Save Jeju Now

No War Base on the Island of Peace

  • No night time entry of trucks for a week. What’s happening?/ Night time construction noise has brought complaints from Hwasoon residents

    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo on Nov. 11/ ‘The blue-roofed housed are inferred to be the residential buildings by  workers.’ See Jang’s more photos of construction site where destruction is being done in thorough violation of the EIA, see here.

     

    1. Workers’ sabotage? Not confirmed yet.

    There have been no night time entry/ exit of cement mixer trucks since last Saturday, Nov. 10. Even though it is told that 24 hour construction is continued inside the construction site. As of Nov. 16, it became a week that cement mixer trucks did not enter or exit the gates in the nights. The police would withdraw from the field in the evening and people could fortunately take break in the nights. On Nov. 16, the last struggle in front of the construction gates was at around 5:40 pm since there were no more trucks and police withdrew after it.

    What’s happening? Is it just a part of normal process for caisson production that needs care period by the next caisson production? Or are the police tired to be mobilized in the nights since they think the navy is crazy, too, to rush for the construction even in the nights?

    There is information that needs much more factual check. So this is just for reference. According to information that should be checked in various aspects, it is told that the Korean workers inside the construction site are sabotaging, intending to rebel against unfair work management.

    It has been known that about 100 workers from Vietnam and other countries have entered into the naval base construction site in the village just before 24 hour construction (destruction). We could imagine their poor work conditions, exploited with low wages.

    And it seems Korean workers are also exploited, which should be never surprising news.

    According to  information, the navy-contracted companies hiring Korean workers laid off them after the workers were mobilized to teach Vietnamese workers how to work.

    In the morning of Nov. 16, peacekeepers in the protest field were told that the construction company unilaterally laid off 18 workers. A laid-off worker coming out of the site told people.

    Beside 18 laid off Korean workers, it is told that some Vietnam workers quit the jobs that morning because they felt so cold to stay inside the containers in the coast within the construction area.

    Regarding 18 laid-off Korean workers, they are workers all working with reinforced rods. There were originally 30 workers working with reinforced rods and now 12 workers are left. The company has made two caissons and the 3rd caisson has been posed in process. It is told that Vietnamese workers would fill the empty job spots.

    While the daily wage of a Vietnam worker is 60,000 won, a South Korean worker gets 150,000 won, it is told. The Korean workers are told to wonder why such so-called important national policy project is built by foreign workers and why the Vietnamese workers often take records of photos on construction site with their mobile phones.

    It is told that while the director of the field is the one who has worked in Hwasoon, the workers here in Gangjeong construction site are employed by the Daelim-subcontracted company called the Jeju T & C, of which the headquarter is told to be in Seoul and which they have never been informed before. The workers were employed from all over the country and there is no specific leader among them.

    The workers have originally been told from the construction company that they would get 4 million won for a month for two years with the job. But the 18 laid-off workers could not get any dismissal allowance since their work term was less than two months. According to the Ministry of Labor, dismissal allowance is given to workers of more than three months. To be worse, they could not get wage from the companies yet. It is told that the companies said to them that they would send wage through their bank accounts later.

    The unfair work management in the Jeju naval base project has already been exposed though in part in the Hwasoon workers’ case. See No. 3, here. The bad and suspicious work conditions for workers are being leaked…

     

    Update on Nov. 17: It is told that beside the Korean workers who are told to have intended strike, Vietnamese workers are also in the mood of organizing strike.  It is clear the caisson work inside the naval base construction site in the Gangjeong village is not being processed well. Even during the daytime on Nov. 17, Saturday, there were no more cement mixer trucks entering after 3:30pm. The police withdrew at the time. It is unusual considering that construction (destruction) has been going on by late evening on Saturday even before 24 hour construction.

    Also, it is told that the employees of navy-contracted security companies are complaining on illegal registration of companies (* for that, see page 4,  Nov. newsletter) and delayed payment of wages. They are in the move to file a suit on unjust employment to the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

    Still despite such already exposed unjust construction including unfair work conditions, on Nov. 17, the Seogwipo City Hall, being pressured by the navy, sent a notice  to the villagers that if the villagers are not volunteering to remove their sit-in tents across construction gates, it will carry on forceful execution of demolition of them. The villagers and peacekeepers are ready to fight to save the sit-in tents next week.

    It also became clear that the residential households nearby the construction site in the Gangjeong village are suffering for the noise during the night time construction. One resident told that she felt like in the hell when she heard the noise of crane during the night.

     

    2. Night time construction noise has brought complaints from Hwasoon residents

     

    Photo: Jemin Ilbo, Nov. 8, 2012, Caisson built in the Hwasoon port

     

    There is not only a matter of work conditions for workers. The 24 hour construction to build 8,800 ton caissons in Hwasoon port (40 minutes car distance eastward from the Gangjeong village) has already been complained by the nearby residents.

    The Jemin Ilbo on Nov. 8 reported (Excerpted translation):

    The residents in Dongha-dong and Ungeun-dong, Hwasoon-li, Andeok myeon (* myeon (township) is the subdivision of gun (county)), in the Seogwipo city are being damaged by the construction noise related to the production of caissons that are put in the naval base construction area in Gangjeong village.

    The residents are especially protesting to Samsung C & T, saying they are experiencing discomfort because of greater noise in the nights as the caisson production is being done for 24 hours.

    The residents have demanded to the Samsung C & T to stop construction from 10pm to 5am and to take prevention measures to reduce the damage by noise.

    However, the position of the Samsung C & T is that it must progress construction even in the night time, reasoning that the caisson production needs unstopping construction due to technical matter; that there would be problem in quality management if construction is stopped in the night; and that the construction period has been delayed for several months.

    Eventually there have been meetings in last September and at the end of October, by the related personnel to solve the civilian complaints on construction noise by the caisson productions, for which local residents, contracted company personnel, and government officers in the Seogwipo City and Andeok Myeon joined. However, solution measures have not been provided yet.

    Kim Tae-Un, Chairman of Hwasoon li stated that “The residents nearby the construction site are being harmed not to be able to sleep again if they woke up from sleep due to abrupt noise occurring from the cranes in the dead of night… Even though we have raised noise issue from the beginning of this year, it has not been properly settled. And the residents are now standing up against it”.

    …………………………………………………

    Reference

    http://www.jemin.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=298043
    심야시간에도 공사 소음 피해 극심
    화순리서 해군기지 투입할 케이슨 24시간 제작
    주민들 “밤 10시~새벽 5시 공사중단 해야”
    시공사 “공사기법•공기문제로 부득이 강행”
    2012 년 11월 8일

    …………………………………………………

    An interesting article to look at:

    http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/560972.html
    Korean workers underpaid on US military bases
    Nov.16,2012 16:33 KST

  • Gangjeong Village Story: Monthly News from the Struggle | November Issue

    In this month’s issue:
    National Grand March for Life and Peace Comes to a close, outrageous findings in National Assembly inspections, Jesuit priest imprisoned, illegal security company hired to guard the construction site, 24-Hour construction begins and much more!

    Download PDF

  • Urgent: How you can help us to cut the budget overnight. Please take 1 minute/ People’s emergency press conference

    The National Defense Committee of the National Assembly will have its final meeting in the morning of Nov. 16, Friday, in Korean time. Its’ Nov. 12 meeting was dissipated because of wide gap between the ruling and main opposition party. But since then the Democratic United Party (DP), the main opposition party has shown its compromising attitude that it is considering to agree with the ruling Saenury Party (New Frontier Party) to pass all or part of the proposed budget on the Jeju naval base project, to the indignation of people. The people here have mobilized themselves to protest to the members of the DP through email, phone and SNS. There was people’s emergency press conference on Nov. 15. How you can help us overnight in short time? Please see the part 2 of this article.

    Photo by PSPD/ People’s press conference in front of the National Assembly on Nov. 15, 2012

    1. People’s emergency press conference on Nov. 15

    On Nov. 15, there was people’s emergency press conference to demand ruling and opposition parties to cut the whole  201 billion won of 2013 Jeju naval base project budget in front of the National Assembly at 1:30 pm. The Press conference was hosted by the Gangjeong Village Association, Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island (26 groups), National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing the Naval Base in Jeju Island (125 groups). Please watch Dungree video Here (Youtube). You can see the original Korean statement here (posted by the PSPD).

    Some points in the press conference statement read:

    Even though the Budget and Balance committee of the National Assembly 2011 has recommended the government and navy “to objectively verify on the safety matters of entry & exit of port and coming alongside & out of port by the 150,000 ton cruises through the 3rd institute,” the government and navy have ignored it. Despite that, the members of the ruling and opposition parties in the National Defense committee are to pass 200.9 billion won on the 2013 Jeju naval base project, without asking the matter on the execution on the National assembly recommendation item. The Jeju naval base project currently being enforced is in violation of the 2007 National assembly subsidiary opinion of ‘Civilian-Military Complex Port of Call,’ (* the Lee Myung Bak government has enforced the project under the title of the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty) and also in violation of the 2011 Budget and Balance committee of the National Assembly recommendation item, the demand of verification on the possibility of entry & exit by 150,000 ton cruises. It is a case when a strict response by the National Assembly is needed in the sense that those are of ignorance of the authority of the National assembly that monitors the Administrative. Therefore it is reasonable that the National Assembly cut all 2013 budgets on the Jeju naval base, according to the agreement between the ruling and opposition parties. […] However, Han Ki-Ho (* a former high-rank  army commander), member of the Saenuri Party, the person concerned in the ruling and opposition party’s agreement [in 2011] as a member of Budget and Balance Committee and now a chairman of the National defense committee  shows shameless appearance to condemn the voice on budget as if it is from that of pro North Korea.

    Photo by Tommy Shin Jung-Hyun/ People’s press conference to cut the Jeju naval base budget in front of National Assembly on Nov. 15, 2012

    There are some useful points to remind in the people’s protest letters to the two big ruling and opposition parties. Here are some excerpted translations.

    Protest letter to the Saenuri Party: Excerpts

    The government stated only today that it would accept the opinion by the Jeju Island government on simulation verification(It is in fact ‘revelation’ not ‘verification by the words of the Office of Prime Minister)‘. However, it has already been proved out that the [projected] port is difficult not only for 150,000 ton cruise’s entry-exit and coming alongside the pier but also for military vessels to properly enter and exit, through the meeting minutes by the ‘technical verification committee on the entry/ exit of cruse’ set up following the navy resource and National Assembly recommendation. Also construction has been unreliably, roughly-and-readily being done. So caissons that are to be used for port & bay construction have been completely destroyed, too. It is judged that the safety of port itself would not be guaranteed either.

    The Saenuri party thinks the Jeju naval base is certainly necessary for national security. However, if the Saenuri Party truly thinks security, it should take the lead to cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project. It is because the Jeju naval base currently being constructed in Gangjeong has no validity for project purpose. It cannot even properly be used as a military port.

    The government takes protection of southern sea area and sea transportation lane as the purpose of the Jeju naval base project. However, there is no need to be stubborn to build the naval base in Jeju to protect the southern sea water. The government has already measure of the 3rd fleet in Mokpo that does not need another base in Jeju. Further the task of sea transportation lane is originally the duty of coast guard and it is never appropriate that military vessel steps for that, given the geographical conditions and relationship with nearby countries.

    Furthermore, it has been turned out through navy resource that the main facilities of the Jeju naval base are being designed and built according to the US military demand to fit for the vessels such as the US nuclear aircraft carrier [and submarines] that the US retain

    Protest letter to the Democratic United Party: Excerpts

    The remarks by Park Ji-Won, floor representative of Democratic United Party, who said that ‘[the party] would confirm on the test result on the entry/exit of port and then allocate budget,’ is never realistic, given the time to be taken for verification and schedule on budget review. Further in the situational condition that the Office of Prime Minister and navy enforce construction (destruction), ignoring the resolution by the National Assembly who demanded verification through simulation, there is no other alternative than to cut the whole budget (* so construction is to be stopped) to enforce verification. We worry  to see the words by [Moon Jae-In], Presidential candidate and [Park Ji-Won] floor representative to be over turned in a week.

    It seems that the reason that the Democratic United Party changed its position on the matter of cut on the Jeju naval base budget is because it judged that it would influence not  good effect in the Presidential election due to expected repulsion by the navy and conservative class and political aggression by the Saenuri party. However such position is defensive and passive without clear and reasonable basis.  In last [April 11] election, all the three Democratic United Party members who oppose naval base have been all elected in Jeju. If the candidate and Democratic United Party actively make public to citizens on various problems on the Jeju naval base in the mainland, it can get superior position in public opinion. The Democratic Party should take a lesson of a case that the people have rather punished the Grand National Party(former Saenuri Party) when the DP actively responded to the GP with the ‘war power vs. peace power’ frame,  facing against the GP who intended to win over DP in June 2 local election, abusing the Cheonan ship incident for hunting so called the ‘pro north-Korea’ groups.

    Photo by Hwang Hyun-Jin/ Humorous one man protest in front of National Assembly. ‘With 200.9 billion won, you can feed each of 50 million South Koreans with four strings of Kimbab (rice ball kind)

    Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ Despite the Island governor’s demand to the navy on Oct. 30 to pose the input of caisson until the finish of simulation on 150,000 ton cruise, the navy thoroughly ignored that. The navy-contracted company is moving caisson on Nov. 14.  See more photos by Cho, here.

     

    2. URGENT: Please take 1 min. to help us. Please copy and paste the below and send it to these address below, with your name. You may change contents, of course. Thanks so much in advance.

    moonriver365@gmail.com, intoan429@hanmail.net,  2030minju@hanmail.net, kjy1@assembly.go.kr, jp311@assembly.go.kr, kmageneral@gmail.com , esh337@hanmail.net,  jinsj@assembly.go.kr

    ( Email address source: click here   )

    Title: Cut the whole budget on the Jeju naval base. The world is watching

    Dear Democratic United Party members of National Defense committee of the ROK National Assembly.

    Please cut all the budgets on the Jeju naval base project. I heard that your party is considering to agree with the ruling Saenuri party to pass the budget in all or part in the National Assembly.  It is a shame that your party considers it despite all illegal, undemocratic, environment destructive, human rights- violating matters of the Jeju naval base project that became clear to the eyes of internationals.  I was also shocked to hear that the Jeju naval base is nothing but the US base as the Commander of the US navy forces of Korea has intervened in the base design for US nuclear aircraft carrier and US submarines.

    Do you truly want the South Koreans’ tax paid for the US war base against China? It will greatly disturb peace in the North East Asia and world. Please remember that your deed will affect not only Koreans but voiceless creatures and people in the world.

    It is unbelievable and shame if your party agrees to pass the budget. Please stand on your original position of cutting all the budget of 201 billion won on the naval base project 2013.

    Thanks for listening.

     

    Photo by Carol Rekinga/ The hungerstrike of Sung Sim Jang, for more photos, click here
    Photo by Kang Han, Catholic News Now and Here/ Construction site, Nov. 13, 2012 (post by Regina Pyon)
    Photo by Kang Han, Catholic News Now and Here/ protest mass in front of construction gate, Nov. 12 (Post by Regina Pyon)

     

    3. Peace activists resist tenaciously and cry for stop of violence

    Please watch this 7 min. video taken by Kim Goon, a peacekeeper that daily appears in the protest site of the naval base construction gate. . The peacekeepers in Gangjeong persistently protest to stop the cement mixer trucks .The video was taken at 3:10pm, Nov. 14. They are fighting for the Jeju naval base project budgets not to be executed but cut, despite the police violence and humiliation.

    “All parts of our body are bruised… We have little time to inform about the field news since the start of 24 hour construction… All of us are longing the day when our routine life of being roughed out by the police will end…. We just hope to save the Gureombi, Gangjeong village and ourselves.” (Kim Goon)

    ( Youtube/ Source: Click here )

     

    Update on Nov. 16

    The police from Seoul were more violent on Nov. 16. They are the maneuver units of No. 21(male) and 24(female). The police were also violent on Nov. 15, probably because the Democratic United Party members showed compromising attitude on budget. A young activist was carried to a hospital during the protest on Nov. 15.

    ………………………..………………………

    Reference

     

    http://cafe.daum.net/peacekj/GeUz/169

    [11월 15일 기자회견] “2011년 국회 여야 합의-검증 없이 예산 없다”- 제주 해군 기지 예산 전액 삭감 촉구 긴급기자 회견

     

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=164947

    제주해군기지 시뮬레이션 검증 ‘합의’…”주야간 검증”

    총리실, 제주해군기지 시뮬레이션 검증 요구 전격 수용

    2개 케이스 시현…주야간 검증…책임연구원 교체키로

    2012.11.15  09:47:42

     

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122564

    강정마을회 “민주당 전액삭감 입장 끝까지 지켜야”

    “새누리당 이상일 대변인 발언은 정치적 공세···민주당은 예산 전액삭감 입장 유지해야”

    2012.11.15  11:17:35

     

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122559

    정부, 해군기지 15만톤 크루즈 시뮬레이션 수용

    2012.11.15  09:46:23

     

    http://www.catholicnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=8445

    “강정마을, 예수처럼 쓰러져도 평화의 표지 될 것”

    ‘24시간 공사’ 이어지는 해군기지 앞 끈질기게 지키는 사람들

    2012.11.15  11:14:37

  • Emergency Update and Appeal: The DP is withdrawing from its promise to people! Please pressure them to cut all budgets on the naval base project!

     

    Photo by Tommy Shin Jung-Hyun/ Village mayor Kang Dong-Kyun makes a speech against the Jeju naval base project in front of the US embassy in the center of Seoul on Nov. 13, 2012: “US, listen to me!”

     

    Citing an article of Chosun Ilbo on Nov. 14, the Jeju Sori on Nov. 14 reports that the Democratic United Party is withdrawing from its official position of ‘whole cut’ on the 2013 Jeju naval base budget. It is considering ‘conditional pass,’ of about 200 billion won budget for 2013 naval base project. Its reasoning is told that because ‘it is afraid of bad influence to the Presidential election in December, if it cuts the 2013 budget on the project.’

    To the people’s indignation, the party has attributed its failure in April 11 general election to its changed position into the critique on the currently enforced naval base project to the dislike by the general South Korean citizens for whom security consciousness is presumed by the party to be important. Such analysis has gotten much criticism from the progressive who analyzed the party’s failure as the Party’s remaining unchanged without true renovations and the Party’s weak efforts to persuade people.

    The Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island stated in its refuting statement on Nov. 13.

    “While the technical verification committee is not neutral, the suspicions on the flaws of base design and on the unreliable caisson production has not disappeared. The matter on simulation has not properly done under the Lee Myung Bak government. It should be righteous that all the naval base budgets should be cut.”

    Photo by Cho Sung-Bong in his  Ohmynews article, Nov. 13 / The illegal naval base construction (destruction) is destroying environment in thorough violation of the EIA and wasting people’s tax enormously.

     

    “The Democratic United Party has promised on the construction stop and re-examination of the project, but is now being shifted to have an opinion of ‘partial [or all] pass with subsidiary conditions. To say ‘subsidiary opinion’ so and so is an attempt to dissipate its Presidential candidates’ promise to people.”  (* How self- contradictory for the Democratic United Party to say it is, reminding that the Party has cut the budget in 2012 because the navy did not kept the National Assembly’s subsidiary conditions in 2007.)’

    Regarding budget, while Presidential Candidate, Moon Jae-In (Democratic United Party) stated his position on Nov. 8 that the Party Opinion on the naval base project is to stop construction first then re-examination of the project.

    The Pan-Island committee has a plan to carry on one-man protest to demand the ‘whole budget cut,’ in front of the Jeju branch of the Democratic United party, Jeju City from the morning of Nov. 14.

    People here are mobilizing themselves to send protest messages to the facebooks and tweets of the members of the National Assembly.

    How you can help us to cut the budget? Please pressure the ROK National Assembly to cut the whole budget of naval base. Contact english@assembly.go.kr, or Moon Jae-In, Permanent Advisor, Democratic United Party, Presidential candidate: moonriver365@gmail.com

     Otherwise, please leave messages in the below sites to pressure the National Assembly members (Democratic United Party)

    Moon Jae-In’s Facebook page

    Ahn Kyu-Baek’s Facebook page (Ahn Kyu-Baek is a coordinator of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly, Democratic United Party)

    Kim Woo-Nam’s Facebook Page (Kim Woo Name is the Jeju-based National Assembly man, Democratic United Party)

    Kang Chang-Il’s Facebook page   ( Kang Chang-Il e is the Jeju-based National Assembly man, Democratic United Party)

    Kim Jae Yun’s Facebook page (Kim Jae-Yun  is the Jeju-based National Assembly man, Democratic United Party)

    Jang Hana’s Facebook page (Jang Hana is the Jeju-origin National Assembly woman, Democratic United Party)

     

    # The Jeju based or origin National Assembly men/women (All are Democratic United Party members)  are making their best efforts to cut the budget. Please encourage and support them to put more pressure to their party colleagues. Thanks Abigail for providing above  facebook  information.

     

    TWEET/ EMAIL  ADDRESS/ PHONE NUMBER of the National Defense Committee (Democratic United party):

     

    Ahn Kyu-Baek (Floor vice- representative of the Party)  @AGBhope        intoan429@hanmail.net     02-788-2601

    Baek Goon-Ki      @kmageneral       kmageneral@gmail.com      02-788-2893

    Kim Gwang-Jin      2030minju@hanmail.net        02-788-2029

    Lee Suk-Hyun      @lsh4u     esh337@hanmail.net        02-788-2951

    Kim Jae-Yun     @kimJaeyun      kjy1@assembly.go.kr      02-788-2066

    Jin Sung-Joon (Floor vice- representative of the Party)

    Kim Jin-Pyo (Floor representative of the Party)

    ( Source: Click here  and here)

     


    Photo by Kang Ho-Jin, Nov. 13/Peace activists are holding one-man protest in front of the National Assembly to cut the budgets on the naval base project. With 200 billion own, there are so many things that you can do for people’s welfare: Free meals and education for children, tuition support for students, irregular workers’ position change to regular workers etc.
    Photo by Cho Sung-Bong in his  Ohmynews article, Nov. 13 /People are desperate to stop 24 hour construction(destruction) that started on Oct. 25. The photo is on Oct. 26 when people are desperate to stop construction vehicles in front of the main gates of the construction site.

     ………………………………………………………..

    Reference

     

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122509

    민주, 제주해군기지 예산 조건부 통과? 이상기류

    2012.11.14  09:43:36

     

    http://news.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/11/14/2012111400247.html

    민주 “제주해군기지 예산 통과시킬 것”

    2012.11.14 03:00 | 수정 : 2012.11.14 09:20

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122496

    민주당 해군기지 예산 조건부 통과? 범대위 발끈

    2012.11.13  18:40:22

     

     

  • Save the vigil tents! Vigil tents in Gangjeong and Seoul/ National Assembly could not conclude on budget yet

    1. Villagers say, ‘No way!’ to the threat of demolition of vigil tents

    Photo by Park Yongsung/ Villagers keeping the tents overnight against 24 hour destruction, Nov. 11

    While villagers set up two vigil tents across the construction gates against 24 hour construction (destruction) on Nov. 11. Sunday, the City hall of Seogwipo City is threatening villagers to be  volunteering to remove them. If not the City will enforce demolition of them, it bluffs.

    Currently the facilities set up by the villagers across the gates are: A tent built just across the main gate, a stage vehicle (Both of them have been set up long time ago) and the two recent tents mentioned above.

    The Seogwipo City decided to demolish tents reasoning that since the tens were set up in the side of road, they are the obstacles for traffic and that there have been complaints by some people who are inferred to be navy-contracted company personnel and pro-base villagers.

    Villagers’ two new vigil tents, Nov. 12, 2012

    It is known that the Seogwipo City has not decided way and time of demolition: whether it will mobilize a form of ‘administrative execution’ that needs three times notices to people with demand on volunteering removal or ‘emergency removal’ (according to the law on roads) that does not need such notice.

    The Seogwipo City hall personnel said that if emergency removal is decided, the demolition will be enforced within this week at fast.

    Upon such threat, Go Gwon-Il, Chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base refuted, “It is senseless for the Seogwipo City to say that it would demolish only our tents while it does neither restrain nor punish the navy’s illegal construction(destruction). If the Seogwipo City enforces it, we will stop such unjust execution with all our energy.”

    Jang Sungshim met her 6th fast as of Nov. 12.

     

    2. Press conference on the opening of collective vigil tents in Seoul

    Photo by Lee Woo-Ki, People’s press conference in Seoul, Nov. 12. For many more photos on the Seoul press conference by Lee Wooki, see here.

    Meanwhile, the people in Seoul held the press conference on opening  joint vigil tents’ zone in the center of Seoul in the morning of the same day. The tent zone, succeeding the collective spirit of the Great March for Life and Peace: We are the SKY is hosted by people under the title of ‘Let’s live together!:A vigil zone formed by the unity of the Ssangyong workers, Yongsan families, Gangjeong village and non-nuclear-declared villages.’ See the photos by Lee Woo-Ki here.

    Otherwise, the Chosun Ilbo, the most conservative right wing media in South Korea, had a criticizing article on the Seoul vigil tent zone on the top of its 1st page that it is illegal. The article also criticized that Park Won-Soon, mayor of Seoul has no intervention on it and supports tent zones.

    Upon this, a peace activist joked on it, “Thank you Chosun Ilbo, you are introducing us very big while we have suffered from little media coverage during our great march. You please us at the end.”

    Photo by Park Yongsung/ The most conservative right wing Chosun Ilbo had a top article on the people’s Seoul vigil tents in its website on Nov. 13, 2012
    A Newsis photo shown in the article in the top of the most conservative right wing Chosun Ilbo website, Nov. 13, 2012.

     

    3. Talk on budget could not be concluded in the National Assembly on Nov. 12. Next talk is Nov. 16

    The media reports that the National Defense committee of the National Assembly could not conclude on the talk on the 200 billion won of the 2013 Jeju naval base project budget on Nov. 12, Monday.

    In detail, it reads:

    The National Defense committee of the ROK National Assembly has planned to have the 2nd meeting (following the 1st meeting on Nov. 8) by its Budget and Balance sub-committee on the Jeju naval base project budget 2013 (earmarked by the Defense Acquision Program Administration) in the morning of Nov. 12.

    However, because of wide gap between the ruling and opposition parties, the sub-committee could not be held on the day. While the Democratic United Party demands the ‘whole cut’ of budget, claiming that  the Jeju naval base project construction is being enforced in inappropriate way, the ruling Saenuri Party (New Frontier Party) confronts it, demanding ‘part cut’ and saying the project should be driven as planned.

    Kim Jae-Yoon, member of the Defense Committee (Seogwipo-City based, Democratic United Party) said that “The party opinion of the Democratic United Party is to totally cut the [2013] Jeju naval base project budget that was not kept of the National Assembly subsidiary opinion [in 2007]. I am determined to cut the budget”

    The National Defense Committee has a plan to re-open the Budget and Balance sub-committee in the morning of Nov. 16 through agreement and tuning between the coordinators of the parties.

     

    EMERGENCY UPDATE and APPEAL (Nov. 14): See HERE

    Citing an article of Chosun Ilbo on Nov. 14, the Jeju Sori on Nov. 14 reports that the Democratic United Party is withdrawing from its official position of ‘whole cut’ on the 2013 Jeju naval base budget. It is considering ‘conditional pass,’ of about 200 billion won budget for 2013 naval base project. Its reasoning is told that because ‘it is afraid of bad influence to the Presidential election in December, if it cuts the 2013 budget on the project.’ [..]How you can help to CUT THE BUDGET? Please see the link.

     

    Photo by Lee Wooki/ Village mayor Kang Dong-Kyun holds a sign that denounces Han Ki-Ho, a member of National Defense committee of the National Assembly and ruling Saenuri Party(New Frontier Party)who condemns the anti-base people as if they are pro North Korea. Dungree made a satire video on Han Ki-Ho. Watch it here.
    Photo by Christian Carl/ ‘No Naval Base on Jeju’ – our demand on today’s Nat’l Workers’ Rally in Seoul…

     

    ……………………………………………….

    Reference

     

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122430

    여야, 제주해군기지 예산 놓고 연이어 격돌

    2012.11.12  13:47:04

     

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=164705

    해군기지 공사장 앞 천막 철거소식에 강정주민 반발

    서귀포시, 천막 강제철거 결정…강정 “절대 안돼”

    2012.11.12  11:11:31

     

     

     

  • Catholic Priests unite despite navy and police insult. Bishop Kang U-Il says, “Peace is the result of justice and love.”

     

    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo, Catholic priests united facing the navy and police violence and insult in front of construction gate, Nov. 12, 2012. For many more resourceful photos on the day by Jang Hyun-Woo, see here.

     

    Catholic priests unite against the navy and police violence 

    While the civil disobedience movement declared by Prof. Shin Yong-In, in front of the construction site in Gangjoeng started on Nov. 12, Catholic priests made voice on the same day as well.

    Since Fr. Lee Young-Chan(Jesuit) was arrested and imprisoned on Oct. 24, the Catholic priests have been holding a special mass beside their daily 11 am mass in front of construction site,  every 4pm, Monday.

    At 4 pm, Nov. 12, Catholic priests, clergy men and women who belong to the Catholic Solidarity for the Realization of Jeju, Peace Island, visited the village before the evening mass held by Bishop Kang U-Il in the Jeju City on the day.

    It was about 30 minutes later that four buses marked with ‘Korea National Defense University: KNDU’ and ‘ROK navy’ were to visit the Jeju naval base project building complex. When their entry became impossible because of the mass, police were mobilized and the police roughed out and moved away priests from the site, saying that the priests were doing of  ‘obstructing business.’ Priests were released only after the buses passed into the building complex despite people’s protests.

    Photo By Jang Hyun-Woo/ The signs on the bus read, ‘Korea National Defense University: KNDU’ and ‘ROK navy’

    The Catholic priests denounced the police and navy : “It never happens in the world that the police mobilize, stop the mass, and confine priests indiscriminately without notice while religious events are processed. The police have not made any reflection despite the incident of damaged Eucharist by such police behavior last August.”

    Photo By Jang Hyun-Woo/ Nov. 12, 2012

    People including Mr. Go Gwon-Il, Chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base denounced the police: “Though their identities are uncertain, some of them in military costumes or suits in the buses even derided the priests being detained in the police circles. The Catholic priests were shocked. However such scenes are happening everyday in Gangjeong.”

    Photo By Jang Hyun-Woo, Nov. 12, 2012/ The young peacekeepers are suffering by the police’s roughing out of them
    Photo by Catholic News Here and Now and caption by Regina Pyon/
    Catholic Solidarity for the Peace island, Jeju, starts signature campaign until Dec. 2 (1st week of Advent) demanding ‘the release of Jesuit priest Lee Young-chan S.J and four other prisoners of conscience’ and ‘the overall re-examination of Jeju naval base construction’. . . In this photo, Catholic priests are blocking the cement mixing trucks after the mass of November 12 at the gate of Jeju naval base construction site.

    Supporting imprisoned Fr. Lee Young-Chan, Bishop Kang U-Il makes a voice

     

    Photo: Jeju Sori, Nov. 12, 2012/ Bishop Kang U-Il

     

    “Peace is not merely having no war or guaranteeing balance between the hostile powers. Peace is a serenity of order. Peace is the result of justice and fruit of love” (Clause No. 2304, Catholic creed, read by Bishop Kang U-Il).

    There was a ‘Nation Situational Mass to Release the Prisoners by the Naval Base project,’ in the Central Catholic Church, Jeju City at 7:30 pm, Nov. 12. The mass was sponsored by the 15 dioceses of the Justice and Peace Committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Catholic Human Rights Committee, Catholic Solidarity for the Realization of Peace Island, Jeju.

    More than 20 Catholic priests and Catholic nuns have been arrested in their protests against the naval base project in the Gangjeong village. In  March, Fr. Kim Jung-Wook was first imprisoned (released after about 40 days) as a Catholic priest and on Oct. 24, Fr. Lee Young-Chan was imprisoned. Both are the Jesuits.

    Bishop Kang U-Il said, “The [projected] Jeju naval base is a strategic military facility for our country to be with the United States to dominate the superiority in the North East Asia, against China.”

    “The situation in Gangjeong this time is the God’s homework and task given to the Korean churches to examine themselves,  which have passively taken on God’s raised question on war. The God is inviting us so that we make all the efforts for peace.”

    Photo: Jeju Sori, Nov. 12, 2012 
    Photo: Catholic News Now and Here/ Catholic mass for the release of Jesuit priest Lee Young-chan S.J. and prisoners of conscience. . .About 900 people attended the mass held in Jeju cathedral. (caption by Regina Pyon)

    Nov. 12 poster by the Jesuits Korea (Caption by Regina Pyon): At 7.30 p.m. on November 12, Catholic mass is held officiated by Bishop Peter Kang U-il at Jeju cathedral for the release of Jesuit priest, Lee Young-Chan S.J, and imprisoned peace activists. It was organized by the Catholic Solidarity for Peace Island Jeju, that 15 national justice and peace commissions and representatives of lay and religious committees are participating. Bishop Peter Kang is also chairperson of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea.

     

    Bishop Peter Kang U-Il’s homily on Nov. 12

    Full text of Bishop Peter Kang’s homily “There is no just war.” can be read here.

    (informed by Regina Pyon)

    (Source: Click here)

     

    Remembering Fr. Lee SJ and the four brave activists who are serving time in prison for their peace activities and putting their bodies in the way of trucks involved in the construction of a naval base which is destroying the coastal environment and the village community of Gangjeong.This base is being built in an already volatile region and will only serve to increase military tensions. . .this video was played during the Catholic mass at Jeju central cathedral celebrated by Bp. Peter Kang on Nov. 12. Video by Dungree (Caption by Regina Pyon)

    (Source: Click here)

    ……………………………………………………..

     

    Reference

     

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122451

    “경찰, 이제는 하다못해 종교행사까지 방해하나”

    2012.11.12  17:56:55

     

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=164740

    “해군기지 시국미사 중 경찰투입…또 종교행사 침탈”

    강정마을서 또 충돌…천주교 신부들 분노

    2012.11.12  18:12:33

     

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122456

    “한국 교회가 제주해군기지 건설에 문제제기 해야”

    2012.11.12  20:32:46

     

    http://www.catholicnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=8435

    [강우일 주교 강론]”정당한 전쟁은 없습니다”

    11월 12일, 제주 중앙주교좌성당 시국미사

    승인 2012.11.13  18:43:58

     

    http://www.catholicnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=8428

    강우일 주교 “강정 해군기지, 교회에 던진 하느님의 부끄러운 숙제”

    제주중앙성당에서 이영찬 신부 등 구속자 석방 위한 시국미사 봉헌
    천주교연대, 이영찬 신부 등 구속자 석방 위한 서명운동 시작

    2012.11.13  02:59:22

     

    http://www.catholicnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=8441

    이영찬 신부와 활동가 석방을 위한 서명운동 시작 – 가톨릭뉴스 지금여기

  • Law Professor begins Civil Disobedience Campaign against Unjust Law

    Prof. Shin Yong-In on Nov. 12, 2012. The sign reads “The civil disobedience movement is a motion to make just law stand.” Image: Jang Hyun-Woo

    Starting a civil disobedience movement for the peaceful settlement of the conflict of the Jeju naval base project and for the realization of just law.

    By Prof. Shin Yong-In (Translated by Save Jeju Now)

    Nov. 11, 2012

    The Jeju naval base project has numerous problems such as doubtful selection of location, resolution on invitation by conciliation and betrayal, ignorance of Gangjeong villagers’ opinion, unreliability of the Environmental Impact Assessment by and large, cancellation of absolute preservation areas without notice, suspicion on the flaws in the base layout, unreliable and illegal construction, falsehood in the so called Civilian-Military Complex for Tour Beauty.

    Still, the government and navy are not only enforcing naval base construction with the police force at the head but are recently enforcing 24 hours construction to secure the 2013 budget, indiscriminately confining and arresting Gangjeong villagers, peace activists and even clergymen who make efforts to stop construction.

    In the state power’s oppression such as the above, the responsibility of court is also big. The court forgetting its constitutional mission of being the last fortress to keep the basic rights of people, has given indulgence to the wrong executions of the power by taking unjust trial to unilaterally raise the hands of government and navy. As a result, Gangjeong became the site of a lawless world where democracy is damaged and human rights are trampled down as illegality and law-evasiveness take power to themselves.

    In the situation when every legal effort to stop unjustly dominating power became meaningless, there is nothing that I, a law school professor and lawyer can do to stop the forceful naval base construction.

    Even now, there are Gangjeong villagers and peace activists in front of the Gangjeong construction site, who struggle risking the danger of punishment, by delaying naval base construction (destruction) even for 5 minutes. They are the people who follow the law of consciousness in the situation when the laws of the positive and of the conscious clash each other. They are in fact already doing the civil disobedience movement. Their courageous resistance make me feel shame, who have been confined inside the fence of the positive law, and make me ask what the true law is.

    Henry Thoreau, a harbinger of the civil disobedience movement has said:

    “We should be men first, and subjects afterward. It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right” (Henry David Thoreau, Resistance to Civil Government, 1849)

    Now, aspiring for the peaceful settlement of the conflicts in the Jeju naval base project and for the realization of just law, I will start the civil disobedience movement until the government and navy stop the enforcement of naval base construction. I will stop, with my body, entry and exit of construction vehicles in front of the main gate of naval base construction site more than once a week. For the beginning, I will stand in front of the construction gate from 10 am to 6pm on Monday, Nov. 12.

    I respect law. But when the law is not just, the law is merely violence. Therefore it is the natural right and responsibility of democratic citizens to disobey to the illegal law. It is nothing but to stop to be human being to give up that. Therefore the civil disobedience movement that I am to do is never the movement to ignore law. It is the movement to make the true law stand. It is an effort to save the Constitution being invaded by unjust power.

    Before the start of the civil disobedience movement, I declare the below principles based on the spirit ofSatyagraha by Mahatma Gandhi.

    Firstly, I reject every violent way. I will act whatever happens with non-violent and peaceful way. Violence kills life while non-violence respects lives and make them live.

    Secondly, there is a saying that ‘You shall hate crime but not the criminals.” Even though I am infuriated from the unjust execution of power by the personnel of the government, navy and police, I never hate them. Hatred kills life. I also believe that the government, navy and police personnel are dignified beings like sky, with reason and consciousness as human beings.

    Thirdly, I will be willing to suffer from any disadvantages following civil disobedience. If the police rough out and confine me, I will be willingly taken. If they want to arrest me, I will be willing to be arrested. If they imprison me, I will be willing to be imprisoned. The government can confine my body but not my spirit. If the government attempts to detain my body more and more, my spirit will freely fly up.

    Through the civil disobedience movement, I hope the government, navy, court, police can change like the below.

    I hope the government no more betrays and disdains citizens but recognize them as the SKY, being afraid of them and serve them.

    I hope the court no more wait-and–sees the government but takes trial faithful to the Constitutional mission of control of powers and protection of basic rights.

    I hope the navy is born again as the navy for citizens to whom it serves, not as the navy for their own, who fights against the citizens.

    I hope the police outgrowing from the role of maid to power, to be the true cane for the people from whom they get love and respect.

    I also appeal to all  Jeju Island people and citizens to have courage and join the civil-disobedience movement. I urgently ask them to join us until the conflicts in the Jeju naval base project is peacefully settled and just law stands.

     

    Shin Yong-In, Professor of Law School, Jeju University

     

    Around 3:30 pm, Nov. 12/ Prof. Shin is carried away by the police from the protest site
    Headline Jeju, Nov. 12, 2012 Prof. Shin was detained in police circles more than 7 times on the day.
    Photo by Song Chang-Wook. Prof. Shin ends his first day with the 100 bows early in the next morning, 7am, Nov. 13.

    References:

    제주 해군기지 공사차량, 온몸으로 저지하려 합니다
    제주해군기지 갈등의 평화적 해결 위한 시민불복종 운동을 시작하며
    http://www.ohmynews.com/nws_web/view/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0001800686
    12.11.11 16:02l최종 업데이트 12.11.11 16:02

     

  • In remembering the spirit of Yang Yong-Chan, people’s emergency rally was held on Nov. 10

     

    Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo, caption by Regina Pyon/ Jang Sung-shim (Catholic name Lucia) is shaving the head in front of Jeju naval base building site on 15th civic action day on November 10. She was on her fourth day of fast even without water and salts staying day and night at the gate demanding the cancellation of Jeju naval base project. . . For more photos of Jang Hyun-woo, see here.

     

    Amid heavy rain and strong wind, about 150 people had an emergency rally in front of the Jeju naval base project building complex on Nov. 10, Saturday. See the Nov. 10 poster here. The construction trucks stopped to pass the gates in the morning. 2nd caisson on the Gureombi Rock was recently completed so no night time construction trucks on the day (and no construction trucks passing the gates on Sunday, too)

     

    Rally in front of the Jeju naval base building complex, around 4pm. Nov. 10.

     

    Jang Sungshim, a Jeju navtive and a Catholic follower who has been carrying on fast at the construction gate shaved her hair in protest to the enforced naval base project. In her ‘ statement on the fast and hair-shaving to revoke the US Jeju naval base project and to free all prisoners,’ she mentioned.

    “The [National Assembly] has cut 96 % of the 2012 budget [on the Jeju naval base project]. From what source the navy is enforcing construction then? The navy is using the transferred budget from 2011. It is the most ridiculous and clearly illegal. In my knowledge, budget that was not executed on the applicable year should be returned back to the national treasury. Why do the National Assembly members neglect on that part?”

    Kim Jong-Il, former secretary of Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea saying that the navy is enforcing 24 hour construction(destruction) to get the budget on naval base next year, emphasized the importance of current struggle to cut the budget, to form the ground for the revocation of naval base project and to totally re-examine the project.

    He said that the anti-base people will organize 14 teams and struggle to stop construction in twice shift in every 12 hours.

     

    Photo and caption by Emily Wang/ Save Our Sea team’s beautiful sailing kayak in front of naval base in Gangjeong’s day. It’s much more beautiful, peaceful and useful for our lives than the warships. One builds up dreams and the other destroys dreams.

     

    Otherwise, mayor Kang Dong-Kyun said:

    “During our monthly Great March for life and Peace, we found that there are so many painful sites beside ours. We should start the healing of such pains from Gangjeong. Since we have justice of a claim, cause, and purposeful life, we can stop the Jeju naval base project without fail.”

    “Martyr Yang Yong-Chan threw down his body resisting the injustice. Remembering the spirit of Yang Yong-Chan, I hope the Jeju naval base project is to be revoked.”

    Kim Sung-Geun, representative of Committee to Cherish the Memory of Yang Yong-Chan said, “The biggest thing that martyr Yang left to us is the heart of love for Jeju. We should make the world where ecology, peace and Jeju Island people are centered, not the society mastered by neo-liberal developmentalism, capital and money.”

    “To stop the Jeju naval base is to keep the martyr’s love,” ‘To save Gangjeong is to save peace.”

     

    Dance after the rally, Nov. 10, 2012

    The commemorating event on Yang Yong-Chan was held indoor of the village Peace Center from 7 to 9pm because of heavy rain.

     

    Photo & caption by Emily Wang/ Today is the 16th Gangjeong’s day against naval base and also the 21st anniversary of Mr. YANG Yong Chan’s death. He sacrificed himself for the love of his hometown jeju island against the capitalism’s careless “Development Law” applied in the beautiful pristine island. His death couldn’t stop the “development law” but has inspired a lot of jeju islanders to love this land purely and bravely.

    A banner that illustrates Yang Yong-Chan’s immolation in the City of Seogwipo in 1991 and aftermath with the collected photos.

     

    Post by Christian Karl/ ‘No Naval Base on Jeju!’ – Performance during today’s Workers’ Culture Festival in front of Seoul Stn…

     

    ………………………………………………………………

    Reference

     

    http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=164610

    ‘삭발투쟁‘…전국시민행동 “제주해군기지 중단하라“

    제15차 제주해군기지 백지화 전국시민행동 집회
    해군기지 강력저지 결의…양용찬 열사 21주기 추모제도 열려

    2012.11.10  17:50:58

     

    http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122370

    강정으로 간 양용찬 열사 “불의에 저항하라“

    2012.11.10  16:30:34

  • URGENT CAMPAIGN: PEOPLE, RISE UP! Let’s STOP 24 hour construction and CUT the whole budget, TOGETHER! Let’s REVOKE the naval base project!

    URGENT CALL! URGENT ACTION!: Campaign of the Appeal for participation in realizing a newspaper advertisement to stop 24 hour enforcement of construction and to cut all the 2013 budget on the Jeju naval base project/Source: Campaign by the National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island (125 groups) and PSPD
    1. Sit-in tent in the center of Seoul heats people’s war to cut the budget on the naval base project

    The struggle to stop 24 hour construction and cut the whole 2013 budget of 200.9 billion won on the Jeju naval base project is not only held in front of the construction gates in the village but in the center of Seoul as well. Some people who joined the Great March for Life and Peace: Let’s live together! All are the SKY! (Oct 4 to Nov. 3) remained in Seoul and set up a sit-in tent across the City Hall to promote the campaign to cut all the budgets on the naval base project, 2013. The tent is also an expression of solidarity with the laid-off workers of Ssangyong Automobile Co. Mr. Kim Jung-Woo, leader of Ssangyong workers met his 31st  day protest fast as of Nov. 9, 2012. Village mayor Kang Dong-Kyun, committed to widen and deepen the struggle through solidarity to revoke the Jeju naval base project and change the Government through December Presidential election became Mr. Kim’s strongest ally, as well as one of the symbols of people who are oppressed by the current government in the same vein of Capitalism, developmentalism and militarism.

    Photo by Hwang Hyun-Jin, sit-in tent in the center of Seoul
    Photo by Hwang Hyun-Jin, sit-in tent in the center of Seoul

    On Nov. 9, Great news was told to the participants of the great march and people in the Gangjeong village. All the workers of the Hanjin Heavy Industry, Busan, who have struggled for years were all reinstated (Kim Jin-Suk is probably the most known symbol of the struggle). The march participants have visited the workers on Oct. 17, which happened to be the commemorating period (Oct. 17 to 31) on the two martyr workers, Kim Joo-Ik, Gwak Jae-Yol, 9 years ago. Dungree’s video reminds the event of Oct. 17 and emphasizes the importance of the solidarity among the oppressed.

    Video by Dungree: Cut all the budgets on the Jeju naval base project, a fraud project in the name of national policy! http://youtu.be/ihgEsfZkxac  (Source:Click here)

     

    In the video, Mr. Kim Jung-Woo in his sit-in tent celebrates the victory of Hanjin workers and urges them to keep the democratic union and struggle field whatever happens in the future. In the next tent of the Gangjoeng village, Hong Ki-Ryong, executive Chairman of the Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island strongly says, “Whoever is elected as the President in December, if budget is passed in the National Assembly, no government can stop or control it. That is why we should struggle to stop it with all our energy. I want to send my sorriness and thanks to the peacekeepers in Gangjeong who currently put up with violent oppression. We will do our best by pressuring on whether it is the National Assembly and Presidential House.” The finale of the video is the song by the Gangjeong Flower band. “Please stop at the exit No. 2 in the City Hall station.” The title of their song is called, “Stop, stop!’ “If you oppose all the wars in the world, stop the naval base construction! If you want peace, absolutely no naval base construction! If you want peaceful Jeju, let’s stop the naval base!”

     

    2. The law voice from the struggle field: Please come to Gangjeong! Let’s stop 24 hour constriuction and cut the whole budget, TOGETHER!

    Here is a video made by a young female peacekeeper, Mooming, herself who has daily struggled in the field to stop the 24 hour construction vehicles without enough sleep but with unlimited optimism and humor. Her video details the human rights violation by the police, people’s joyful creation of events in spare time and emphasizes the urgency of people’s unity, by coming to Gangjeong.

    “Please come to Gangjeong. For reference, the black and white pictures in the video are by Kon Ca. I take anger, cry and laugh everyday in front of construction gate. 24 hour construction, 24 hour police. I am sorry that I cannot wake up for 24 hours even though I wish to do being all the time there together with people. It is because even though the polices’ roughing out of us feels hard, the daily life there is GOOD as to the degree that I wish to record ALL.”

    Video by Mooming  http://tvpot.daum.net/clip/ClipViewByVid.do?vid=cG59efARhQM$

    (Source: Click here )

    Details of the video

    On Nov. 2, Presidential candidate Ahn Chul-Soo visiting the village remarked regarding the Jeju naval base project that the President Lee Myung Bak should apologize to the villagers in person. However, even less than 30 minutes of his leaving, police were mobilized. (*Young peacekeepers humorously call them as Baechoo (meaning cabbage) because of their light green color jackets, “The Baechhooes are seen with some rotten baechooes among them)

    The police’s consciousness on human rights is near to zero.

    Example: Policemen who obstinately drag a leg of a peacekeeper (00:25)

    (Screams are heard, “Don’t fold down hand!) Example: Hand of Police who takes a man by the throat (01:10)

    Example: For the police, the only concern is to remove the people from the site even though people’s cloths are taken off! (01:24) (Screams are heard, “Please, policewoman, I feel pain!”)

    Example: The police use techniques to pull and lift up leg. They think our legs are big radishes! (01:36)

    Example: The police use a technique of pressuring our body with their knees (02:24)

    Example: The police (especially policewomen) grab our cloths rather than body parts. Then our cloths are taken off! (02:40)

    (# In the early morning of Nov. 10, a female peacekeeper informs that policemen grabbed a woman’s legs widened openduring the process of removing protesters from the protest sites so that the woman cannot but feel insulted and have a feeling of shame.

    However, the peacekeepers know how to spend their spare time building joyful and creative community between the struggles. The youngsters love computer game while some young artists sing together with guitar, draw painting on the fence and make necklaces for funding resource. A movie director prepares a set to record nearby.

    Night time snack is another joy~! No Construction (destruction) but yes, night time snack!

    And finally bonus for the audience: Dance with Gangjeong style. The changed lyric of the Gangjeong style from Gangnam style has become so popular. Even the police enjoy it. They must recite the lyric of Gangjeong style themselves! “Bastards, if you want to arrest us, arrest us! We will fight to the end!”

  • Jesuit Priests’ Mass for the Release of Fr. Lee Young-Chan

    Catholic Mass for the release of Jesuit Priest Lee Young-Chan and for the realization of the Island of Peace, Jeju on November 9 at Jesuits Korea Center in Seoul. Image: Seo Kyung-Ryeol

    “Jesuits Korea have dispatched several Jesuits members to Gangjeong village to protect peace and justice and preserve natural heritage, where its community has been destroyed and endangered due to the construction of naval base. In March 2012 Fr. Kim Jeong-Wook was arrested and imprisoned for 30 days. Br. Park Do-Hyun and Fr. Kim Sung-Hwan are facing trials. Fr. Lee Young-Chan has been arrested and detained since October 26.”

     

    On Oct. 30 the Justice and Peace Committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea(http://english.cbck.or.kr/) also issued a statement calling for the release of Fr. Lee.

     

    Reactions in the Catholic Church

    On Oct. 30 the Justice and Peace Committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea(http://english.cbck.or.kr/) issued a statement calling for the release of Fr. Lee. The statement gives the reasons for the Catholic Church demanding that construction of the naval base should be stopped.

    “First, the process of seeking the agreement of the Gangjeong residents did not utilize a democratic procedure. Second, construction is destroying the coastal ecosystem and natural treasures such as the Gureombi Rock. Third, it looks like this project can only increase the sense of military tension in the Korean peninsula and N.E. Asia and thereby instigate a crisis.”

    The statement also cites the fact that a national audit carried out by the Korean Congress showed that the construction billed as a “Government-civilian joint tourism harbor” was from the start impossible and a mere cover-up for a exclusive naval base plan. It also refers to procedural illegalities that have shown up in the processes of site selection and construction. The committee states clearly “We want the immediate release of Fr. Lee Young-chan and the peace activists, and the end of the national authorities’ use of violence at Gangjeong Village in Jeju.”

    The Korean Province of the Society of Jesus (http://jesuits.kr/) held an expanded consultation on 1 Nov and officially stated its position on 5 Nov. The statement cites the call issued by several general congregations of the Jesuits for Jesuit members to engage in struggles for justice, and work for reconciliation. The most recent 35th General Congregation states “We now want to deepen our understanding of the call to serve faith, promote justice, and dialogue with culture and other religions in the light of the apostolic mandate to establish right relationships with God, with one another, and with creation.” (Decree 3, art. 12) The Korean Province statement thanks Fr. Lee for his dedicated service and solidarity for promoting justice and peace, and promises him positive support for his action. It promises continued material and emotional support to the Jesuits engaged in the action at Gangjeong Village, and desires that this problem have more of an international dimension. “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.”

    ( Source from the  facebook of Jesuits Korea)