cho Sung-Bong has the praising remark on the young man. “Love you, Dauri”. . .Young photographer, Dauri, is in direct peace action at the main gate of Jeju naval base building site. . .He has been arrested 6 times. . . has been on trials on charges of trespassing Gureombi rock three times and on charges of obstruction of business three times. . . Gangjeong is the school of Human rights, peace. ..and arts for him who has come as an 18 year old young man. He is now 20 years old. . .Photo essay by Cho Sung-bong, click here. (Regina Pyon)
Jan. 7, around 12:59pm: Despite illegal construction, police illegal detaining of people is continuously going on.Jan. 7, around 12:59pm: We want to ask the policeman, “What will be if it is your hometown.” The young man is holding a sign, “Here is the Gangjeong village. Here is our village that we have to save to the end.”Jan. 7, around 1pm: A young woman activist made a testimony, “ While a giant size vehicle hit me who was taking a record on the sidewalk, the police, letting alone the vehicle, illegally detained me.” You can see the Dungree video on the giant vehicle passing on the side walk and damaging it. (Click here, around 01:15-01:59)Jan. 7, around 2pm: About 10 dredge ships on the sea.. where did the construction budget come from? The navy has said it has left only 1.5 billion won at the time of National Assembly examination on budget.. Also the Ministry of Strategy and Finance said it allocated only 16.2 billion won, which is applicable only for management cost and 20 days (90 days of the 1st quarter fiscal period minus 70 days). Several photos taken at similar time were linked together. Do you know that there are people who cannot sleep because of night time construction? Somone who lives far from the coast says it has been twice that she could not sleep at all because of night time construction noise on the sea from Jan. 1 to 7.Jan. 7, around 7:20 pm: Three cement mixer trucks, a dump truck, a crane entered. A lightening car for the night time construction was turned on. The police continuously encircle people while saying it is for people’s safety. Are the police, government employee saying that they are not aware it is an illegal construction? Are they really the government employees who get wages from our tax? It was uncommon when a chief of police women, upon the protest by people, ordered her policewomen to release their arms that they tied together to detain a woman activist. Are the police hesitantly acknowledging that they could be punished under the charge of illegal detention? (maximum 7 years’ imprisonment and 10 years’ qualification pose)Photo by Saltcandy Yohan/ Jan. 8, around 01:23 am The peace keepers are making all the efforts to stop the illegal construction.Photo by Park Inchun, post by Novie Na/ Jan. 8, around 3:15 am
An outsiders perspective on how things possibly went down this morning.
– Hallo, is this the police? I need your help.
– Yes, again.
– There are three people blocking the entrance to the gate. I know you have been here 7 times a day since 2007. Yes, that is 12 775 times but they are still here.
I have trucks on the inside that need to get out.
And there are trucks on the outside that need to get in.
We need to move all the junk.
All the chairs.
And we need to move the people.
We need to do it now.
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This happens every hour during the day. And every second hour during the night. On an average. Persistance and determination like this is hard to find.
Many of the conscripts look very young. Many look a bit scared or at least confused. They come from the mainland and are circulated every 2-3 weeks. It is doubtful they know what is going on in front of the gates.
Police covering their faces is a thing I have rarely seen. It is not legal either. You, as a representative for the state force should identify yourself.
You are also obliged to identify yourself when you are filming. In the name of security.
Some activists decide to open up a discussion about that.
If you film me and don’t tell me who you are, I will cover my face.
For more than 1825 days these activists have been practicing civil disobedience in the name of peace, determined to stop the building of the base and they are in good company.
On Jan. 5, the criminal case department of the West district of Seoul Prosecutors’ Office made a decision of non-prosecution on Kim Ji-Yoon (29), a proportional representative of young people of the United Progressive Party. Kim has been charged of damage on the honor of the navy with her expression of the ‘pirate base,’ regarding the Jeju naval base project.
The person in the Prosecutors’ office said her expression is merely a subjective evaluation so cannot be acknowledged as crime. For the charge of the crime of damage on honor to be established, concrete facts should be stipulated. The prosecutor said.
The prosecutor also said that the charge of the insult on the navy cannot be acknowledged as an insult to the whole group of the navy. He also said that another reason of non-prosecution is the cancellation of charge last December by the navy-reserving groups who originally charged Kim.
Kim has posted in her tweeter last March that reads, “I oppose the Jeju pirate base. Let’s save the Gangjeong village and Gurembi Rock)
”Endless labor of Sisyphus to make barricades. . .leading to tears. ..Gangjeong, however, is still young here. . .” Image: Cho Sung-BongAround 9 pm, Jan. 3/ A cold night. A young man in his 30s stops a construction truck alone. The police threaten him that they would arrest him under the charge of ‘obstruction on business.’ The young man protests in state asking why the police ignore 70 days’ verification and construction stop period and side with the navy that enforces construction, despite the National Assembly subsidiary opinion. The sign reads, ‘Construction stop for 70 days! Carry the [National Assembly] agreement by the ruling and opposition parties!’Jan. 4, 2012/ A peace activist with a civil disobedience sign. For more photos, see here.
The navy says it can do enforcing construction ON CREDIT, despite the agreement by the ruling and opposition parties on 70 days’ construction stop and verification.
According to Jang Hana, National Assembly woman, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance considering 70 days’ construction stop period according to the National Assembly subsidiary condition on Jan. 1, 2013, compiled only 16.2 billion won for the 1st quarter period, regarding the execution on the National Assembly-passed 2013 Jeju naval base budget (about 200 billion won) . The 16. 2 billion won is applicable only for remaining 20 days of the 90 days , a quarter of a whole fiscal period. Still the navy is pushing for the construction saying it would get the budget later after ON CREDIT -construction anyway (See the Jeju Sori article). Prof. Shin Yong-In, a legal advisor to the village strongly refuted on it on Jan. 4. Here is a translation of most part of his article. You can see his Korean writing here.
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Why the Navy’s enforced construction is Illegal. The civil disobedience campaign is not guilty!!
By Shin Yong-In
By the law, a long term continuing construction needs construction contract every year before construction (item 2 of article 69, enforcement decree on the law on the state contract). Therefore, for the navy to do construction in 2013, the navy should conclude the 2013 construction contract with the construction companies and then start construction.
Related to it, to understand the matter of illegality on the currently enforced construction, broad understanding on the procedures on the execution of budget of annual expenditure is needed above all.
By the common procedure on the execution of budget of annual expenditure, the Office of Budget of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance allocates budget, then the department of the National Treasury allocates funds, and each ministry and office execute allocated and placed budget.
And by the law, the conclusion on construction contract is possible only after the budget allocation (article 20 of the law on the management on the national treasury). While at least contract cost is needed to conclude contract, the provision of contract fund is possible only after allocation of fund. It means the navy can neither conclude construction contract nor carry on construction until the budget is allocated to and received by it. If the navy concludes construction contract without the allocation of budget or fund, it is an ILLEGAL construction.
On Jan. 3, 2013, the government has allocated Jeju naval base budget for the 1st quarter (1st 90days) and the amount is about 16 billion won. Since the 2013 Jeju naval base budget is about 200 billion won, the government should originally allocate 50 billion won, a quarter of the whole amount for the 1st quarter period. The reason that the government allocated only 16 billion won not 50 billion won is because it allocated the budget only for the operation and construction costs after 70 days ( so construction costs for remaining 20 days). In other words, it did never allocate the budget for the 70 days’ construction costs.
Otherwise, nothing on the allocation of fund has been carried on in relation to construction. According to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, the allocation of fund is told to be done after the government carries on the three items of the National Assembly recommendation and report the result of it to the National Assembly. In other words, the navy should receive allocation of fund after its report to the National Assembly then start on construction even though it is allocated of budget.
The interesting point is there will be no allocation of budget on the currently being enforced construction even after the navy’s report of the result to the National Assembly since there has been no allocation of budget as mentioned in the above. If the [government] expend the construction cost later, it will be an illegal expense. In other words, the construction companies cannot receive construction cost even after the navy report the result to the National Assembly. It becomes a construction for free not a construction on credit.
To summarize again, there was no budget allocation on 70 days and there will be no allocation of funds during the period. Then how can they do construction? Does the navy personnel plan to make it up with their private money?
Otherwise, the position of the Ministry of Strategy and Defense is that contract and construction can not be processed, either. It says contract cannot be done because contract is done annually and [the navy]can not do a year unit contract only with 16 billion won; and the [navy] cannot provide [construction companies] contract cost because allocation of fund related to construction cannot be done before its report to the National Assembly, too. The ministry just explains on the reason that it carried on allocation of budget in part; it is because without allocation of budget in part, all other works excluding the construction on facilities would stop. Therefore the Ministry explains that it allocated budget of only 16 billion won applicable to the operation of the project committee and 20 days’ construction cost(after 70 days), considering the project committee operation and possibility of construction resumption after the navy’s report to the National assembly.
Whatever, even with the position of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, the navy’s currently enfporced construction is clearly ILLEGAL.
Therefore I see the civil disobedience activity to stop construction with one’s body is NO GUILTY. For a charge of obstruction of business to be established, the business should be a just business. However, since the construction being enforced without allocation of budget or funds is illegal, it is not a just business. Therefore, the charge of obstruction of business cannot be established.
Also the police’s circling of people to illegally detain innocent citizens is applicable to the crime of illegal detention by the criminal law. Therefore I think it is necessary for the Democratic United Party to accuse the police with the charge of illegal detention. If it is done, will it be possible for the police to detain people, continuously cooperating with the navy?
I am closely observing this state of things. By now, the navy has kept at least formal legality even though it has carelessly committed substantial illegality. However, in case of this situation, it is not keeping even a formal legality.
Prof. Shin also says the police does not have the right to arrest people under the charge of obstruction of business. If the police threaten people, people can say to the police that they could be punished under the charge of illegal detention, which can be punished seven years’ imprisonment and 10 years’ qualification stoppage at maximum. It is according to the article 124 of the criminal law (illegal arrest, illegal detention), he says.
Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo on Jan. 4, 2013/ Illegal Construction is going on. For more photos on maritime construction, see here.…………………………………………………..
Two former and current National Assembly men (Democratic United Party)visited Gangjeong
Jeong Bong-Ju, a former National Assembly man and a member of Nakkomsou and Kim Gwangjin, a current National Assembly member visited Gangjeong, Both are the members of the Democratic United Party.
Jeong has been in prison for a year for his raising suspicion on the BBK in relation to the President Lee Myung Bak. Jeong is also a member of Nakkomsou who visited the Jeju City in Dec. 2011. With his spicy and humorous criticism on the politics, he has been popular, especially among young generation.
The both expressed their concerns on the navy’s illegal enforcement of construction despite the National Assembly subsidiary condition on 70 days.
Meanwhile in the village, the daily protest and 100 bows still went on despite the police interruption.
In the photo, the National Assembly man Kim Gwang-Jin entered the naval base project committee building complex. For more photos by Jang Hyun-Woo, see here
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# The incident of the stock manipulation by the BBK: Kim Kyung-Joon, a Korean American (Christopher Kim) manipulated the stocks through the company, BBK, founded in 1999. Kim claimed that President Lee Myung-Bak is the real owner of the BBK and he, himself, is a victim, too, while President Lee claiming that he was also victimized by Kim, too. The prosecutors indicted Kim while made no guilty decision on the President Lee. (See here)
Following the release of Fr. Lee Young-Chan on Dec. 26, Mr. Kim Bok-Chul was released on Jan. 3. Both were released on bail.
Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ Fr. Lee Young-chan was released on bail on December 26. Activists and Jesuit priests including the head of Jesuits Korea prefecture Fr. John Shin Won-shik (right) are receiving him at Jeju prison. For more photos by Jang Hyun-Woo, See here (Post by Regina Pyon)Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ Fr. Lee Young Chan in mass, next day of his release.For more photos by Jang Hyun-Woo, see here.
A Video on Fr. Lee Young-Chan, made by Dungree after Fr. Lee’s arrest on Oct. 26, 2012, remembering Fr. Lee’s struggles against the naval base project.
Kim Bok-chol was released on bail on January 3. He is in the center with blue jacket. Photo by Jang Hyon-woo. (Post by Regina Pyon)Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ Mr. Kim Bok-Chul who was arrested on June 14, 2012, is finally free out of jail on Jan. 3, 2013.
For Mr. Kim Bok-Chul, Jan. 3, 2013 was his 206th day in prison. He is the longest prisoner against the Jeju naval base at one term. Dr. Song Kang-Ho was jailed for two weeks in 2011 and 181 days in 2012. Mr. Kim Dong-Won was jailed twice, for about 94 days in 2011 and 118 days in 2012.
On Jan 2, the prosecutor made an opinion of two year prison on him. The court decision will be on Jan. 23.
Video by Dungree: Interview with Mr. Kim Bok-Chul, after his release (Source: click here)
When he was in jail, Mr. Kim Bok-Chul, a laid-off railroad worker and reporter of the ‘Voice of Seoul,’ fought against the bad human rights conditions in the prison. Now being released from the jail, he wants to make an appeal against unjust arrest of him on June 14, 2012 when he was protesting on the police’s violent dealing of an activist
With the release of Fr. Lee Young-Chan and Mr. Kim Bok-Chul, Mr. Park Seung-Ho is currently the only remaining prisoner. He hit his 112 day in jail on Jan. 4, 2013.
Mr. Park Seung-Ho was born in 1966(?). After his arrest in the 3 way intersection in the village on Sept. 14, 2012, for the reason that he had not responded to the police call. It was during the period of the WCC (World Conservation Congress) Jeju (Sept. 6 to 15, 2012) when most people were busy for the protests against the naval base project.
Video still frame by Dungree/ Mr. Park Seung-Ho’s arrest on Sept. 14, 2012
Mr. Park Seung-Ho (No. 290)
Please send him letters of support with the prisoner number to the address at:
Jeju Prison 161 Ora-2 dong, Jeju City, Jeju, the Peace Island, Korea
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Dr. Song Kang-Ho was released on Sept. 28, 2012 (181 days in jail). See here.
Mr. Yoon Choong was released on Oct. 24, 2012 (44 days in jail). See here.
Mr. Kim Dong-Won was released on Oct. 26, 2012 (118 days in jail). See here.
Rev, Jeong Yeon-Gil and Mr. park Suk-Jin on Dec. 12, 2012 (98 days each). See here.
Fr. Lee Young Chan was released on Dec. 26, 2012 (63 days in jail)
Mr. Kim Bok-Chul was released on Jan. 3, 2013 (206 days in jail)
See the Gangjeong villagers’ statement on budget on Jan. 2 and related National Assembly subsidiary conditions under the below photos.
Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ The sirens rang about three times even before 7 am on Jan. 2, 2013. The siren rang around 9 am again. The daily war of Gangjeong started again. Despite the National Assembly stipulation on 70 days, the navy enforced construction even on the New Year holiday.Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun protested to the police for their permission on the entry of construction trucks, showing them the National Assembly condition. For the National Assembly conditions, see the below.Photo by Kang U-Jin/ Around 4 pm. Jan. 2/ Some people including Prof. Shin Yong-In staged a civil disobedience movement, demanding the navy’s observance on the National Assembly conditions.Photo by Paco Booyah/ 5 p.m. Jan. 3. 100 bows in front of the destruction site. The sign reads, “Stop the illegal construction without a through verification on simulation.’[Around 9pm, Jan. 3]/ A cold night. A young man in his 30s stops a construction truck alone. The police threaten him that they would arrest him under the charge of ‘obstruction on business.’ The young man protests in state asking why the police ignore 70 days’ verification and construction stop period, while the police siding with the navy that enforces construction, despite the National Assembly subsidiary opinion. The young man had to fight himself enduring a cold night alone in front of the gate. Behind a sheet of paper by the National assembly, Gangjeong is bleeding again… The sign reads, ‘Construction stop for 70 days! Carry the [National Assembly] agreement by the ruling and opposition parties!’Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ The Pan-Island committee press conference on Jan. 3/ The banner reads ‘The enforcement of construction is illegal. The government and navy should immediately stop illegal construction!’ For more photos, see hereCaisson built by Daelim Co. is being put into Gangjeong sea in the morning of January 4. . . More photos by Hallabong, click here. (Post by Regina Pyon)
The Gangjeong village statement on Jan. 2, 2013
Position of the Gangjeong villagers on the subsidiary conditions on the 2013 Jeju naval base budget
In the examination on the 2013 budget on the Jeju naval base project, the National Assembly passed the budget with the subsidiary condition (* See the bottom). The Gangjeong Village Association cannot but ask whether the National Assembly neglected its role as the monitoring institute on the government by itself to pass the whole budget(* 200 billion won) proposed by the Ministry of National Defense despite the fact that it is the project of which a thorough verification, the subsidiary condition agreed by the Budget and Balance committee of the National Assembly in 2011 has not been carried on.
However, we judge that the subsidiary conditions of 2013 budget is in fact a declaration on construction stop. We should consider the contents that [the Government] should not carry on the execution of budget until it satisfies the three conditions as the [demand] to the navy to stop the expense plan on the naval base budget first. However, the navy, enforcing 24 hour construction from the beginning of the Jan. 1, New Year, is staging conflicts with villagers and peace keepers. Even the Ministry of National Defense espoused a thorough performance on the subsidiary conditions through its press release. Therefore the navy’s obstinate enforcement of construction is an arrogation and insubordination.
The reasons that we should consider the subsidiary conditions as the construction stop in fact are as the below.
Firstly, it is because of the very first item of [the conditions] that reads that [the Government] should wipe out concerns that the base would be operated mainly for the military port.
According to the enforcement of decree on Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act revised in 2012, all the area of the Jeju naval base project is designated as the military protection (restriction) zone and the port-entry/ exit of the cruise ships should be permitted from the Unit commander.
Not only that, according to the decree revised, the whole crews and passengers are defined as the subjects to be controlled. How can there be a guarantee that the port will not be operated mainly for a military port when the law is defined as such?
To wipe out the concerns that the port would be mainly for a military port, at least the zone designated as a trade port should be excluded from the Military protection area.
The [next] government of Park Geun-Hye [whose being fairly elected is matter of suspicions] should examine the issue in a forward-looking manner and should revise again the revised enforcement of decree on Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act.
Secondly, it is for the [second] item that demands a through verification on the possibility of entry/exit of 150,000 ton cruise. To be sorry, the item is not stipulated with the phrase of ‘possibility on the 150,000 ton cruises’ smooth entry and exit of port.’ While ‘smooth entry and exit of port’ can mean that it is possible for the cruise to enter and exit the port by its own exertion, the definition of simply ‘a possibility of entry and exit of port’ brings about a serious matter. The cruse can enter the port with the support by more than 4 tug boats that would be mobilized, unless there is a warning on the high wind and sea wave.
However, it takes tremendous costs to manage a port that operates four tug boats of each is more than 3,000 HP. It is told that more than 150,000,000 won is needed only for an yearly wage for a captain of a tug boat. It is expected to take 4~5 billion won to operate a pilot for the arrangement of four tug boats.
If we are realistic to expect entries of 150,000 ton level cruise twice a year and the economic income would be about 0.6 billion won for one-time entry, it means the [Island Government] should operate a pilot with 4~5 billion won only for 1.2 billion economic income that would come from the entries of cruises twice a year. Further the costs of operation on waiting room for cruse and maintenance/ repair of harbor and bay will be additionally burdened. Moreover, the loss amount cannot but be more increased since the sources of direct earnings for the Jeju Island government will be merely of the ship cost for coming alongside the pier and entry ticket for the watching facility of the public institutes.
Even though we suppose smooth entry & exit of port by cruise (which means the possibility for the cruise to enter and exit by its own exertion), it is tremendous costs for the waiting room and harbor & bay-maintenance/repair that would be expended only for the 150,000 ton level cruise coming no more than twice a year. Plus with the expectation on the restoration costs following the damages by typhoons, the effect on the chronically deficient Jeju economy cannot but be aggravated far from positive effects on it. The Jeju naval base being constructed under the excuse of invitation of 150,000 ton cruises that are only 4~5 throughout the world will bring about the result that would push the economy of the Jeju more falling into its bottomless pit.
Even if we might suppose that the 2nd item of the subsidiary conditions of the National Assembly means the verification on the smooth entry/ exit of port for 150,000 ton cruises, the time-limited condition of 70 days makes no sense for a thorough verification.
It is because it is a simulation that should be processed premised on the altered 30° navigation route, which passes through the vicinity of the Beom Seom (Tiger Island) [the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve]. If then there should be a three-dimensional modeling on harbor and bay, backed by observation on area-detailed water depth and analysis on the current, regarding the water area near the 30° altered navigation route. According to experts, it is a work of which the process only takes three months at minimum to six months at maximum.
We have warned many times that the 30° navigation route and vicinity water area themselves would be the obstacles on the port-entry for 150,000 ton cruise since those places are of many reefs with low water depth. Moreover, the water area of train rock water area is a zone of tremendously strong current. Will there be anybody who can trust the verification if the verification on the opening of a navigation route in such area of natural environment is processed without basic investigation process and three dimensional modeling due to time limitation of 70 days?
Thirdly, it is on the matter on the conclusion on the protocol on the joint use on the rights to official regulations on the harbor and bay and on the costs for maintenance and repair on the harbor and bay facility.
Above all, it is illogical to say so and so on the rights to official regulations when the military legally holds the control rights on the port-entry and exit.
Regrading the costs on the maintenance and repair on the harbor and bay facility, it is also prospected that even the operation cost on the cruise waiting room could be hard to be met given the realistic numbers of the entry by 150,000 ton cruises even though cruse makes entry and exit by its own exertion. Plus with the costs on the maintenance and repair on the harbor and bay facility, the Jeju Island cannot but have the blame shifted to itself. The Jeju naval base built under the show of so called civilian-military complex port for tour beauty will be only a worry that destroys the economy of the Jeju, far from making the Jeju as the 2nd Hawai’i or the tourism herb of the Northeast Asia.
Even with the use of tug boats, the governor cannot but risk loss. If the governor still passes such project that deceives the Jeju Island people saying so and so on joint allotments, without an objective, scientific and thorough verification, he would pose himself as destroying the Jeju economy and threatening the people’s lives. He should keep in mind that he would be the public enemy for the Jeju Island people, then.
Park Geun-Hye, the President-elect, claiming the great unity of people, made a pledge that she would drive for the project to be a civilian-military complex port for tour beauty, following the will of the Island people. She also emphasized that she is a politician being responsible for her words. Then she should stop the construction on the Jeju naval base and carry on thorough verification and investigation on truth, following the subsidiary conditions that the Saenuri Party (* the ruling conservative party) agreed with. She should revoke the base construction project itself if it turns out that the Jeju naval base does not fit to the South Korea’s international relationship or to the position of the Jeju Island; and if it becomes clear that it is against the will of the Island people or harms the Jeju economy.
Therefore the Gangjeong Village Association demands as the below.
1, The National Assembly should switch over itself from the subjects of solution from the subjects of resolution. As the ruling and opposition parties made an agreement on the subsidiary conditions, they should take responsibility for management and supervision on the performance on the subsidiary conditions by forming a special committee. Park Geun-Hye, President-elect and the Saenuri Party should take an active cooperation with them as they made an agreement to the subsidiary conditions also.
2. As the Ministry of National Defense declared on the thorough performance on the subsidiary conditions of the National Assembly, the navy should immediately stop the construction and should enter for a thorough verification on scientific and reasonable verification with transparent and objective measures.
3. Woo Keun-Min, the Jeju Island governor should not compromise on the Jeju naval base issue which is the biggest matter and core of conflict in the Jeju Island. He should fulfill a thorough verification to the end.
Finally, greeting the beginning of 2013, the Gangjeong village Association, the representative institute of the Gangjeong village, states again that it will firmly maintain its position to revoke the naval base project, that has experienced conflicts for the Jeju naval base issue for six years; and will make all the efforts for construction stop and re-examination of the project, while fulfilling its role as the subject of dissolution on conflict and restoration on community.
[Final Updates] Republic of Korea’s national assembly passed the bugdet bill for 2013 fiscal year and confirmed the naval base constuction budget scale and it’s collateral conditions.
A meeting was achieved between the leaders of both parties just before a general session of national assembly and made final agreement between the leadership of both party. They made an agreement and concluded they attached some collateral conditions to the 2013 naval base construction budget bill. The collateral conditions are shown on this photo. This is an agreement between the leadership of the rulling party and the opposite party and signed by the representatives from both parties.
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Jeju Naval Base(Jeju Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty) Additional Agreements
1. The Ministry of National Defense should try dispel worries about the controversies this Jeju Civilian-Military Complex Port might be used as 100% military installation.
2. The Ministry of National Defense, The National Assembly, The Central Government and Jeju Special Self-governing Province Authority should take a deep verification and an investigation process about the capacity of Jeju Civilian-Military Complex Port for the entry and departure procedures of 150 thousand tons Cruise Ship.
3. The Ministry of National Defense should make an written agreement about the control of Jeju Civilian-Military Complex Port, the responsibilities of maintenance with the Jeju Special Self-governing Province Authority.
The above three collateral conditions should be satisfied and executed within 70 days [from the date of signing] and should be reported to the National Assembly within 70 days. If the agreement of the hearing schedule from the National Assembly weren’t made, a written report can be submitted to the National Assembly.
Additionally, the National Assembly can have an authority to split the naval base construction budget into two part, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration’s Budget and the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs’ one so there can be better collaborations and cooperation for the full functionality and capacity as a Civilian-Military Complex Port.
The floor leader of the ruling SAENURY Party
LEE, HAN GOO
The floor leader of the opposition DUP(Democratic United Party)
PARK, KI CHUN
We pray to the gods of heaven and earth, and our ancestors, with our earnest hearts.
We, the villagers, are aware of the preciousness of life and peace that our ancestors have built with numerous bloods and sweats, no little than any other else. That is why we, having declared our village as the Life and Peace village, stated that we would transform it into the hometown for all the human beings in the world to look for, by uniting and co-existing based on the good revival of the tradition of Sooneuleum spirit in which we have helped one another and lived together. And based on such experience, we started march here in the Gangjeong village, and walked again and again, together with the grassroots in the various fields of the nationwide, appealing “Let’s live together, all is the sky’ to all the people in the nationwide and world. Finally arriving in the Daehanmoon, the center of Seoul, many of us are still fighting against inequality, injustice, anti-democracy, anti-human rights, anti-life and anti-peace of this land, which are more unbearable than the weather of the coldest period of snowy winter.
The reason that we have fought against the naval base, taking down all the things we have, was not for the advancement for one’s life or advantage. To conserve our village well as in the past is to save the beautiful nature and community of the village, to save the Jeju economy, to strengthen the national security, and to save the world peace. However, the state power that should protect the residents’ lives has arrested more than 690 villagers and peace activists, imprisoned 22 people, and took indiscriminate judicial disposal on more than 480 people. Therefore a village that has lived peacefully for hundreds years is being ghastly destroyed and peace activists who are with us are falling down, broken and crying shedding bloody-tears.
However, there are the people who have turned their backs on, tearing for the reason that they feel the opposition movement against the naval base is tiresome but later returned back and stand here again. There are the people who teach us hope not sadness and despair. Therefore, we will not say any more that we are sad or the struggle is hard. We will make an effort for the little fire of life, peace, and human rights not to die but light again in our village and whole world, like a slogan that ‘we can do, we do and accomplish, we did, we win, and the persistent will win.’
For us, the last six years were like a war everyday. Gods of heaven and earth, and our ancestors! Please protect our village that has been well succeeded for hundreds years. Please protect our generous and virtuous villagers. Please protect the lives and health of all the people who are with us. Please protect life, peace, and human rights of this land. Please give us power to save this sea, land, and sky. Please help us to return back to our original beautiful and peaceful appearance in our life.
Sincerely praying to the gods of heaven and earth, and our ancestors:
Please help us to establish a dignified world where every human being and life of this land live peacefully together! Please help us to join the common actions of ‘let’s live together, all is the sky, by which all the people who have made the first steps in our Gangjeong village can cry, laugh and feel sympathy together, making a joyful and pleasing solidarity. Please help us to be willing to be together with the suffering people in the low places of South Korea. Please help our country where the people can be truly the masters and our village to be the epicenter of the world peace.
Update: See the Dec. 29 statement to Cut the budget at the end of this (Dec. 31).
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Fwd from Save Jeju Now
Today, you may help us by sending this to the members of the Budget and Balance Committee of the National Assembly.
The villagers and people have been doing peace bows despite cold weather in front of the National Assembly, Seoul, since Dec. 24. Today, Dec. 29 is the final day on the talk on the 2013 Jeju naval base budget. See the below for contact email address
PHOTOS OF
A KOREAN ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST, DECEMBER 29, 2012
Snapshot #1: The south Jeju Sea, which contains one of the world’s largest and most spectacular soft-coral forests as well as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, has been infiltrated by 13 coral-dredging barges. The barges are working around the clock to crush and destroy the precious and amazing coral habitats. The idea is to build a state-of-the-art military navy base that will accommodate sonar-emitting nuclear submarines, Aegis-missile technology destroyers, the largest U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier, and other warships.
Snapshot #2: Villagers from Gangjeong perform thousands of full bows in the snow from morning to night in front of the Seoul Assembly. They have been here since before Christmas to protest the construction of the base. Construction of the base will destroy everything they value dearly: their food source, their culture, their history, their future. The Korean government tells them the base is needed for national security. But the villagers do not believe turning their island into a military target will make them more secure. Security for the chaebol minority is death to Korea’s working class people and nature.
Gangjeong villagers protest base construction on Christmas Eve.
Snapshot #3: Far to the south, on Jeju Island, Gangjeong villagers hold a continual protest vigil at the construction gate, around the clock, through snow and hail. They block the continual parade of construction trucks entering the base-construction zone, in an effort to delay the project as much as possible.
Snapshot #4: A worker on one of the dredging barges has collected a few of the many beautiful, once-living shell creatures he dredged up in the course of a day’s work. The marine life here is some of the most diverse and abundant in the world. If the base is not stopped, all life here will be dead, from the siltation, release of heavy metals and other toxins, and sonar. Korea’s last pod of dolphins will perish, since they are not long-distance swimmers and there is no temperate refuge in proximity of the destruction. The Gangjeong villagers are crying, “They are killing all the creatures in our sea!”
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If the Jeju base is built, nothing could be more dangerous to the future security of Korea (or more profitable to the chaebol). It would be a message, loud and clear, to China and North Korea that the Republic of Korea staunchly supports the U.S. military agenda.
We must emphasize DIPLOMACY, NOT BASE-BUILDING.
CUT THE 2013 BUDGET FOR THE JEJU NAVY BASE CONSTRUCTION!
1009 General Kennedy Ave. #2 | San Francisco, CA 94129 US
Members of the Budget and Balance committee, Democratic United Party (21)and United Progressive Party(2)
(For the details of 50 members in the Budget and Balance committee in Korean, see here. The address above are collection of the available)
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The below is a translation of the Dec. 29 statement by the Civic Peace Forum, Civic Society Organizations’ Solidarity Meeting. You can see the original Korean statement, here.
Statement
The 2013 Jeju naval base budget should be totally cut
Park Geun-Hye, President-Elect and ruling and opposition party members should keep promise with the Jeju Island people.
1. The National Assembly discussion on the 2013 budget is approaching to its very end. The ruling and opposition party members and National Assembly members should cut all 2013 Jeju naval base budget. The reasons that the whole cut of naval base budget is inevitable are in the below.
2. Firstly, ‘objective verification on base layout,’ that has been the promised with the Island people, agreed by the ruling and opposition party members in Dec. 2011 was not properly carried on. The purpose that the Budget and Balance committee of the National Assembly in 2011 cut most part of 2012 naval base budget was to straighten out the layout flaws of the so called ‘civilian-military complex port for tour beauty’ that the government and navy have made a pledge. When the National Assembly cut the budget in 2011, it demanded the Government and navy to ‘objectively verify on the matter of the cruise ships, regarding their entry/exit of port and coming/leaving alongside the pier. Since then, the technical verification committee composed under the supervision of the Office of Prime Minister acknowledged on ‘flaws on the base design.’ However, in the field, construction has been enforced without fundamental change on layout that would not settle the cause of problems. Even though the navy made some makeshift remedy proposals such as rearrangement of the structures in harbor & bay, change in navigation route, super tug boats that are to partly change the layout without construction stop and fundamental re-layout, the matters on the cruise entry/exit of port, cruise coming/leaving alongside the pier have never been proved. Any simulation that would verify an independent and objective simulation has not been carried out by now yet. Therefore the navy and government have no basis to demand necessary budget to enforce construction as the agreement by the ruling and opposition parties have not been made in 2011.
3. Secondly, the problems of the layout that were partly changed after the technical verification committee acknowledged the layout flaws are being disclosed one after another. The representing case is that the altered cruise navigation route (30° angle navigation route) for the reason of safety matter goes through the natural protection zone of the Tiger Island (natural memorial No. 421) and UESCO Biosphere Reserve (Buffer zone) therefore serious environmental destruction is expected. Also despite the navy’s change of base design in parts, it was disclosed that the space for the 150,000 ton cruises to turn is still lack and it is even far from the standard brought up by the Ministry of Land, Transportation, and Maritime Affairs. The verification on those new points in disputes have not been established at all, either.
4. Thirdly, caissons that are the core facilities of the harbor and bay construction have been largely destroyed due to the typhoons of this summer. Further, suspicions on unreliable construction have been raised through ‘inside’ reports (emphasis by me). It is not only unreasonable to continue cassion installation construction without proper investigation and measures but could bring a tremendous budget waste.
5. Those basis consistently show that the base currently being built in the Gangjeong village is not the civilian-military complex port for tour beauty that the Jeju Island people have promised to the Government and navy but it has a serious defect in technical and environmental way. It is not reasonable to compile the budget of more than 200 billion won budget to enforce the naval base construction that the villagers strongly oppose without the fundamental measure or objective verification that the Jeju Island people can trust. Park Geun-Hye, President-elect (*Suspicions on unfair vote and ballot-counting process have been continuously raised) has stated that she would drive for the construction of civilian-military complex port for tour beauty when she visited the Jeju during the {Presidential election. It is not to be responsible and to follow the will of the Island people to push a military base with technical and environmental defects in the name of the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty.
6.As the ruling and opposition parties have set up the standard of ‘no verification, no budget,’ by the ruling and opposition party agreement in 2011, it is reasonable that the National Assembly cut the whole Jeju naval base project budget proposed in the situation when the verification that the National Assembly has not been properly established. If the political field enforces the naval base construction without keeping promise to its own principle and Island people, the Jeju island will be wrapped up by more serious conflicts. We demand the wise choice by the ruling and opposition parties again.
Dec. 29
Civic Peace Forum, Civic Society Organizations’ Solidarity Meeting.
(Fwd by Kim Hee-Soon, PSPD. National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island)
I need to raise approximately $20,000 to complete the film. Those funds will allow me to hire an assistant editor, a graphic artist, someone to mix audio, a special effects editor, and someone to select and acquire music. In addition, I will have to travel to NYC and to Washington, D.C. to interview Charles Hanley and Bruce Cumings, both authorities on Korea after WWII.
In addition, archival film, photos, and documents that will be used in the film require a trip to the National Archives in D.C. and there are some costs for reproducing those various media.
I’m hoping to raise $10,000 on this campaign. All tax deductible donations will be made through the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, Bruce Gagnon’s not for profit 501 (c) 3. Bruce has been the most significant person enabling me to go to Jeju through his contacts and financial contributions.
Hopefully I can raised the balance through several grants from foundations that fund documentary type films.
Even if you are not able to donate, please visit the Indiegogo site and leave a comment. Indiegogo uses an logarithm based on the number of visits, contributions, and comments during the first three days of a campaign in order to position the campaign higher up on their site.
You can also help by posting the link of your FB page, Twitter, and by forwarding this email to friends.
Thanks so much for your previous support that made my trip to Jeju possible. I will keep you all posed as to progress on the film as well as the campaign to raise funds.
“As we look towards Christmas and the hope the birth of Jesus brought us, we remember that in Korea, a Jesuit will be spending his Christmas in prison for standing up for justice.” . . .In the photo of this article by Jesuit Asia Pacific, you can see Fr. Lee Young-chan(right) celebrating the mass on Gureombi rock together with Fr. Mun in 2011. (Post by Regina Pyon)
As we look towards Christmas and the hope the birth of Jesus brought us, we remember that in Korea, a Jesuit will be spending his Christmas in prison for standing up for justice.
Korean Jesuit Fr Lee Young-chan and five other peace activists were detained by the police on October 24. He had been protesting the excessive force used by the police in detaining a woman activist, and when the police manhandled him, they claimed his resistance amounted to violence. On Oct 26, the court upheld his arrest and denied him bail. His trial is ongoing.
Fr Lee is the second Jesuit to be imprisoned this year in connection with opposition to the construction of a naval base at Gangjeong Village in Jeju Island. In April, Fr Joseph Kim Chong-uk SJ was imprisoned for opposing and attempting to hinder the construction. Fr Kim has since been released.
The Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Korea and the Korean Province have both issued statements calling for the immediate release of Fr Lee and the other peace activists, and the end of the authorities’ use of violence in Jeju.
The Korean Province also promised continued material and emotional support to the Jesuits engaged in the action in Jeju, saying “With the understanding that this problem is international in scope we will spread awareness of it and join in close solidarity with the Jesuits of North America and also to our own region, the Jesuits of the Asia Pacific.”
In a letter Fr Lee managed to send from prison on November 4, he cites St. Paul saying, “’For to you has been granted for the sake of Christ, not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him. ‘(Phi1, 27-29) I give thanks that at least in a little way I have been granted the happiness and special favour to directly experience what these words say.”
He further said, “The U.S. and China have been faulting each other while turning N.E. Asia into a powder keg. They are blinded by their hegemony and nationalism and are trying to put each other down. In response, Korea and other nations must join in solidarity, not in inciting war but in ameliorating the situation and in leading toward a reduction in weapons.
“I pray that Jeju may avoid becoming a shrimp caught in a whale fight, but rather prevent the whale fight and become a place brimming with life and peace, an island spreading God’s peace for all peoples to all the world.”
The events in Jeju take place at a critical time for peace in northeast Asia. The ruling party in South Korea has taken a hard line toward North Korea and desires a stronger military to boost national security. The planned naval base on Jeju Island, opening out directly into the East China Sea, will enable increased projection of South Korean naval power. With South Korea’s close alliance with the United States, the naval base could be part of the US’ efforts to encircle China with its military might.
Opposition party lawmakers in South Korea have been critical of the planned naval base and have gained enough agreement for Congress to restrict the budget for this year’s construction. Hopes that the naval base could see a re-examination in 2013 look to be dashed with the ruling party winning the recent presidential election. Construction has been going on 24 hours a day to make up for delays caused by opposition and typhoons. During this time of rapid construction, police presence has been strengthened and their use of violence has increased.
