2019 Peace for the Sea International Camp in Kinmen War Memory and Life Experiences: Between the Peace We know
Peace for the Sea camp was first held in Jeju, South Korea in 2014, and Henoko (Okinawa), Taiwan, Ishigaki (Okinawa) as followed year by year. The camp was back to Jeju again in 2018, and is going to be held in Kinmen in September this year. Participants from the worldwide, like Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Hawaii and other places, come to this camp to exchange the experiences and thoughts about peace together.
2019 Peace camp will be held under the theme of “war memory” from September 6 to 8 in Kinmen, an island that is set in the front line of war.
We sincerely invite individuals and groups to join our camp and start a trip of thinking about peace and war.
*Including accommodation, transportation, meals, and camp-activity expenses during the camp. Airfare and transportation expenses from your house to Kinmen are not included.
What would disappear with the building of the 2nd Jeju airport (air force base)? According to bird-lover Kim Ye-won (19), the area nearby the planned airport is a paradise for birds. Some of these birds, like Chinese black-headed gulls, are endangered species. About 10 oreums (parasitic cones) are also threatened to have 40 to 100 meters cut off from the top. Photos by and resource partly from Ha Sang-yoon, Segye Ilbo. March 3, 2019.
1.The eastern Oreum colonies of Jeju will permanently lose their present form as many Oreums (volcanic cones) will be cut.
2. The caves and
the bird sanctuaries at the airport site will be destroyed. Furthermore, there
will be high chances of accidents at the airport due to ground subsidence and
bird strikes.
3. The property
rights of the locals living nearby the Second Jeju Airport will be limited and
they will suffer from serious noise pollution.
4. There are
possibilities that the Second Jeju Airport would be used for military purposes.
If the US military decides to use the airport based on the ROK-US Mutual
Defense Agreement, Jeju Island will face aggravated risks of military
conflicts.
5. Even though the
number of tourists increases, only the airline companies and high-ranking
hotels will monopolise the benefits from the airfares and the lodging expenses.
Furthermore, the increase in the number of tourists will cause more trash and
water pollution.
6. There will be
more traffic congestion because of the increased number of tourists. If road
expansion follows accordingly, it will cost a huge amount of financial
resources and destroy the natural environment.
7. There will be
an increase of time and costs when it comes to access from outside of the east
of Jeju due to the division of functions between the current airport and the
Second Jeju Airport.
8. Due to the tremendous amount of finances that will
be spent on the construction of the Second Jeju Airport and related
infrastructure, it will be difficult to improve the current airport
appropriately and welfare projects for the inhabitants of the province will
diminish overall.
9. The fluctuation
of the real estate price in certain areas near the Second Jeju Airport will
benefit the landlords but will generally cause inflation and deepen
inequalities in terms of regional development.
10. The long term construction process will cause irreversible social conflicts among the inhabitants of Seongsan and from all parts of Jeju island.
Many species live in the Bijarim-ro forest. Among them, fairy pitta is classified as ‘vulnerable’ while Japanese night heron is ‘endangered,’ according to the IUCN red-list. Dung beetles (Copris tripartitus) are one of the endangered species defined by the South Korean government. Drawing by Lee Nan-young and a photo by Bird Korea (inside the drawing). The findings are thanks to People Doing All Things to Save the Bijarim-ro.
This is our chance to make some change!
Five propositions for a just,
sustainable Jeju where the Islanders are the agents:
1. To make tourist demand management policies that
consider the environmental and social capacity of Jeju Island as soon as
possible.
2. To implement
improvement projects to resolve inconveniences and guarantee safety of visitors
at the current airport as soon as possible.
3. To prepare
measures to guarantee the mobility rights of Jeju residents, such as a seat
quota system for residents.
4. To implement
policies and allocate budgets to minimize the damage from noise pollution
suffered by the residents living near the current airport.
5. To legislate the requirement to collect opinions from and to consult with the residents before launching large scale development projects and national projects.
People of the tent town in front of the Jeju
Provincial Hall who oppose the 2nd Jeju Airport
We want a Just, Sustainable Jeju where the Islanders are the Agents (Decision-makers)!
Stop the 2nd Jeju
Airport (Air Force Base)!
Stop the expansion construction of Bijarim-ro road, a connection to the 2nd Jeju Airport!
Text translation by People of the tent town in front of the Jeju Provincial Hall who oppose the 2nd Jeju Airport and proofreading by Curry.
Photo by Kim Jae-beom, a picketing in front of a hotel where 2019 Sustainable Development Jeju International Conference was held, June, 18, 2019 Photo by Kim Mi-kyung, a picketing in front of a hotel where 2019 Sustainable Development Jeju International Conference was held, June, 18, 2019 Photo by Kim Jae-beom, a picketing in front of a hotel where 2019 Sustainable Development Jeju International Conference was held, June, 18, 2019Photo by Kim Mi-kyung, a picketing in front of a hotel where 2019 Sustainable Development Jeju International Conference was held, June, 18, 2019
“There should be apology and truth examination”/ Second Cruise Not Welcomed/ Opposing the third Zumwalt destroyer/Gangjeong joins 2019 Okinawa Peace March/ Kings Bay Plowshares 7 Update / Gureomi Rock remembered on the Children’ Day/ Linking Korean Historical Traumas in Gwangju / Three women’s statements in objection to military service/ Whose is the Jeju Island government?/ The Jeju April 3rd Human Rights Issue goes to the UN/ Peace Prize for Vietnamese Survivors/ Sewol Remembered/ Jeju has mountains of trash/ Don’t destroy the historical site of Mt. Songaksan etc.
In this February/ March 2019 Edition : US Coast Guard in Jeju / First Cruise to Gangjeong “Civilian-Military” Port / 2nd Jeju airport? It is an air force base! / Henoko base construction despite referendum / Solidarity visit in Okinawa / Hawaii-Alaska solidarity resists aerospace industry / ROK military satellite and F35-A fighter jets / Citizens’ campaign for a Jeju Non-nuclear Peace bylaw / The first for-profit hospital in Jeju is being revoked / Gangjeong still in agony as big money flows in the name of development / 7 years since Gureombi Rock was blasted / Illegal and unreasonable proposals of cost- sharing for the USFK / 19 Gangjeong villagers and activists offered pardons without truth-seeking / End of War exercises? / Gangeong Women on International Women’s Day etc.
On March 2nd, the 1st official passenger cruise Queen Mary 2 came. Some figures who joined in the welcoming event were: Won Hee-ryong, current Island governor, Heo Chang-ok, vice-chairman of Jeju island Council, and Kang Hee-bong, current President of Gangjeong Village Association (whose navy and capital compromized direction is far distant from former mayors of Kang Dong-kyun and Cho Kyung-cheol). Sadly, Gangjeong village association joined the welcoming event along with naval band. Won, the Island governor stated that giant passenger cruises coming to the Jeju Beauriful Tourism Civilian -Military Complex port (Jeju navy base) adjacent to the UNESCO sea would bring increment to the local residents’ income.
About 1,000 out of 2,400 passengers boarded onto 53 tourist buses which headed to Seongan, Seogwipo downtown, West island etc. Peace activists put their signs and handed over leaflets to the cruise passengers in the cruise terminal. In the leaflet, we raised them a fundemental question: “Jeju’s heart is aching due to overtourism and militarism -What if it is your hometown?” Gladly many tourists showed concern with our leaflets. Some of them would even say, “Same, our town, also.” “I oppose militarism and war, too.”
The question is: How
we make crack on the crazy flow of militraism combied with tourism. The
question is not only about a military base but also a military base
closey related to tourism under the name of civilian-military complex
harbor. In this way, the oligarchies combine patriotic fervor with
economic fatansy, misleading people and justifying militarism and
developmentalism at the same time altogether. And I believe it is not
only anout Gangjeong..
For the construction of the 2nd Jeju airport in Seongsan, east of Jeju Island, at least 12 Oreums (parasitic cones), 42 wells of spring water, 43 species of birds, 11 lava caves and 16 cultural shrines are at the risk of destruction/ Image from google.
It was February 20th, the next day of opening of Island Council provisional meeting that Won Hee-ryong, Jeju Island governor, announced his will to drive for the 2nd Jeju airport project. His deed infuriated Island people as they were demanding the Council to make a resolution to stop the basic planning for the 2nd Jeju airport. About 27 of 43 Island council members were signing to the draft of resolution by Feb. 19th, also. Further, Won’s lengthy statement intended to persuade the Islanders to accept the project was full of data manipulation and lies. By the latest poll, only 3 of 10 Islanders are in favor of the project. One of the noticeable points of Won’s statement was his repeated denial on peopel’s suspicion that the 2nd Jeju airport could be used as an air force base.
So far, the 2nd Jeju airport is reported as a project driven only by the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT). It is very rare that the Ministry of National Defense(MND) appears in the news, in relation to the 2nd Jeju airport. Despite that, many situations strengthen Islanders’ suspicion that it is an air force base. Even an Island Council member was clearly saying to the hunger strikers that it is nothing but an air force base when they visited him. I was one of them who talked with him.
Upon this, one of major local TVs called KBS Jeju, made a series of news regarding the controversy over the issue of an air force base. The below is a translation of its news on Feb. 22, 2019 . Here I also translated the history of MND drive for the air force base in Jeju at the bottom of this page.
It was around 1970s when the South Korean Ministry of National Defense(MOD) planned an air force base in Jeju, which includes fighter planes unit.
2. Since then, the MOD has reflected the plan in its national defense mid-term plans. And in 2007, it changed the title to so called the “Southern Rescue and Search unit” which is alledgedly equipped only with support aircrafts, not fighter planes.
3. However in 2007, Roh Hoe-chan, a backup President candidate for the Democratic Labor Party then and a former National Assembly man who passed away in 2018, visited Jeju and claimed that the Southern Rescue and Search unit is presented with fighter planes.
According to his claim, the numbers of budget, area size including runaway, and
affiliated facility are same between the plans of air force base and Southern
Rescue and Search unit. In detail,
_Budget (250 billion won=around $ 250 million USD)
_ Size of the area including runaway (600,000 pyong=around 2 million square meters=around 200 hectare) _Affiliated facility= 100 buildings
“The MOD should clearly explain. If it had really given up the ability to accept fighter planes, why the budget, area size, and facility size [of Southern Rescue and Search unit] were never cut,” (Roh, a National Assembly man, DLP, then, at the press conference on May 21th, 2007/ recorded)
Then the MOD stated that the size of its plan before the mid-term plan in 2004 was around 1,750,000 pyong (around 5.8 million square meters=around 580 hectare) for the purpose of deployment of a squadron. But it removed the concept of accommodation of fighter planes since the mid-term plan in 2007, it stated.
4. However, in a TV discussion meeting just before the selection of location of
Jeju Navy base, a staff of MOD hinted that a matter of connection between the 2nd
Jeju airport and air force base could be set off any time.
Q: “Don’t you acknowledge that air force power cannot but enter [to Jeju] in relation to navy base (and defense)? Even though it will not be in current stage.?” (Reporter)
A: “Yes, Even though it will not be in current stage..” (Choi Gwang-seob, director of resource management Dept, MND, May 8th, 2007/ recorded)
5. And 10 years later of it, on March 9th, 2017, Jeong Kyeong-doo, current Minister of MND and Air Force Chief of Staff then officialized the creation of Southern Rescue and Search unit and stated that he was considering to install the unit in some places including the planned area for the 2nd Jeju airport.
6. At the time, the headquarter of South Korean air force mentioned the 2nd Jeju airport as a prime candidate area for the unit.
“ In relation to the 2nd Jeju airport, we have not had any prior communion (either with MOLIT or Jeju Island). We have had no official talk on it. However, we now think that we should do.” (Yi Sung-yong, a deputy chief of staff for coordination and management, headquarter of air force base, an interview on March 9, 2017)
Later when KBS officially inquired to the headquarter of air force whether it has ever talked with MOLIT or Jeju island, it answered there was never.
7. However, the Jeju airport is already saturated and the runway length of small Alddreu air field is too short for a transport plane to land. Therefore it was pointed out that the air force does have no choice other than preferring to the 2nd Jeju airport.
“As I know, 1.5 km length [of a runway] is necessary for a transport plane to land. The MND is answering in such a way, too. However, The Alddreu air field is short of 500 Meter.” (Wi Seong-gon, currently Seogwipo-based National Assembly man, March 16th, 2017/ recorded)
8. Additionally, Na Woong-jin, director of airport policy of MOLIT then in 2015 said that “ 3.3 million ㎡ is possible for an airport. However, we planned more areas in consideration of possibility of its expansion in the future.”
9. Currently, the MOLIT defined the spare parts of the 2nd Jeju airport as 1.65 million ㎡. And it happens to be similar to the size of Southern Rescue and Search unit expected by air force.
10. Related to it, Won Hee-ryong, Island governor, stated in a Q & A session two years ago that he would discuss with a new President (Moon Jae-in) and set the 2nd Jeju airport to be a pure civilian airport, it looks like he has not talked with the President yet, even nearly two years later.
10. As a result, it will be very likely that the controversy whether the 2nd Jeju airport is connected to an air force base would be continued unless the Government expresses its official position or the MND and air force withdraw from the related plans.
(Narrated by Heo Ji-Young, KBS news)
# The history of MND drive for the ‘Jeju Air Force Base (Southern Search and Rescue Unit)(Jeju Sori, March 2, 2017)
1987 “Jeju air force base’ is reflected in the ‘build-up plan for the mid and long term military strength’
1987 ‘The council for the military restriction zone’ defines the area of Songak Mountain as a military restriction zone
1992 The MND (Ministry of National Defense) and Ministry of Construction and Transportation (Currently Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, MOLIT) agrees to the construction of a new civilian-military combined Jeju airport
1997 The plan for an air force base (flying squadron class) is reflected in the mid-term plan of national defense (1999-2003)
2004 A discussion on the civilian-military joint use on the Jeongseok air field owned by the Korean Airline which disagreed with the idea.
2006 Name of the project was altered from the Jeju air force base to the Southern Rescue and Search unit
2009 A Memorandom of Understanding in relation to the construction of the Jeju navy base was concluded between the Ministry of National Defense and Jeju Island (*and the Ministry of Land and Ocean, then). In the memorandum, included were the matter of *use on the Alddreu air field( an old Japanese naval air field during the Japanese imperialism)
The Article 5 of MOU (about the use of Alddreu air field etc.) reads:
(1) For the growth of the region of Jeju self-governing Island,the Ministry of National Defense (MOD) should let the Jeju Self-Governing Island use so called the Alddreu air field which is under the jurisdiction of the MOD and located in the town of Daejeong, City of Seogwipo, through the discussion with the Jeju Self-Governing Island following the legal procedures.
(2) The Minister of MOD confirms that it does not have the plan to deploy fighter planes in the Southern Rescue Search unit of air force.
The article 5 of MOU, in relation to the Jeju navy base means the air force is seeking another area other than the old Alddreu air field for its base in Jeju. Six years later from the MOU, Seongsan, east of the Jeju would be announced as the area for the 2nd Jeju airport.
2015. The area of Onpyeong-ri, Seongsan -eup, east of Jeju Island was announced as the area for the 2nd Jeju airport (aimed to be completed as early as 2023)
2017, List of Jeju Southern Rescue and Search unit in the National Defense mid-term plan (2018-2022) (planned to be set in 2021)
The sit-in in front of the Jeju Island government hall against the 2nd Jeju airport (air force base), which started by Kim Kyung-bae, a Seongsan resident(50), on Dec. 19, last year, who carried out 38 days’ fast, has continued so far with the participation of more citizens in Jeju and nationwide. On Jan. 17, two Jeju women, Yoon Kyung-mi (47) and Oum Mun-hee (46) joined indefinite hunger strike. And Choi Sung-hee (53) joined them, too, on Jan. 24. People around nation (especially young people and Green Party members) and even international citizens like Russell Wray in the United States joined their fasts one day or more than that, in solidarity with the fasters and No 2nd Jeju airport campaign. While Yoon and Choi had no choice but to end their hunger strikes respectively after 23 and 24 days due to the worsening condition of their health, Oum hits her 37th day fast as of February 22.
From left to right: Kim Kyung-bae, Yoon Kyung-mi, Oum Mun-hee, and Choi Sung-hee/ A photo by Kim Suo
As the provisional meeting of the Island Council approached, people focused on the Island Council to produce a resolution to demand the government halt of the basic planning for the 2nd Jeju airport. The meeting opened on February 19th and we will see the result of it on February 27th. So far, 27 of 43 Island Council members signed to the draft of a resolution. Meanwhile, Won Hee-Ryong, the Island governor announced his will to drive for the 2nd Jeju airport on February 20th, the next day of opening of Island Council. Won’s statement on the need of 2nd Jeju airport was full of lies and manipulation of data and facts. Partly, he strongly denied the prospect that the 2nd Jeju airport would be used as an air force base. However, when Oum and I visited an Island Council member (when I was still fasting), he clearly stated, “The 2nd Jeju Airport? It is right to say it is an air force base, whatever rhetoric is used.” Here I, translate my own statement ending my 24 days’ fast, written on Feb. 17th.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Ending the 24 days’ fast to demand the halt of basic planning for the 2nd Jeju Airport.
I had three demands when I started an
indefinite fast on Jan. 24th
Firstly, the South Korean Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) should stop the launch of basic planning
for the 2nd Jeju airport!
Secondly, Won Hee-Ryong, Jeju Island
governor, should collect the public opinion of Jeju Islanders!
Thirdly, the Island Council and three
Jeju-based National Assembly men should demand the MOLIT the halt of basic
planning for the 2nd Jeju airport.
And I ended my 24 days’ fast on Feb. 16th due to the worsening condition of my health (My blood-sugar level indicated the critical risk). I wondered whether my, and my friends’ fasts reached to the politicians even in echo or not.
I am now in hospital taking liquid water content. As I take it, I feel that my blood-sugar level comes back, headache and stuffiness in my chest disappears, and my organs are a little being recovered. I became to realize more clearly how the Jeju society where I live in and so called Jeju political field are drugged by the game of capital and power. Therefore, even though the achievement of my fast is humble, I never regret my fast. Rather, I could look at the reality I live in more properly and I thank that the targets I have to fight became more obvious.
During the fast, I met some politicians
whom we elected or not whenever we held the signs in the Presidential House,
Island Government, City Hall, and Island Council. And I became to know why our
voice were not reached to them even in eco.
Whether it was the central government, Island government, Island Council, National Assembly man, or anybody else, the voice of Islanders was not important. What is important to them was the voice of capital and military. They say they are taking politics. The politics they say means ‘their own’ politics and the politics by the “politico.” They were there not to represent our voice from the beginning. I will call it oligarchy. I will call it oligopoly, which could head to Fascism.
On February 14th, when I was still in fast, the approximate look of the basic planning for the 2nd Jeju airport was reported in a news. In a map, all the areas of Jeju were divided in five spheres of living, marked with different colors, without any consultation to Jeju Islanders. Namwon and Pyoseon, just next to Seongsan in the east and Andeok and Daejeong in the southwest were tied together as the southern sphere of living which is characterized as a region of the rear support for aviation and specialized education. It was a map which shows how the effect of the planned 2nd Jeju Airport in Seongsan would be connected to the changes of not only the east Jeju but the southwest and whole area of Jeju. Between the east and west of the southern sphere of living, there are other towns which include Gangjeong village where I have lived for near 9 years in opposition to the Jeju navy base. The navy is planning to build a navy museum and premium outlet as a part of community recovery project.
Image by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport(MOLIT). According to its basic planning for the 2nd Jeju airport, the whole Jeju is divided as the above. For the translation of text, see the bottom of the this page. Source: Jeju Today, Feb. 24, 2019
According to the MOLIT, roads are extended or newly built toward the planned area for the 2nd Jeju Airport in Seongsan, east part of the Island. The government is planning to finish the basic planning by June 23th. It is planning to build the 2nd Jeju airport by 2025 with the budget of around 5 trillion won (around $5billion USD) Source: Jeju Today, Feb. 24, 2019
It was in 2005 when Kyle Kajihiro, a peace activist from Hawaii told that there is an island he is most envious, which was Jeju. “Why? Because there is no military base.” It was in 2014 when the so-called Asia-biggest Jeju Aerospace museum opened, which was two years before the opening of the Jeju navy base in 2016, Now in the museum, you can see a grim air force gallery. Under the name of local self-governing and decentralization, Jeju is becoming a laboratory and museum of neo-liberalism and militarism for the centralization. I will call it Fascism.
In the Air force gallery of Jeju Aerspace Museum, it is read, “The ROK air force is making effort to equip the power of aerospace which will carry out military duty by controlling and utilizing out aerospace assets in the sky and universe.” / Photo by Choi Sung-hee
People picketing and doing 100 bows inside the Island Council/ Photo by Kim Soon-ae on Feb. 19th. People organize a trip to the planned area of 2nd Jeju airport in Seongsan. You can see one of the Jeju’s most popular tourism sports called Seongsan Ilchul-bong in the background. About 10 oreums(parasitic cones), 42 species of birds, 43 wells of spring water, 11caves and 16 shines are at the risk of destruction/ Photo by Lee Ki-cheol.Artists in Jeju join the residents in Nansan-ri, Seongsan, to celebrate the 1st full moon in a new lunar year. Nansan-ri is one of the five villages directly affected by the 2nd Jeju airport. Nansa-ri is also a hometown by Kim Kyung-bae/ Photo by Roh Min-Kyu. For more photos, see hereCitizens against the 2nd Jeju airport. A photo after the celebration of the first full moon in a new lunar year. You can see Oum Mun and Kim Kyung-bae in the front (2nd and 3rd from the left/ Photo by Kim Suo, Jan. 18th, 2019)
I still demand:
Firstly, the South Korean Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) should stop the launch of basic planning
for the 2nd Jeju airport!
Secondly, Won Hee-Ryong, Jeju Island
governor, should collect the public opinion of Jeju Islanders!
Thirdly, the Island Council and three
Jeju-based National Assembly men should demand the MOLIT the halt of basic
planning for the 2nd Jeju airport.
February, 17th, 2019
Choi Sung-hee who ended 24 days’ fast as of Feb. 16th.
On Feb. 15th, I and my friends waited for the officers of MOLIT to protest to its unilateral enforcement of the 2nd Jeju airport(air force base). The next day, I was carried to hospital as my blood-sugar level reached to its limit/ photo by Lee Ki-cheol
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Translation of the map above
Mid-mountain special management area (pale green)
: The area for the preservation and
experience of what is Jeju-like
_ Preservation of resource of Jeju’s own
ecological and geographical value
_Restraint of reckless development and
eco-friendly development of development-possible area
_ Excavation of potential values of the mid-mountain area for the future Jeju
Jeju-dong sphere of living (pale yellow)
: International exchange and pivot
management, cultural center area
_ Strengthening of international exchange
as an international freedom city
_Supplementation of tour & vacation
facility through the connection between Oreum and golf course
Northern sphere of living (deep yellow)
: Rear residential area and carbon-free
clean area
_Realignment as an eco-friendly rural
residential area in the rear of Jeju City
_Specialization as a foothold for the
production of new renewable energy and study
_Strengthening pf tourism function in the
kind of education and experience, utilized of geological resource.
Seogwipo Sphere of Living (deep green)
: Center area for International maritime,
recuperation tourism, and life and culture
-Promotion of capability as a foothold for
the international tourism in the future of Jeju
_ Growth as an area of foothold for maritime
rest tourism and leisure sports
Southern sphere of living (blue)
: Aviation, rear support and specialized
education
-Construction of the 2nd Jeju
airport and development of nearby areas around the airport
_ Strengthening of maritime leisure sports
function based on harbor and marina
_ Strengthening of history tourism function
in Jeju
In this December 2018/ January 2019 Edition : A New Year starts with the struggle against the 2nd Jeju Airport/ Opposition grows against Henoko landfill/ Seeing Yemen from Jeju, study gatherings by the School of Hope/ Remembering Nanjing at Alddreu Airfield/ Visiting Hong Kong Social Movement Film Festival/ Toxic US Bases/ Trial Updates/ Jeju Islanders oppose for-profit hospital/ UN-ROK Joint Conference? By whom and for whom?/ Japan to resume commercial whaling/ Update on Koh Gilchun’s solo exhibition/ December events in the Peace Center etc.
A photo by Oum Mun-hee. For more photos of the event, see here.
By Kaia Curry
[On] December 13, 2018, about 40 participants from a variety of civil society organizations gathered at Alddreu Airfield, and before holding a memorial for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre, Mun-hee Oum led a visit to the massacre site at Seotal Oreum (volcanic cone). On August 20, 1950, Korean marines massacred 252 Jeju civilians who had been detained in the ‘preventive custody’ scheme, suspected of potential sympathy for North Korea, shooting them one by one and burying them in the remains of a Japanese ammunition facility. The memorial participants walked from Seotal Oreum carrying white carnations to one of the airplane hangars at Alddreu Airfield which holds an iron frame representing a Japanese warplane.
Joyakgol opened the memorial ceremony with the song “World Without Patriots” and participants held a moment of silence and laid white carnations in front of the airplane hangar. St. Francis Peace Center director Jeong Seon-nyeo (Joan of Arc) read a message from Satoko Oka Norimatsu, sharing the solidarity of Japanese Canadians who were inspired by the memorial in Jeju to hold their own Nanjing massacre memorial in Vancouver on December 11th. Representatives of the Korea-Vietnam Peace Foundation, the Seongsan committee opposing the Jeju Second Airport Project, the Daejeong Women Farmers’ Association, and the Nuclear Free Jeju Citizen’s Meeting shared their solidarity greetings. Jo Ahae of the People Making Jeju a Demilitarized Peace Island shared a summary of the open forum on December 12 which included a keynote overviewing 20th century militarism’s effects on Jeju’s peace, and short presentations connecting the concept of demilitarization with the experience of Jeju islanders, feminism, the militarization of space, and the role of prophets to denounce war Hwang HyunJin of Inter-Island Solidarity for Peace of the Sea and Noh Min-gyu of People Making Jeju a Demilitarized Peace Island read this joint statement to close the memorial ceremony:
<Statement>
Jeju 1937-2018: Remembering the 81st Anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre
Today we remember the massacre. From this day in 1937 and for the next six weeks the Japanese Imperial forces mercilessly massacred a number which is heartbreaking to estimate: the lives of 300,000 Nanjing citizens were lost. That year beginning in August the Japanese Navy used Alddreu Airfield as a stopover on the on the way to bomb key Chinese cities such as Nanjing. [Many] Jeju citizens were forcibly recruited to build the airfield.
After this massacre (which started) by these bombings, about 13 years later, at nearby Seotal Oreum in the site of the former Japanese encampment, 252 “preventive detainees” were killed by state violence. This happened as part of the period of the 4.3 Uprising and Massacre. We walked on that road today; the road to the massacre base which foreshadowed another massacre.
What is different in Jeju in 1937 and in 2018? Despite protest from the residents, Jeju Navy Base was built. The international Fleet Review was conducted with the participation of 40 warships including a US nuclear aircraft carrier. This year marks thirty years after the Song-ak-san Air Force Base opposition struggle and the struggle against the landfill at Tapdong, but as soon as Governor Won Hee-ryong announced that ‘the Ministry of National Defense-Jeju Province-JDC co-prosperity agreement was decided, with plans to make Alddreu airfield a field of peace,’ didn’t he also carry out plans to quietly enforce the Seongsan Second Airport Project? (* JDC=Jeju Free International City Development Center)
Once again without regard for our [will] or decision, isn’t this the way to get involved in future massacres again? The island residents are constantly marginalized from important decisions affecting the region, excluded and consigned to be tools. If we cast aside the responsibility for making history, what kind of help are we to the pain of the next generations? Today we remember the lives of the victims. Today, we remember the massacre.
We demand to the national and Jeju provincial governments:
Apologize to the citizens of Nanjing for the massacre in which we were involved, although against our wishes!
The Ministry of National Defense must immediately return the Alddreu Airfield land to the citizens of Daejeong!
Immediately close the Jeju Navy Base (Jeju Civilian Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty)!
Immediately withdraw the plans for the construction of the Jeju Second Airport (Air Force Base)!
Immediately stop the plans to enlarge the Bijarim road which is connected as a route to the Jeju Second Airport (Air Force Base)!
Immediately stop the for-profit hospital and all the over-development which destroys the [ecology] and community of Jeju!
Immediately stop all the militarization of Jeju and make it a genuine peace island!
Apologize to the people and government of Vietnam for the Korean involvement in massacres in the war in Vietnam!
Apologize for the Korean involvement in the Yemeni War and guarantee recognition of refugee status for all Yemeni refugees!
December 13, 2018
People Making Jeju a Demilitarized Peace Island
Inter-Island Solidarity for Peace of the Sea
Sponsoring Organizations: Gangjeong International Team, Gangjeong Village Art Gallery, Gangjeong Village Anti-Navy Base Committee, Gangjeong Friends, The Frontiers, Daejeong Women Farmer’s Association, Nuclear Free Jeju! Citizen’s Meeting, St. Francis Peace Center, Jeju Dark Tours, Seongsan committee opposing the Jeju Second Airport Project, Jeju Queer Cultural Festival Committee, Martyr Yang Yong Chan Memorial Committee, Choroc-ssi Green Seed, Hotpinkdolphins
