[Nov 5] National Assembly Defense Committee starts the examination on budget. Cut the whole budget for the Jeju naval base project!
Photo source: See here. The Youth group called ‘100,000 Young People for the Peace of the Jeju,’ is actively working to cut all the budgets for the National assembly. They call for the budget for people’s welfare instead war base. The photo is the press Conference on Nov. 6, 2012. The group has submitted the No. 1 petition against the Jeju naval base project to the new 19th National Assembly on June 5 this year with signs by more than 27,000 people.
The National Defense Committee of the National Assembly starts the examination on the government budget included of Jeju naval base project next year on Nov. 5. The committee is composed of 9 members of the ruling Saenuri Party (New Frontier Party), 7 members of Democratic United Party and 1 independent. See here.
On Nov. 5, the Gangjeong Village Association, Jeju Pan-Island Committee for Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island (26 groups) and National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island (125 groups), delivering the defense committee 19 page ‘opinion statement for the budget cut on the Jeju naval base project, 2013’ strongly demanded the whole budget cut on the project, 2013. See here.
Among the 2013 compiled budget for the Ministry of National Defense and Defense Acquision Program Administration (DAPA), The Jeju naval base-related budget for 2013 is about 200.9 billion won. According to Oh Hye-Ran, Secretary of the SPARK, the budget, 200.9 won is compiled of:
About 186 billion won (92.5%): Harbor and bay construction
108.3 billion won: Caisson production & stationing and basic formation of breakwater in the 1st work area ( *Samsung- supervised)
48.5 billion won: Caisson production & stationing and basic formation of dock in the 2nd work area ( *Daelim-supervised)
Among them, 10.1 billion won (5%): Military residential house (outside barracks).
(* In detail: The navy plans to use about 9 billion won for the purchase of land and 1 billion won for layout. It is the budget to build 616 households military apartment for the soldiers and their families in about 100,000 square meter size land. However, the navy presentations on the military residential house have been all dissipated because of the villagers’ strong protests on May. 29 and June 15, 2012. About 90% of the villagers who live in the land area that is chosen as the most probable for the military residential house have also submitted their opinion statement that they oppose the navy’s purchase and expropriation of their lands.
The validity of the purpose is lack in the Jeju naval base project
The technical matters on the two 150,000 ton cruises’ coming alongside and out of pier and their entry & exit safety have not been verified. ( *The government’s violation of its own MOU with the Jeju Island government on April 27, 2009)
The navy has violated the recommendation items of the Budget and Balance Special Committee of the National Assembly, in 2008.
By the layout, the port will not work even for military function, [therefore waste of people’s tax]
The suspicion that the Jeju naval base is the US base. [Then why South Koreans’ tax?]
The Jeju Island and Island people demand verification on the current base layout. The Island people and villagers oppose the project and there is possibility that the construction would be stopped.
The suspicion on the unreliable production of caissons that would be used for harbor and bay construction therefore the suspicion on the unreliable harbor and bay construction, as well.
Low budget execution possibility (* The construction has been far delayed, given the navy’s 2011 and 2012 plans)
In the statement delivered to the National Assembly, the groups pointed out, above all, that the navy has thoroughly ignored the recommendation by the sub-investigation committee of the Budget and Balance Committee of the National Assembly that has demanded ‘to objectively verify the matter through the 3rd party institute on the 150,000 ton cruises’ entry & exit of port and safety in their coming along and out of pier.’
People pointed out the matter of verification on the safety of cruse’s entry/exit of port is critical for the function of civilian-military complex port for tour beauty [that the government and Island government themselves have stipulated as the purpose in their MOU, April 27, 2009]. (*People know that the Government can never verify on it as the base layout has been not for the cruise but for the US nuclear air craft carrier and submarines, as recent exposures clarified it)
The people demanded to stop whole construction until verification is completed.
Three Jeju-based National Assembly members, Kang Chang-Il, Kim U-Nam, and Kim Jae-Yoon(all Democratic United Party) and a Jeju-origin National Assembly woman, Jang Hana(Proportional representation of the Youth, Democratic United Party) havel expressed their positions that the budget for the Jeju naval base project, 2013 should be cut.
Otherwise, for reference, While the government attempts to blind people with the false promise of local economic development with the Jeju naval base project, Park Ki-Hak, Research Institute for Peace and Reunification of Korea has written last year that the Jeju naval base would seldom help local economic development of Jeju. See here.
Photo by the SPARK/ People hold a sign of ‘Cut all the 200.9 billion won budget for the Jeju naval base project, 2012.’
Photo: Headline Jeju/ A worker, Ryu Yoon-Sun exposes on the problems in the caisson production in Hwasoon.
It was on May 12, 2012 that the Jeju Sori first reported about unidentified informant’s words and visual proofs about unreliable caisson production in Hwasoon. The village made a statement on it on May 22. See the statement and summary of the Jeju sori article, here.
In the press conference on Oct. 30, 2012, the people including the Gangjeong Village Association raised on the matter of unreliable caisson construction again along with the matter of the breakwater design.
Remarkably, a former caisson worker testified on the unreliable caisson production in Hwasoon port on the day. On the same day, the superintendent committee of the naval base project soon made a refuting statement saying that “the claim on the unreliable caisson production is false and distorted.” However, the next day of Oct. 31, the village association made a statement again proving that the superintendent committee’s asserts are totally wrong. You can see the village association’s statement in Korean here. The below is the summary translation of Jeju media articles regarding the press conference on Oct. 30.
A worker exposes on the unreliable caisson production
On the day’s conference, Mr. Ryu Yoon-Sun(45), a former worker in the caisson production site in the Hwasoon port, Andeok-myon, Jeju, testified on the matters on unreliable production of caissons. The work site, under the supervision of Samsung C & T, is producing 8,800 ton caissons that would be used for the frame of the breakwater in the 1st work area of the Jeju naval base project. The total caissons that would be produced there are 57 and each costs 1.5 billion won.
Mr. Ryu with 30 years work career has been an employee of a construction company, a sub-contacted company of Samsung since last April. During his term of working at the Hwasoon caisson production site, he raised the problems of the caisson production process but was ignored. Since then he has taken photo records to secure the proofs. He left Hawsoon work site at the end of September.
Recently he visiting the Gangjeong village association along with other three workers, accused on the company’s unreliable construction behavior.
The focal point of the workers is that the navy and contracted companies are carrying out unreliable construction to move up construction, shortening the caisson production period into a week, which usually takes 15 days.
According to him, a caisson divided of many rooms that would be filled with concrete is being designed without installation of reinforcing bars in the parts of 50 H-beams of which two H-beams are in each room working as column, which makes caisson weak to the outside shock.
Photo: Media Jeju, Oct. 30, 2012 (Original source: Gangjeong village)/Not only joint part is short but tie is weak.
Also, even though it was designed that the gap between the reinforcing bars is to be 20cm, it is 50cm in reality. The space made for the workers’ passage is not filed with reinforcing bars therefore it would be the first site to be cracked in concrete during the typhoons.
Regarding foreign workers, he said, “In case of reinforcing bar construction in caisson production, the workers are divided of two teams, working 12 hours each in shift. Since April 26, foreign workers were put in but they are not managed well because the numbers of Korean artificers are only 12 who are the chiefs of the teams. Most of the foreign workers are not artificers.”
Ryu also explained that another reason of cracks in concrete is because the company, for the purpose of moving up construction, has reduced the putting numbers and amounts of retarding element when it is put into concrete.
“When you pour concrete, you should operate a tremor plate so that the density of concrete is heightened and there should be no bubbles. However, I saw myself that holes occurred like an osteoporosis diseased bone on the concrete plane after the concrete cure because the operations of tremor were not done enough.”
“The 1st caisson was the least destroyed by the typhoon at the end of last August. That was the best made.”
Ryu also stated that “I have never seen a superintendent comes and checks the process inside the construction site for six months. Superintendent daily come once but only glance the process, circling around outside the caisson concrete cube. That’s it. He can never have chance to see the construction on the reinforce bars and concrete construction inside caisson.”
All the seven caissons that Samsung C & T have made were destroyed by the typhoon Bolaven at the end of August therefore new ones are being made again.
The Gangjeong village demanded that the Government punish the related personnel and the National Assembly cut the whole budget on the naval base construction in 2013.
2. The village raised on the matter on the navy’s reduction of sea wave height in the harbor and bay layout.
The village reminded that the element of wave height in design is an important variable to predict the intensity of breakwater, fixed temperature of port, and mooring safety; that it is custom that setting the standard with the strongest wave height among the wave heights observed for last 20 years is custom, ; and that all the military ports in Korea have been designed to be equipped with the ability of prevention against inner side and cross-over sea waves, by setting up one design sea wave as standard.
According to the village association, it is only in the Jeju naval base project that the design sea wave has been set up by sections with lower size than 13.7m, the highest sea wave at the time of typhoon Bolvan.
The design sea wave of A section in the west breakwater is 8m, while A and B sections in the east breakwater is merely 6.5 m and 5.4 m each.
The village stated that [the navy and navy-contracted companies] have designed reducing the design sea wave, concerning the over-excessive occurrence of construction cost.”
According to the ‘outer facility plan’ in the report on the basic plan of the Jeju naval base, written in January 2010, it reads that ‘the south breakwater has to be secured of construction and safety element at the time of sectional plan regarding the plane arrangement plan, and as it is expected that [the south breakwater] occupies 60~65 % of harbor and bay construction fee, construction, safety and economic element should be considered above all.’
Otherwise, Jang Hana, Jeju-born member of the National Assembly, Democratic United Party, also making public the inside accusation material on the unreliable naval base construction, criticized that ‘it is not accidental that 7 caissons were destroyed by the typhoon Bolaven. And it turned out that it was an inevitable result that the Samsung C & T that has connived and backed unreliable construction brought on itself. “
Jang scolded that “Now in Gangjeong village, 24 hour restless construction is being processed so that the navy could advantageously get the approval on the budget by the National Assembly by raising construction rate. And the villagers and peacekeepers are taking sleep on the ground in front of the construction site. What is the difference between this unreliable construction and four river project by which many workers have died?”
Jang stated that she would carry the inspection on the caissons with the media reporters being present and would drive to take all the legal measures such as cancellation of business of the Samsung C & T and construction-supervising committee according to the law on technical management, if it turns out that there has been done unreliable construction.
3. Issues on foreign workers and wages.
Otherwise regarding the matter on employing foreign workers, it is interesting to read the statement by the naval base project superintendent committee. According to it, “Among the 180 Vietnamese workers working in Hwasoon, about 10 Vietnamese who are very well in Korean and 8 Vietnamese whose communication in Korean is possible are arranged in work site. There is no problem in the communication between the domestic and foreign workers since a team chief takes a role as a translator.”
The superintendent committee also mentioned on the unpaid wages that Mr. Ryu Eun-Sun complained. The committee said that “there were no cases that the wages have been delayed even though there were loopholes during the tuning process between the section chief and workers.” It also said about the wage system that wages were negotiated with workers for change and there was no unilateral change when the wage system was changed from the monthly to daily.” The committee said that they would strongly take legal measure against Ryu.
However, the village stated on Oct. 31 that “When Mr. Ryu visited and talked with us, we witnessed in person that the company continuously called him and paid him three days’ delayed wages among more days’ through his bank account. Ryu also testified that not only him but most workers who quit the job experienced same. The three workers who came with Ryu also acknowledged it.”
The night in Gangjeong is sleepless. Only on the day of Oct. 29, three people were carried to hospital during their protest, following another 3 people on the 1st night of Oct. 25. The police violence against people are more dangerous in the night. Concern and information spreading is urgently needed!
The navy has planned to use 78 billion won as of September but it could actually use 50 billion won by then. The remaining 28 billion that the navy could not use up was thanks to the peacekeepers’ daily dedicated protests in the field. The peacekeepers’ hard efforts to delay construction (destruction) even 1min. has never been in vain. It is in fact a pain to risk themselves to be ‘limp doll’ (according to an expression by a peacekeeper Sanho) during the police roughing out them since the policemen and policewomen would mercilessly carry away them forcefully folding down their arms and legs and even pinching and hitting them to their bruise and scratches.
‘There is an urgent need for more people to go to Jeju to help offer support to the villagers. There is urgent need for people to call the South Korean embassy in your country and tell them to stop the Navy base construction. There is urgent need to help spread the word about this fight.’ (Source: here)
Please pressure the ROK National Assemblymembers to cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project. For example, ENGLISH@ASSEMBLY.GO.KR or Moon Jae-In, Permanent Advisor, Democratic United party, Presidential candidate: moonriver365@gmail.com.
Around 10:30am, Oct 29th Mon. Police come! Two peacekeepers that stayed overnight play a Ggeunggari (percussion instrument) and dance!Around 10:30am, Oct 29 Mon. Police came! Peacekeeper Deulkkot plays an ukulele, a music instrumentAround 10:30 am Oct 29. A reverend protested to a policeman who allowed other policemen’s taking photos of protesters. The reverend demanded him to identify his name but the policeman refused saying it is not in the law. Which law? The policeman could not answer. Otherwise, a woman peacekeeper protests to the policewomen, “why do you pinch and are severe to us while you can do gently to us? 3 cement mixer trucks and 1 automobile came in while 10 cement mixer trucks 4 material-loaded trucks and 2 automobiles came out.The police should put their nametags in their cloths but it is ignored by the policemen who come to the village to rough out people to back navy enforcing construction (destruction). A sign made by one of peacekeepers.Around 11 am Oct. 29. A Catholic mass … Fr. Kim Sung Han is alone… an empty place of Fr. Lee young Chan, who was imprisoned since Oct 24.Oct 29 Mon. a doll of Fr. Lee Young-Chan made by a peacekeeper Deulkkot keeps the protest site instead Fr lee who has been imprisoned since Oct 24.Around 12:05 pm Oct 29. police roughing out again 3 cement trucks, 2 material-loaded trucks, and 2 automobiles came out while 4 cement mixer trucks 2 material loaded trucks , 1 oil truck, and 2 automobile came in. the word Hyundae is clear in a truck Hyundae , the company is where president Lee Myung-Bak came.Emergency around 3:20pm, Oct 29, Mon. After 3:10 police roughing out, Jang Sungsim, a woman climbed up to the top of gate (about 2 m hight) and made a prayer with Catholic Rosary. When the company thug inside the gate ridiculed her, she ran down from the gate top to the concrete floor in fury. The thugs abandoned her despite people’s protest outside to open the door, even ignoring police request. The police are also responsible since they had left her alone even though they saw she was on the top of gate. Around 4 pm, she was carried to a hospital in Seogwipo city and was taken with x ray. She has problem with the backsides of hills and doctor said she needed close medical investigation and being hospitalized.Sungsim right before falling down inside the gateAround 7 pm, Oct. 29, 2012. Photo by Kim Sung-Hee. Candle vigil.
Around 7pm, Oct. 29, 2012. Photo by Rev. Choi Hun-Kook. Oct. 29 Dinner with instant noodles.
Around 9:10pm, Oct. 29. A male peacekeeper (30s) was carried to a hospital by ambulance due to violent police roughing out even without warning broadcasting in the night, following another male peacekeeper (40s) at 7:20pm. Both appealed pain in their right shoulders after the police roughing out of them. Only on Oct. 29, it is already three people who were carried out to the hospitals: a woman at 3:10 pm and two male peacekeepers.Around 9:30 pm, Oct 29. The same woman who got medical cure because of injury when she ran down from the top of construction gate returned back to the village, rejecting doctor’s recommendation to be hospitalized. She wanted to get close medical inspection later. Back in the village, she occupied the roadway to the naval base project committee building complex to block the trucks. While she is a patient and has bandage in her foot and leg, the police only wanted to arrest her, to the people’s fury. She is a Jeju native who cannot stand war base to enter the Jeju, the Peace Island.Around 9:40pm. Oct. 29. The woman sat on the chair and Catholic sisters are consoling her. However, the police would be more ignorant and uncouth. Many people are being stunned and infuriated for the police violation on human rights.Around 11:10 pm, Oct 29. Another police roughing out. the police are roughing out elders including a catholic father one by one from a fire stove. Many people have been keeping the site. Two people from Mir yang, Gyungssangnam-do province made a solidarity visit and brought a box of chocolate cookies. Miryang is a community where small population, mostly composed of elders are fighting against nuclear power plant fueled transmission tower that would destroy their village. The Great March for Life and Peace team has visited Miryang on Oct. 12. See photos by Lee Wooki here and here.Around 11:10 pm, Oct 29. Many young peacekeepers lied in front gate of the naval base project business building complex to stop trucks. the police took them apart one by one. it is infuriating to see the police carelessly throw them down into the police detention circle. many young peacekeepers appeal pain after police roughing out them…Around 11:20pm, Oct 29. People gather in front of a stove again roasting tangerines after release from police detention circle.Around 01:09 m Oct. 30/ Photo by Cho Sung-Bong. For more photos on the night, see here.Around 3am, Oct. 30/ After the 3am roughing out, villager uncle Jonghwan and his son Joongdeok are to sleep together. They will even stick together even though the police will take them apart/ Photo and caption by Park Young-In (translated)Oct. 30/ ‘Sleepless Night in Gangjeong’/ Photo and caption by Cho Sung-Bong/ A graffiti written by Sanho, a peacekeeper. In front of the construction gate. With the turning on light in the police search light, a group of police come across the Gangjeong bridge. After they finish their duty to pass the cement mixer trucks and return back again, the light turns off again. It took 11 min. 6 sec.Around 4am, Oct. 30, 2012/ Photo and caption by Rev. Choi Hun-Kuk/ ‘I fell asleep during street sleep. The police tossed me sleeping inside the sleeping bag away to the side to pass construction trucks. The Gnagjeong peacekeepers cry sleepless and try to get a sleep on the cold ground.”Around 05:05am, Oct. 30/ Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ Sanho could not sleep for 3 days. Is she a plant? Animal or human being? “Sorry, Joongdeok, I am so powerless.” Uncle Jonghwan muttered to his dog.Around 4;12 am, Oct. 30/ Photo by Young Jae Kim/ In the Gangjeong Sea, Not only a caisson dock is being moored in front of the caisson production area, but also dredge barge stealthy working during the darkness without light. The caisson, a concrete lump made of the merciless violence, arrogance and lies of government, navy, Samsung, Daelim and US would be put into the Gangjeong Sea..
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Video: For the serious police human rights violation against people, watch the video on Oct. 28: Click here and mouse down.
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Solidarity photo from Okinawa
via twitter Henokohama Tsushin Okinawa Christian are now singing Gospels at the gate of MCAS Futenma, showing their strong will against US violence. 普天間野嵩ゲート前ゴスペルによる抗議 辺野古浜通信twitterより (Post by Masami Mel Kawamura)
On Oct. 27, Sat., it heavily rained during the daytime in Gangjeong, following the daytime rain on Oct. 26. Sometimes even the lightening. Still the construction (destruction) did not stop. So the suffering of protesters went on, too.
Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ protestors tightened themselves together to block the construction trucks. See more on his photos, click here.Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ Mr. Oh Chul-Geun who has done three steps one bow for months during last winter recently started it again from the gate to the port. Mr. Oh Chul-Geun continues the practice even in the heavy rain.
Though the rain stopped in the evening, overnight construction went on so 24 hour protest in shift went on, too. It was 2ndtime that people’s daily peaceful bow at 7am was interrupted by the police on Oct. 28, following Oct. 26. See the below.
The below is the brief record from 9:20 pm, Oct. 27 to 7:15 pm, Oct 28.
Around9pm, Oct. 27, Sat.
Around 9:20 pm, Oct 27: About 500 policemen just to block tens of protesters. Whenever the police appear in the night, it is like a lightened stage. The 500 policemen ate told to come from Seoul and Busan ( policewomen). To the waste of our tax, the navy mobilized 500 policemen for the exit of only two trucks, entry of two trucks and an automobile.Around 9:20 pm, Oct 27: Mayor Kang protests to the police
Around 11pm, Oct. 27, Sat.
Around 11 pm, Oct 27: Police are mobilized againAround 11 pm, Oct 27: Police, we are ready to welcome you.Around 11 pm, Oct 27: Police you may do your best to take apart each of us.Around 11;50pm, Oct. 27: Mr. Kim Jong Hwan, a villager and cook thankfully brought brief food of instant noodle and Kimchee. Everyone’s joyful time.
Around 1 am, Oct. 28, Sun.
Around 1 am, Oct. 28, Sun. Another police roughing out. But everyone is in great positive and determined spirit-yes team spirit.Around 1 am, Oct 28: People were infuriated during the police roughing out since some policemen were especially provoking. Those kinds of policemen love to hit and even pinch isolated protester. They also pretend to mistake woman as man. You should shout them that you are a woman then! (In Korea, men is supposed to be dealt by the male policemen while women, by the policewoman)
Around 3:10 am, Oct. 28, Sun
Around 3:10 am, Oct. 28: To a policeman who said he belongs to the Jeju provincial police agency, Mr. Kim Jong Hwan, a villager, shouts, “Bastards, recover the Gureombi rock!”Around 3:10 am, Oct. 28: When a male peacekeeper who had been with female peace keepers when the police came, he had to shout to them, ‘ I am a man.’ (In Korea, it is supposed that males are dealt by the policemen while female are by the policewomen). But as soon as he said it, the police grabbed his neck from the behind and twisted his arm. Otherwise, people protested to the police on the lights that the police intentionally shined to people inside the detention circle.
Around 5am, Oct. 28, Sun
Around 5 am, Oct. 28: Cement mixer trucks come out again. Peacekeepers that had a short sleep on the tents and cars etc. appeared again with tiredness. Violent police roughing out began again. A young male peacekeeper appealed later. When the police carried out him, they happened to drop his head so he had to elect his upper body himself. When he appealed his pain to the policemen, the police dragged one of his leg.. And after he was detained inside a police circle, isolated, the police grabbing the front and backside of his jumper in the neck made him breathless. Further, even though it might be just accidental, he felt as if some policemen are hitting him with their fists. The thin and small young male peacekeeper could not understand why the policemen inhumanly dealt with him as such as he wasn’t doing little resistance to them. There were only three trucks coming in and two trucks coming out. What a mad construction! What a waste of people’s money to mobilize 500 policemen and to commit human right violation.Around 5:30am, Oct. 28: People are still keeping the gate amidst cold and strong wind.Around 6am, Oct. 28: It was seen that workers enter the gate from 6: 30 am amidst cold wind and darkness. Can you imagine 24 hour/ 7 days construction (destruction)? It means people here can seldom rest.
Around 7:15am, Oct. 28, Sun.
Around 7:15am, Oct. 28: The police even interrupted 100 peace bows that is held daily. The police have interrupted bows for the 1st time on Oct 26, with the start of 24hour constructionAround 7:15 am, Oct. 28: When even the peace bows were interrupted, two female peacekeepers who stayed overnight for struggle tried to block the two cement mixer trucks with their bodies in the gate.Around 7:15 am, Oct. 28: Still the peace bows go on: The graffiti on the gate reads, “Peace to Gangjeong, Love you, Gureombi,”Around 7:15 am, Oct. 28: After the police disturbance, the 100 peace bows were continued in front of the naval base project committee building complex. Recently the Jeju local court made a decision on ‘no-guilt,’ on a young peacekeeper who was accused to bite the shoulder of a policemen during his resistance against illegal police roughing out of people. The judge said that the police performance at the time cannot be considered as the fair carrying of government affairs so the charge against him cannot be established. See here. The people made copies of the court decision document and put them on the fence.
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Otherwise Rebecca Kim posted on her and her friends’ protest in Seoul at 11 am, Oct. 27. See the note on the protest at the bottom of here.
‘8 people got together today in Gwanghwamun Square to protest the 24-hour sheer madness happening in Gangjeong. (Tom Smith, Fielding Hong, Adit Satrya, Alfian Tahir, Akihiro Togashi, Jonghwa Rhee, Jung Jo, and me.)’
Oct. 26: The day of the mix of intense happiness and sadness: 2nd day of 24 hour construction(destruction)
Around 3am, Oct. 27, 2012. Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun and others lying their bodies on the ground in protest to 24 hour construction (destruction) in front of the naval base construction gate, Gnagjeong village, Jeju Island. See the below.
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Kim Dong-Won was released!
Photo by Paco Booyah
On Oct. 26, we had happy news that Mr. Kim Dong-Won who has been jailed since June 30 was released. Paco Booya wrote:
‘Kim Dong-Won will be released! At 2 p.m. (30 minutes ago) Bail was set for Kim Dong-Won, who was arrested on June 30 when he climbed and occupied a dredging crane on a barge doing illegal dredging next to one of Gangjeong’s endangered soft coral forests. As of today he has been in prison for 118 days. The lawyer has gone to see what we must prepare for the bail and he will be released as soon as we prepare it which means today! Hoooooraaaay!!!!’
Photo by Paco Booyah/ Dongwon finally met his missed friends after his release.
However, Fr. Lee Young-Chan, a Catholic Priest is to be imprisoned.
However, we also got the sad news around 10:13 pm from the lawyers who had worked very hard for the release of Bokhee and Fr, Lee Young-Chan who have been arrested on Oct. 24. The Court made decision to release Bokee while accepting the prosecutor’s file on arrest warrant against Fr. Lee in its review on the practicality of arrest warrants on the two. The prosecutors’ accumulated charges against Fr. Lee are obstruction of business, obstruction of government affairs, and violence etc. He is very well known as Fr. Remicon (meaning Cement mixer truck) for his many times’ protests to climb on the trucks to stop the illegal Jeju naval base project. On Oct. 24, he was to save Bokhee who was being arrested by the policewomen. When he could not move because of the police’s tight grabbing of him, he bit an arm of a police in self-defense, which was accidental when he was very tired for daily struggle. It is known that he is suffering in his teeth because a policeman hit his chin very probably intentionally with his arm. It is told that Fr. Lee is having difficulty in taking foods and it will take for a while. Still, according to the visitors of him, he smiled them and encouraged them to continue struggles.
Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ Fr. Lee Young-Chan who has daily kept the struggle site eats meal during one of the days. The protesters used to hardly leave the site to save the village from the war base construction.
Mr. Park Suk-Jin ended prison hunger strike and got his own room in jail.
Photo by Lee Joon-Ha, Omynews, 2011/ Park Suk-Jin, a former member of a police special oppression unit has made a conscientious statement and rejected military draft in 1991 upon the death of a student, Kang Gyung-Dae, who was killed by the police during the students’ protest against the military dictatorship. Since then he became a peace activist. He has worked as a member of Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea. and has been joining the struggle to stop the base project in Gangjeong since last year.
Otherwise, we also heard that Mr. Park Suk-Jin who was in hunger strike in a punishment room of about 5.9 m2 in the Jeju Prison was moved to a solitary room as he has requested and ended his fast in the morning of Oct. 27 as his family members protested to the Jeju Prison for unreasonable oppression measures against prisoners. See here.
2nd night of 24 hour construction, 24 hour police watch and 24 hour protest
Bokhee with guitar , Oct. 26, 2012 in the left side of the photo
Otherwise, the first place Bokhee who was released from the police station, Jeju, around 11pm, Oct 26, visited was the protest site of the naval base project gate. She was again in protest to the base project, singing, laughing, struggling with friends together, by the next day of Oct. 27.
On Oct. 26, there was a rain during all the day, to the suffering of peacekeepers. Some of them have kept the protest site of the gates of the base construction site even from the morning of Oct. 25, the 1st day of 24 hour construction and police watch. See here.
Photo by Cho Sung-Bong, around 6pm, Oct. 26, 2012. “We strongly oppose the US imperialism navy base against China!!” “No Jeju US navy base of US Nuclear Aircraft carrier!”
The rain became to be little from the evening. But the police were again in the gate under the artificial lights that the navy- contracted companies and police have installed for 24 hours’ construction.
There were five times police roughing out of people from 9pm to 5am, the next morning. The police would rough out people every 1 hour 50 minutes to allow a cement mixer truck each roughing time to pass the gates from the people’s protest to stop those.
It was greatly encouraging that about 20 members of the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea joined on the day to support the Gangjeong villagers and peace keepers’ 24 hour protest.
The police in front gates 9: 26 pmAround 3am, the police took apart the protesters who tied one another with their arms to stop the trucks. It was one of the police roughing time that were carried out five times from 9pm, Oct. 26 to 5am, Oct. 27. Because of many lights the companies and police have installed for 24 hour construction and measure against protests in the night, many photos are full of artificial lights.
Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun and others lied their bodies on the ground in protest to 24 hour construction (destruction) in front of the naval base construction gate. He dropped by Gangjeong for short days during the Great march for Life and Peace (Oct. 4 to Nov. 3. He celebrated his birthday (in lunar calendar) with the people in front of the navy gates.
Around 5am, the police roughed out people again.
The Gangjeong is also many people’s ‘peace school’ as Emily Wang wrote.
Joonhoo who has been arrested to enter the Gureombi rock is painting on the road in front of the construction gate. As Emily Wang has mentioned, he has made a painting again and again whenever the navy erased his paintings. See here.
Around 4:30. Joonhoo’s painting resisting against militarism.Around 7:10 am, Oct. 27. As soon as the people’s daily peaceful 100 bows started in front gates, the police blocked them again to pass 10 cement mixer trucks through other gate. People’s war starts again under the cloud sky that dropped rains from the morning.
Call for protests
Otherwise, Rebecca Kim wrote:
‘Tomorrow, [Oct. 27], at 11 AM, dozens of people will gather in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, for a small rally to protest against what’s happening in Gangjeong and to express our solidarity for those struggling in great suffering in the village. Will post tomorrow the story with the pictures.
Courage, people!
Emergency: Gangjeong Village’s struggle against the Jeju Naval Base is hitting its most urgent and desperate peak. The Navy has finished constructing a 200 person-capacity building for their exploitable Vietnamese workers, and the police of more than 2,000 now violently crack down on the demonstrators in front of the Naval Base Construction Business Committee more than 15 times a day, shifting 3-times, 24-hour a day, which even in the severest military dictatorship hasn’t happened. 4~5 peace activists are wounded or get hospitalized, get arrested and taken to the police station on a daily basis.
I’m planning a small rally in Gwanghwamun area tomorrow at 11 AM with my friends to protest against what this horrible, holocaustic government is doing to Gangjeong Village, against the human rights violations committed by the police, the navy, and the Samsung’s ‘hired thugs(security)’ on the villagers and peace activists. Pls join us! Pls reply to this posting if you’re available to come to Gwanghwamun Square tomorrow at the Admiral Lee’s statue at 11 AM.
Photo by Paco Booyah, ‘No sleep tonight in Gangjeong. An activist has climbed up a cement truck. Activists and villagers are very angry at the police and navys absurd plan for 24hour oppression.’
The below is the translation of the villagers statement right after the 1st night of 24 hours’ naval base construction and police mobilization in front of the naval base construction gates on Oct. 25. Concern on human rights violation and injuries became clearly realistic on the 1st night. Please see the original Korean script here.
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Press Release
-Without police force, construction cannot be processed. It paradoxically means the Jeju naval base construction is a project of no justice.-
Caisson production has started with the completion of the caisson production site in the naval base construction area of the Gangjeong village. And started as well is the police roughing out of villagers and peacekeepers for the entries of cement mixer trucks to be consumed for caisson production, regularly every hour for the whole 24 hours [on Oct. 25, 2012].
Since the police enforced roughing out people during the night when a range of vision is not perfect, the injured appeared one after one another. Only for last night, total three people were carried by emergency ambulances.
In case of Mr. Kim Hak-Koo, probably because of police’s unaccustomed night sight around at 7:30pm, Oct. 25, the police threw down another victim on his body to the shock of all his body and trampled him down when they passed through to the pain of his waist that made inevitable of people calling an ambulance.
Mr. Kim Hak-Ku is a peace keeper who joined the non-violent human chain protest in front of the explosive company in Donggwang to stop the blast of the Gureombi Rock on March 19. At the time, he got the injury of bone-fracture above the wrist during the process that the police broke the human chain with hammer, which was supervised by Koo Seul-Hwan, Security director of the Seogwipo Police station. He had to endure cure of more than three months’ period, during which wick was planted in his bone.
Also around 11:20pm, Oct. 25, the policewomen carrying Ms. Kim Eun-Hye, a peace keeper, during the process of roughing out people, happened to leave her head so she hit her head to the ground. Even though Kim was losing her consciousness for concussion and her limbs were cramping, the policewomen focused only to rough out her without considering to check her status and to protect her life.
She was eventually discovered by another peacekeeper and carried to an emergency ambulance. Fortunately it was confirmed that her concussion was a light one not harming to her life.
In case of Mr. Park Incheon (peacekeeper) who was carried by an ambulance around 2:30 am, Oct. 26, had been pushed and got the pain in his waist during the process when he protested to the double police roughing out in the already roughed out situation.
Beside the above, there are some people who have been intentionally pushed and fall down by the police even after police rouging out of them. Even though theirs were not developed into injuries, it was the protest site where the police do not keep even the minimum principals when they perform their job with physical force.
Article 3 (Basic principle) The Police, the civil service, should perform duties according to the following basic principles.
1. The mission of Police
The police, the civil service, have their missions that they fully perform loyalty and service for the state and nation, that they protect the citizens’ life, body, and property, and that they maintain public welfare and order.
2. The spirit of the Police
The police as a mandatory of the citizens make a root of their mission with the spirit of fatherland-defense, service, and justice that respect the citizens’ freedom and right in its routine job performance.
In violation of the police mission and spirit stipulated in the police public service regulation, the police are bringing the result of respecting the rights and interests of the contracted companies above the citizens’ freedom, right, life and body.
Without police force, construction (destruction) cannot be processed. It paradoxically means the Jeju naval base construction (destruction) is a project of no justice.
During the National Assembly inspection on the government offices, this time, proofs on the illegal approval disposals [on the naval base project] and serious flaws in the base design have been exposed again. Further the base design has been done for the entries of the US nuclear aircraft carrier and submarines by the demand of the Commander, US Navy Forces of Korea. And numerous questions have been raised on the necessity of the project. Still Lim Suk-Kyu, the Jeju support policy director of the Prime Minister Office stated on Oct. 25 that the Government would only enforce construction after the dissipated Government joint presentation on the local development plan in relation to the Jeju naval base project.
There is no nation that makes a long life by oppressing citizens. We strictly warn again to the Government of Lee Myung Bak who is at the end of his term of the Presidential Office, to revoke the Jeju naval base project. Only in that way, it would no more commit crimes in the history.
Oct. 26, 2012
The Gangjeong Village Association
Image: Gangjeong village/ Mr. Kim Hak-Koo is being carried by an ambulanceImage: Gangjeong village/ Ms. Kim Eun-Hye who fell down for concussionImage: Gangjeong village/ Ms. Kim Eun-Hye being carried by an ambulanceImage : Gangjeong village/ A peacekeeper who is in protest on the top of a cement mixer truck.Image/ Gangjeong village: The mobilized police forceImage: Gangjeong village/ It is the situation when Mr. Park Incheon fell down and ambulance was called.Image: Gangjeong village/ The peacekeepers that were carried and roughed out during the 100 life and peace bows are still bowing even after the police roughing out of them.
The video-maker says, ‘the whole video is only 10 min. but it was 24 hours for us.’
Summary of the video:
There were 11th police roughing out people at 5:35pm then 12th around 6:32pm on Oct. 25. It was unusual that the police did not leave but still securitizing the construction gates. Oct. 25 was the date that the police started 24 hour construction.
There started police roughing out of people along with entry of cement mixer trucks every hour for a whole night: 13th roughing out at 7:35pm and 14th roughing out at 8:37pm. It was ridiculous that the police mobilized hundreds of themselves in the night to make entry of a cement mixer truck and trailer per hour.
As we have concerned about very possible night incident, the 1st wounded occur. Two of the policemen fell down above Mr. Kim Hak-Koo. The 2nd (Ms. Kim Eun-Hye) and 3rd (Mr. Park Inchon) who would be carried to a hospital by ambulance were to occur by the late night. See details in the above.
During the candle vigil that is routinely done around 8pm in front of the naval base project gate, the police roughed out people even in the candle vigil, too, to the fury of village elders and people.
During the process of police roughing out people, the police say, “carefully,’ and ‘slowly,‘ but their real behavior against people is opposite. Even though a girl cries from pain, the policewomen consider only carrying out their duties.
The policewomen rather than grabbing the bodies of protesters, grab the protesters’ cloths which make the protesters’ clothes taken off.
When the video maker followed two policemen who were carrying the extinguisher, she heard that the policemen were using slanders against protestors, while the two were not being aware that she was following them. How dare they say they are there to protect the people!
In the 2nd hospitalized case of Ms. Kim, there is a village female elders’ testimony on how the policewomen were careless to drop Kim then ignored her sickness.
To make pass one cement mixer truck, they mobilize hundreds policemen. They are the zombies, the video-maker says.
The police roughing out was done even during the peaceful 100 bows time in the morning of 6:50 am, Oct. 26. It was for the first time that the people in bows were carried by the police during the 100 bows. The people continued the bows even inside the circles that the police detained them temporarily to allow the cement mixer trucks to pass through the gates, without people’s obstruction of them.
The video maker herself was injured in one of her toes, too when the policemen accidently trampled on her foot as well. There are always bruises and injuries of people during the field protests, even though they might be small.
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# Video by Novie Na/ Caisson production area on the Gureombi Rock coast around 5:30 pm, Oct. 25,.2012. ( Click here)
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According to the Jeju Sori, the 24 hour construction is for the Daelim Co. to produce 80 numbers of 3,000 ton caissons that would be produced in the giant steel mold recently built on the blasted part of the Gureombi Rock coast (west of the coast). The caissons will be used to construct the east breakwater and mooring docks in the 1st work area.
The Daelim-made caissons are different from the Samsung C & T that produces 9,000 ton of them in the Hwasoon port (abou 40 minutes car distance from Gangjeong) then moves them into the Gangjeong coast. Jeju Sori says: ‘Originally the Daelim planned to start to produce caisson from June this year, but it has been delayed as various problems have occurred.” You can say people’s protest have been a big part of it.
The motto “We are the Sky” comes from the motto of the Sky Act, a joint solidarity campaign of three struggles in Korea: (S)Ssang Yong autoworkers layoff struggle, (K)Gureombi Rock/anti-Gangjeong naval base struggle, and the (Y)Yongsan Tradegy struggle.
The Grand March of Life and Peace which started in Gangjeong on October 4th runs til November 3rd where it ends at Seoul City Hall Plaza. Below is a more detailed schedule for Tomorrow (Thursday, October 25) until the end. Please come out if we are in your area and tell your friends to join when we pass their area! And remember to check our photo section every night for pictures from each day’s march.
[Grand March Day 21] Thursday, Oct.25-Chooncheon 6:30am Departure from Samcheok 11am Visit to Hyeoldongri golf development struggle in Chooncheon 12:30pm Lunch at Gumanri village center in Hongcheon 1:30pm Visit to Gumanri golf development struggle in Hongcheon 3pm Visit to Dongmakri golf development struggle in Hongcheon 4:30pm Meeting with local people in front of Gangwondo Provincial Office 5:30pm Dinner 7pm Candle Rally at Myeongdong in Chooncheon
[Grand March Day 22] Friday, Oct.26-Wonju/Yeoju/Pyeongtaek 8:30am Departure by bus 10am Arrival in Yeoju. 4 Rivers Project, Gangcheon Irrigation Resevoir, Pilgrimage 12pm Lunch
1pm Marching down Jasansangbyeon Street or Gaechinalu Street
4:30pm Moving to Daechuri in Pyeongtaek
6:30pm Arrival in Daechuri
7pm Welcoming Village Party
[Grand March Day 23] Saturday, Oct.27-Pyeongtaek
Prepare for the Joint People’s Association (Manmin Gongdonghoe) and divide into groups to join the different programs below
Programs: Korean People’s Theater Festival (in Pyeongtaek) or Temporary Worker’s Rally (in Seoul) or Dasan Human Rights Center 20th Anniversary (in Suwon)
Accommodations in Daechuri (same place as on the 26th)
[Grand March Day 24] Sunday, Oct.28-Pyeongtaek
12pm Lunch
1pm Joint People’s Association (Manmin Gongdonghoe) in front of Ssangyong Motor Company’s main gate
5pm Dinner
6pm Join Pyeongtaek Peace Festival at Pyeongtaek Station
* Accommodations will be near Pyeongtaek Station
[Grand March Day 25] Monday, Oct.29-Pyeongtaek/Osan
9am March starts from Pyeongtaek station after the Press Conference for the Start of the Grand March in the Seoul Metropolitan Region
12pm Lunch and then visiting Ebada School
1pm March
5pm Arrival in Osan and Dinner
7pm Candle Rally
* Accommodations will be near Osan Station
[Grand March Day 26] Tuesday, Oct.30-Osan/Suwon
8am March starts
12pm Campaigning about Yeongtong Samsung Electronics factory
1pm Lunch
2pm March and Support Visit to the SSM opposition struggle
6pm Arrival at Suwon station and Dinner
7pm Candle Rally at Suwon station
* Accommodations are the Suwon Diocese
[Grand March Day 27] Wednesday, Oct.31-Suwon/Ansan
9am March starts
12pm Lunch
1pm Marching continues
6pm Arrival in Ansan and Dinner
7pm Candle Rally in front of Ansan City Hall
* Accommodations are not fixed
[Grand March Day 28] Thursday, Nov.1-Ansan/Bupyeong
9am March from Oido Station
12pm Lunch
1pm March and Visit to Samhwa Express, Daewoo Motor Sales Co. and other local struggle places
7pm Arrival at Bupyeong Station and Joint Solidarity Struggle Candle Rally (& party)
[Grand March Day 29] Friday, Nov.2-Yoido
9am March Starts at Cortek
Visit to Jae Neung Education Sit-in Struggle
Visit to Demolition Struggle in Jung3dong, Bucheon
12pm Lunch
1pm Marching
7pm Arrival in Yoido and Candle Rally at Yoido Plaza
[Grand March Day 30] Saturday, Nov.3-Yoido/Seoul Plaza
9am March after Press Conference for the Opening of the Life and Peace Grand March in Seoul
11am Rally at Namildang in Yongsan District #4
1:30pm Rally in front of Ministry of National Defense to stop Jeju Naval Base Construction
4pm Join 1-day sympathy fast for Ssangyong Motor Struggle at Seoul station
6pm Cultural Rally “Everyone is Sky” at Seoul City Hall Plaza
A woman activist, ‘Deulkkot,’ appeals to Ku Seul-Hwan, an infamous Seogwipo Police staff member with a humorous note. More Photos by Cho Sung-Bong, here.
The daily struggle is going on in front of naval base project construction gates. The numbers of committed people who daily appear are usually small-less than 20. They are daily roughed out and carried by police 10 times or even 12 times even by the night. They are hurt with bruise in all parts of their body or scratched by police women’s nails during their resistance process. As sometimes their cloths are taken off during the process of the police forcefully pulling off their bodies, humiliation is what they risk to bear, too. Seldom is time even for going to the communal restaurant for meals. Meals are carried to be taken with street dusts. Still they hardly leave the field. Blocking and delaying cement mixer truck is more important for them, even though they will be dragged and bruised, soon. Street art and graffiti are everywhere: on the street, on the wall, on the poles.
A male policeman is grabbing a woman peacekeeper’s wrist even after roughing out on Oct. 23, 2012. Photo by Kim Gami.
The construction (destruction) is being accelerated with the completion of the giant caisson production frame on the Gureombi Rock coast. It is told that the contracted companies finished test operation for producing caisson on Oct. 23. Caissons that need more than 450 ton cement mixer truck for one by filling the giant mold frame with cement will be rapidly produced soon. About 200 workers from the Vietnam and Philippine will be brought into the construction site with cheaper wages to be exploited for 24 hours. That has been the case of Hwasoon where the Samsung C & T sub-contracted companies enforced the production of 9,000 ton caissons, of which 10 are now floating, whether broken or not by typhoons in the Gangjeong Sea.
It is told that the navy has requested more policemen to enforce construction for 24 hours!The people’s struggle will be then for 24 hours in shift, too! Even the policemen think the navy is crazy. It is expected that the numbers of the policemen will increase at least by the end of this week: From about 250 (3 police companies) to 500 (6 police companies) daily. The government has been pouring the people’s tax to enforce this illegal construction (destruction). 24 hours police watch, seldom precedent since the military dictatorship of Park Chung-Hee during 60s and 70s.
On Oct. 19, 2012, the Jeju press reported that Ku Seul Hwan, the Security director of the Seogwipo Police Station got a medal from the Jeju Provincial Police Agency on the Day of the Police, being acknowledged for his exploit in his security duty for the VIPs in the WCC. But he is an infamous man for the peacekeepers in Gangjeong. He is the one very well known to direct his policemen to use hammer and electric saw to the cut the PVC pipes with which the peace keepers have connected their arms one another to block the explosive cars and cement mixer trucks on March 19 and April 16, this year. Forget human rights Gangjeong.
Despite all those, it is encouraging to hear that as of September, the navy could use only 50 billion won of the 107 billion won allocated for the base project budget, 2012, which has law-evasively been transferred from last year. The navy has planned to use 78 billion won by September. The not-executed 28 billion won is what the field protesters could bring for all of us. Their daily dedication is bringing the result.
How you can help them? Please pressure the ROK National Assemblymembers to cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project .( *The government says that the total cost for the Jeju navy base project is about 1.7 trillion won)For example, ENGLISH@ASSEMBLY.GO.KR or Moon Jae-In, Permanent Advisor, Democratic United party, Presidential candidate: moonriver365@gmail.com.
During the first two weeks of October (2012), I visited South Korea, invited by the group World Without War to give a training for trainers in nonviolent action and to visit Gangjeong village, on Jeju Island, where people are resisting the construction of a naval base.
It is well known that South Korea is a militarised country, with the protracted conflict with North Korea being a permanent reminder of this militarisation.
For a decade WRI has been cooperating with South Korean antimilitarists. This began in 2001 when South Korean activists asked WRI for support in their work on conscientious objection. At that time there were hundreds of Jehovah’s Witness COs in prison for their refusal to military service. In early 2002 political COs started to organise themselves, and WRI played an important role in supporting their work. Initially their CO work came more from a Human Rights perspective but rapidly it took a more antimilitarist approach, with nonviolence being an important identity for them. As nonviolence and antimilitarism took a more prominent role in their work, they started expanding their work beyond CO support. That is how World Without War (2003) came to existence as a group resisting war by nonviolent means.
As a direct consequence of the conflict with North Korea and a legacy from the Cold War, South Korea has around 70 US military bases in its territory. US Forces have been stationed in South Korea since 1950. Historically, their main role was to deter any possible war threat posed by North Korea. However, the USA’s Global Posture Review changes the role of US Forces in Korea from a stationary army on the Korean peninsula into a regional hub for rapid deployment and capable of pre-emptive strikes. The Land Partnership Plan of 2002, agreed by South Korea and the USA, has re-organised forces into fewer but bigger bases and training areas. Bases previous clustered on the Demarcation Line have been closed, but the expansion of bases further south increases the capacity to send highly trained troops to other Asian ‘theatres’, with the Jeju base playing a crucial role in it.
Resistance to military bases has a long history in South Korea, with a wide variety of groups struggling against these bases. World Without War sees itself as taking the nonviolent direct action side of the resistance.
Nonviolence Training
World Without War has advocated and engaged in nonviolent action against the military bases and the different form of militarism in their country. This also includes their work against war profiteering, under their sister organisation, Weapon Zero. As part of this work they see nonviolence training as a key element in strengthening their commitment to nonviolence and helping to make their actions more effective. World Without War has been at the forefront of antimilitarist nonviolent actions in South Korea, carrying actions against military bases, war profiteering, military service, etc. Nonviolent direct action, however, is still a relative new concept within South Korean movements and there are strong criticism about it, but thanks to the strong commitment of World Without War and other sympathetic activists, slowly these perceptions are changing – nonviolence training has contributed to this change. Numerous World Without War members have participated in nonviolence trainings and some of them have carried out trainings.
As part of the cooperation with WRI, we had the idea of having a training for trainers, for activists to empower themselves to go out and give their own trainings, and this year (2012) the plans finally materialised, with a training for trainers taking place in early October. The training for trainers was organised by World Without War, but was open to activists from other groups. Mostly of groups engaged in the struggle against the naval base in Gangjeong, Jeju Island. As part of the whole training for trainers process, five preparatory sessions where held before the training, with World Without War members doing the facilitation. These sessions used WRI’s Handbook for Nonviolent Campaigns as a guide for their sessions.
The workshop was led by Denise Drake, of the UK nonviolence training organisation Turning the Tide, and myself. It was held on Ganghwa island. This island is very near the border with North Korea, actually from the island you could see North Korea. The island is a two hours drive from Seoul, and I recommend not to fall a sleep during the journey – as I did even though there was a big tv screen on the bus – if not you will definitely miss the moment you get on the island, as it is very close to the continent and joined by a bridge.
Of North Korea I only saw some distant mountains, but just the feeling of being so close to this almost unaccessible country was special. I wished I had some binoculars to see more clearly. This excitement was shared by all participants, which goes to show how close but at the same time far is North Korea from South Korean people. The training was held at a beautiful complex, formed of a series of cosy cabins. Sleeping was Korean style, meaning good for your backs, on thin mats, which were a bit too exposed to the floor heating (useful in winter but this was autumn). Food was provided by a group from a Seoul Haebangchon Café Co-op under the name Bin-gagae and it was delicious, mostly rice and all forms of vegetable side dishes and with one night having Korean style Vietnamese wraps. Every evening we had a Peace Bar, with a good selection of beers and my favourite – soju. The Peace Bar raised funds to support the court cases of activists against the Gangjeong base.
The training itself focused on the facilitation side of nonviolence training. At the end of each day we had a long session under the title Today’s Facilitation Points, which looked at what facilitation methodologies and tools we had used and how to adapt them to the South Korean context. After the first day we had to incorporate many more ice-breaking games as it was a common feedback from participants that South Koreans in general are shy when it comes to sharing in larger groups, and it is much easier for them to do the sharing in a more playful manner. Dancing is very important among South Korean activists, so we also learned some activist dances.
During the training we used the struggle in Gangjeon against the naval base as well as the action at Samsung’s headquarters, where a group of activist poured red paint on them at the entrance of their offices – which is one of the main contractors of the naval base. If you still own a Samsung product, it is now time to get rid of it and join the boycott! This framework helped us to connect the training to actual struggles, for example an important discussion within the movement has been the phenomenon of shouting at police officers during the protests against the naval base. The point was not to agree if this is or not nonviolent, but what are the causes of it and what consequences this has. Another important issue was how to deal with people joining a direct action without being part of the preparation process, the pros and cons of this.
An important session was what we called facilitation practice, where pairs practised facilitating a session. One of the pairs after doing their session came up to me all excited saying “it is tough but fun”.
The training ended with a session on what’s next? The proposal is to form a South Korean network of nonviolence trainers, and several tasks were set up to help this process. As trainer, I saw myself mostly as an excuse to get different activists together to share their experiences and share some limited experience I have. Clearly the knowledge and experience is there and there is huge capacity to work in nonviolence training in South Korea.
No to the Naval Base in Gangjeong Style
As part of WRI’s work against war profiteering, and with the help of World Without War, WRI has repeatedly reported on the struggle against the naval base in Gangjeong, Jeju, mostly focusing on the role that Samsung is playing in the construction of the base. Also WRI’s close friend, Angie Zelter, who visited Gangjeong for a month earlier this year, wrote an article for The Broken Rifle on her experience.
From the moment I knew I was going to go to South Korea I had in mind that I had to go to Jeju Island. I was still not familiarised with the name and even less with the pronunciation of Gangjeong. I have to say that before going to Gangjeong I knew little about Jeju Island, what I did know was that it is a beautiful island, with many natural wonders, including the highest mountain in South Korea – Halla Mountain – and that it is the place where they are constructing a naval base. When booking my flight to Jeju, I was surprised that there are flights from Seoul to Jeju every 15 minutes, which is more often than my local bus! Which goes to show that it is a highly popular destination mostly for Korean tourists, though there are more and more international visitors.
Once you arrive at Jeju airport you get the bus number 600, which takes you through the centre of Jeju city. Once you get out of Jeju city you cross the island, which provides an incredible view of it. 15 minutes before you arrive to Gangjeong village, you are driven through several big tourist resorts, which is a bit of a shock. When we approached Gangjeong village, passengers told me “the next stop is Gangjeong, where people protest”, I guess knowing that I was getting off there. The bus drops you almost in front of Gangjeong’s Peace Centre, where you will always find someone to help you with information and it is the place where many meetings take place.
Gangjeong is a village of around 2,000 inhabitants, where people live from fishing and agriculture, mostly of delicious tangerines. For both fishing and agriculture water is a vital resource, and the naval base will affect both, as already the construction of the base is affecting the soft coral and the sea biodiversity as well as the blasting of the precious Gureombi rock. This rock is not only environmentally sensitive but also an ancient place of prayer – it is the only smooth volcanic fresh water rock in Korea. The fresh-water springs underneath the rock are believed to be the source of the Gangjeong Stream that provides 70% of the drinking water for the southern half of the Island, this water is also what keeps the agriculture going.
The naval base will be a South Korean base available for unlimited use by the US military, mostly to station aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines and other lethal weapon platforms. As Angie says in her article, when the plan to construct the base was announced, it was a huge shock for the people in Gangjeong as “the last time a military base was located on Jeju Island, in 1948, more than 30,000 people (a ninth of the population) were killed in a genocide that is known as Sasam. They were killed by the South Korean government under US military rule, 84 villages were razed to the ground and a scorched earth policy left thousands of refugees. People were not even allowed to openly talk about this trauma until 2006 when the late President Roh Moo-Hyun officially apologized for the massacre and designated Jeju an ‘Island of World Peace’. You can imagine how terrible the sense of betrayal was when only 2 years later he agreed to build a naval base on Jeju.”
My hosts in Gangjeong were mostly people from the organisation The Frontiers, an organisation committed to peace building in conflict areas. In Gangjeong they do most of the international work as well as the sea direct actions. The founder of The Frontiers is Dr. Kang Ho Song, who a few days before I arrived had been freed from a six months prison sentence for his actions against the naval base. Members of The Frontiers share a house that a village person of Gangjeong lets them have for free, as a sign of support and appreciation for what they do. If you have come across the No Naval Base on Jeju facebook or twitter or the English newsletter, they are the main people behind them.
At the time of my visit the construction of the naval base was around 13% completed, so there is still the chance to stop it! As I was in Gangjeong a 1 month march against the base was taking place in the main land, covering most of the country, and which will end with a huge rally at the Seoul Square on 3 November. This meant that many of the regular protesters in Gangjeon were away, but still there was an important presence in the village. The resistance against the naval base is formed mostly of villagers together with what they call supporters (Gikimi), mostly coming from the mainland. I would like to use Angie’s words here to say that “the resistance of the villagers and their supporters has been remarkable despite being repeatedly subject to arrest, imprisonment and heavy fines. The South Korean military claim that the base construction approval process was approved by a democratic vote was exposed as a lie. Only 87 people, some of whom were bribed (out of 1800 residents) had an opportunity to cast a vote, by applause only. When the village elected a new Mayor and held their own re-vote, that fairly included the entire community and was done by proper ballot, 94 percent of all villagers opposed the military base—yet the government and military refused to recognize these results.”
The day protest in front of the gates from the very little I could see has a bit of a routine. It starts at 7 am, with people bowing 100 times in front of the naval base gate, then the blockaders take their places in front of the two access gates to block the entry and exit of lorries and cars from the construction site. Every few hours the police comes in hundreds and removes the blockaders, without arresting them. As soon as the police leave, the blockaders take back their position. At 11 am there is a Catholic mass in front of the gate. When a few months ago all forms of protest at the gates were banned, mass was the only action allowed and it symbolised the continuation of the protest. After mass it is time for lunch, which is provided by the activist restaurant supporting the resistance (Samgeori). The police – not officially – have agreed not to interrupt the mass and to also not remove the blockaders during lunch time. In the afternoon there is more blockading and police removal, the blockaders always getting some refreshments from the activist cafeteria (Halmangmul). The day ends at 8pm with a candle vigil in front of the gates, which is also a time to talk and share information and experiences. The candle vigil almost always ends with one or more of the several dances which have become a trademark of the resistance to the base. Dancing is a very important form of protest in South Korea, and this could not be more true in Gangjeong, with the latest hit Gangjeong Style soon topping the rankings as most watched video. I tried to learn a few dances, and I am still practising while looking at the video clips. Check them out!
Throughout the five years of resistance against the construction of the base, villagers and supporters have inspired us with the resilience and courage to continue their struggle. This is one of the best examples of the importance of continuous resistance, as people are there everyday struggling against the base. Many activists have given up their life in the mainland to join the struggle, as Arundhati Roy argued “weekend demonstrations don’t stop wars”. One question is how well they can combine their local protest with pressure in Seoul. The month long march ending in Seoul is a step in that direction. The continuous pressure on Samsung is also crucial. Perhaps South Korea’s presidential elections in December will bring some renegotiation of the relationship with the USA, and Catholic bishops have petitioned that this should include cancelling Jeju. One of the most famous anti-militarist struggles – the decade-long resistance to a firing range on the Larzac in France – resulted in 1981 in the newly-elected French president, François Mitterrand, keeping his promise and cancelling the plan. Nothing like that is likely with Jeju, however, until the movement grows even stronger. Therefore the movement needs a longer term perspective – and could certainly benefit from the long-range support and encouragement of those far away who see the importance of this struggle. Boycott Samsung – share information on what’s happening in Gangjeong – write to or picket your nearest South Korean embassy. Join the Facebook cause if that’s your way. Let’s all find some way to say “No to the Naval base on Jeju Island!”
The Jeju naval base project is divided of the 1st and 2nd work areas The 1st and core work area is ordered to Samsung C & T: The outer blocks of the south breakwater, west breakwater, and dock for aircraft carrier and cruise. The 2nd work area is ordered to Daelim: East breakwater, east break water shore protection, mooring facility and west breakwater shore protection. (Source: P. 2 & 3 of the attached file to the villagers’ open statement/inquiry, on the violation on the directives on the maritime traffic safety, Oct. 22, 2012)
On Oct. 18, the villagers raised a very important issue to the Island governor: The navy’s OMISSION on the ‘maritime traffic safety diagnosis report’ during the process of the government approval on the Jeju naval base project. See its original Korean script here. According to them:
The Ministry of National Defense (MND)’s first approval on the defense/ military facility on Jan. 21, 2009 did not need the navy’s submission on the diagnosis report since the revised Maritime Traffic Safety Act became to be effective only from Nov. 28, 2009.
HOWEVER, the MND’s alteration approval disposal on March 15, 2010 that even the Supreme Court acknowledged as a separate disposal needed the navy’s submission of the diagnosis report, which was NOT carried out: A violation of law.
Also, since the reclamation license permitted on the navy on March 3, 2010 was DONE WITHOUT the submission of diagnosis report, it is unlawful, as well.
Those exposures are very important since the Supreme Court has made a court decision that the Jeju naval base project is LEGAL on July 5, 2012. See here.
On Oct. 22, the villagers developed the issue again with the below translated statement. The village Association attached the two proof documents not translated here but useful. You can see those two PDF files at the bottom of here. The villagers demanded the Island governor’s reply to their inquiries by Nov. 7.
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[Gangjeong village statement, Oct. 22] All approval disposals related to the issue on the public water and its vicinity surface is violation of law in the Jeju naval base project (So called Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty)
Through the material resources collected upon the National Assembly inspection on the government offices, it has become clear that the Jeju naval base project has so many procedural violations of laws.
On the first inspection, regarding the matter on the non-enforcement on the maritime traffic safety diagnosis following the Maritime Traffic Safety ACT (Enforcement Date 27, May, 2009), claimed [on Oct. 18], it reads in the maritime traffic safety diagnosis guidebook supplementary provisions that [only] research reports ‘on the projects whose research service works have been finished before Jan. 26, 2010,’ should be switched to ‘diagnosis document.’ [Please notice] the investigation and test report on the Jeju naval base project 1st work area (Samsung C & T) was issued in April, 2010.
In other words, the Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs (MLMT) did not demand the Chief of Naval Operations on the submission of diagnosis report even though it is clear that it is the project subject to maritime traffic safety diagnosis.
Also, the Navy Headquarter got the reclamation license on the public water and its vicinity surface from theBusan Regional Maritime Port Affairs and Port Office, without submission of diagnosis report on the date of March 3rd, 2010. It is an act that the Office permitted the reclamation license for the law-violating project, which is also unlawful.
Further, the Navy Headquarter applied for the approval on the reclamation execution plan on the public water and its vicinity surface on the date of March 5, 2010. Even though it was supposed that it should submit the construction specifications and execution layout books etc., it got approval on the execution plan without submission of specifications on the 1st work area and execution layout books on the date of April 6, 2010. Since the 1st work area (Samsung C & T) construction specifications and execution layout books were issued in May 2010, it could not present those [to the Office].
In other words, it turned out that the Jeju naval base project is full of all the procedural violations, related to the matter on the public water and its surface, not to mention the violation of non-execution on the maritime traffic safety diagnosis following the Maritime Traffic Safety Act.
Therefore, Woo Keun-Min, the Jeju Special-Self governing Island governor, who has all the authority on the reclamation license on the public water and its vicinity surface should be responsible for all the recovery of flaws and immediately cancel the approval on the execution on reclamation.
As the Island governor Woo Keun-Min claims fair simulation, what he should do is to demand the navy maritime safety diagnosis, according to law. It is needless to say that verification process could be objectively and fairly done ONLY when the construction stop precedes it through cancellation of reclamation license.
As clear proofs that there have been administrative procedural flaws in the Jeju naval base project beyond political arguments, we will proceed a process to strictly inquire on the responsibility on the illegality to the Chief of naval operations and Chief of Busan Regional Maritime Port Affairs and Port Office.
Finally we make clear that we would inquire Woo the responsibility for civilian and criminal cases, if he does not make a cancellation disposal on the unlawful approval to the unlawful project. We also make clear that we would recall him as the Presidential election period finishes ( * You cannot do recalling movement during the Presidential election period in Korea)
