In this December Edition:
Gangjeong Mayor’s message for 2015, Encountering of Nanjing and Jeju’s suffering, Navy plans crackdown on 24 hour sit-in tent, A priest’s getting pushed down by a construction vehicle and the negligence of police, Republic Of Korea Navy Chief involved in corrupt arms purchase, Love is the only answer, tangerine harvest season, The struggle by villagers and Island people to stop the resumption of the construction
for military residence, Palestine Come and See, Korea loses Father James Sinnott, Christmas Eve in Gangjeong village, Metburi report, United Progressive Party, Introducing Gangjeong struggle through movies, trial updates and much more!
In this this July and August Special Edition:
The Pope visits Korea, more caissons broken by typhoons, World Council of Churches calls for a stop to the base, special section on the 2014 Grand March, special section on the 2014 Peace for the Sea Camp, update on Milyang, Emergency Jeju DMZ forum, youth camps in Gangjeong, Gangjeong housing co-op, prison updates, trial updates, international solidarity, and more!
Photo by Dir Cho Sung-Bong , which is told to be taken around 6 pm on July 9. For more photos, see here.Photo by Dir Cho Sung-Bong (1, 2) , which is told to be taken around 6 pm on July 9. For more photos, see here.
If you remember the seven destroyed caissons (*a caisson is a huge concrete structure for building breakwater) by the big typhoons in 2012, you will also remember how unreliable the caisson construction has been; how wrong the base location is as the village is located on the very way of typhoon; how dumbfounding is waste of people’s tax for war base; and how the sea has been polluted by the navy who has illegally destroyed those seven without any environmental concern… Here are a few words (excerpted) by some witness who are observing another damage on caissons by a medium typhoon that hit Jeju on July 9…
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‘It is the 1st typhoon since the [navy’s] caisson construction in the area of South breakwater, an area operated by the Samsung C & T.’ (By Kim Kook Nam, peace keeper, July 9)
‘Neoguri, the 1st level typhoon in Okinawa has become weaken into the 2nd level when it affected the Jeju Island. [..]’ (By Go Gwon-Il, co-vice mayor, July 9)
‘Due to the typhoon Neoguri influence, two caissons at the end of the naval base (currently built) south breakwater were completely separated. A one-story caisson at the end of south breakwater, which is barely exposed on the sea surface, is slant, as well, while the two caissons next to it become separated from the existing ones with the great gap from those and looking slant, too. It is likely to take lots of time for those to be restored..” (By Fr. Kim Sung-Hwan, July 10, 8:30am)
‘According to Koh Sung-Shik, Yonhap news reporter who inquired to the naval base project committee, the 1st caisson has been filled with about 40% inside while the 2nd with 100%[..] There seems no way except for smashing those. Steel rods in those became all crooked with the concern of getting rusty in the sea water.. (By Go Gwon-Il, co-vice mayor, in the morning of July 10)
The naval base project committee got tens of billions of damage by total destruction of seven caissons when the typhoon Denvin and Bolaben hit the Jeju in 2012. At the time, the navy said, “The naval base caisson is laid out to stand against big typhoon every 50 years.” (Jeju Sori, July 9)
”The damaged caissons shown from the land is No. 1 and 2. But when I accessed to the site, today, the No. 3, following 1, 2, became slant, too, toward the Beom Island(Tiger Island) about 15 degree. The last picture is the front of No. 3. ( Writing and photos By Kim Kook Nam, Peace Keeper, on July 10)’ (See also Yonhap News, July 10)
‘1. Three caissons in the south breakwater were damaged and distorted. Though the size is different, each costs from 1.5 to 3 billion KRW. It is our tax.
2. The same scene with No. 1, taken from the Moetppuri,[ the eastern tip of the base project]
3. All steel rods along the south breakwater became to be laid
4. Same with tetra pods that have been piled up at the end of the east breakwater.
The villagers used to say,
“The Gangjeong Sea will settle what we cannot do with our struggle.”
(Writing and photos by Cho Sung-Bong, July 10. For more photos by Dir. Cho, see here. )
A Jeju media reminds the words of Yang Hong-Chan, the chairman of the villagers’ anti-base commitee in the earliest period of the struggle: “Do you know why there is no tree in the sunny south side on the top of the Beom Island? It is because the sea wave even over rides the top of it during big typhoons. How there can a base be built up in such location? ( Jeju Internet News, July 10)
On June 24, 2013, around 2 pm, an activist, member of SOS (Save Our Sea) team and an international took a kayak to monitor along with a silt protect belt outside west breakwater being built as part of the Jeju naval base project in Gangjeong, Jeju. It was around 3 pm that they discovered a dredge barge, Woosung GD No. 2 of the Woosung Industry Development Inc. ( * sub-contract to the Samsung C & T) was working on dredge in the condition that silt protectors were not properly installed. Therefore a SOS activist demanded coast guards in a monitoring ship nearby to stop that construction (destruction). However, the coast guard said that they cannot do because they cannot find proofs of illegal construction. Even though the SOS activist told the coast guards that he would directly show how the dredge works by corporations are poor and illegal, the coast guard ignored his words.
Photo by Song Kang-Ho, SOS/ The ship GD No. 2 enforced maritime construction without proper facilities to reduce pollution. Further the supervising committee of the construction group made an explanation of lies that it permitted construction after confirmation together with the Samsung C & T (source)
While the activist was to access a dredge barge crossing the line for the prohibition area for maritime leisure activities, their kayak was turned over, hit in the left side by a silt-protector-monitoring ship owned by the construction groups. Right after it, the international was carried out to the port by a ship owned by construction group and the SOS activist approached to the dredge barge by swim.
While he swam to the silt protectors, the sea water was full of hazy floating material for him not to be able to distinguish front and there were no canvases under the silt-protectors, which must be there. In other words, fake silt-protectors with no function had been being installed [..] It means the supervising committee of the naval base construction has been conniving it and the cost guard has been in dereliction of their duty. Even though the SOS team informed such illegal dredge work to the coast guard, the work continued by 5 pm on the day. Even the coast guard personnel said that, “such thing happened as the construction groups were too hurrying from anxiety, facing typhoons.”
Photo by Song Kang-Ho, SOS/ There were no canvases underneath those fake silt-protectors. Pollution stuffs were floating, hazy to sight.Photo by Song Kang-Ho, SOS/ No canvases to reduce pollution underneath fake silt-protectors.
2. Bubbles of sea contamination
Here is another post by Mongye, member of Save Our Sea team, on June 25 activity:
‘In the Samsung work area, silt protectors are not installed to surround the lines of caissons (huge concrete structures), but they are installed at the both side of them (* What is the use of those silt-protectors, then?)
On June 25, the working company did not take out water inside caisson when they worked on putting cement in those. They were hurrying. As a result of it, lots of contaminating stuffs such as muddy water flew into the sea.
We witnessed that lots of bubbles were formed near the caissons. When we took kayaks on the sea, they were already widely spreading. They were even flowing into the port.
When we approached close to caissons with monitoring camera, the company workers were careful not to leak contaminating stuffs when they were doing same works.’
3.The supervising committee of the naval base project committee even lies to the Island government: Is it for protection of illegal destruction by Samsung C & T?
Joan Kim, peacekeeper in Gangjeong, wrote in Ohmynews on June 27, 2013. Here is an excerpted translation:
[..] On June 24, the Samsung C & T was working on dredge work despite damaged dual silt-protectors in its work area on the sea, the 1st work area of the naval base project. However, the supervising committee of the project ignored it and allowed Samsung’s construction (destruction) even though it confirmed the fact that silt protectors are being damaged before its work.
Photo by Save Our Sea team/ The non-restored damaged silt-protectors never properly function to reduce contamination. Muddy water is flowing to the pollution of the sea.
Further the committee lied to Island government officer who was to check the situation, saying that, “this work is not a dredge work bur related to caisson work,” and “as a result of our confirmation with Samsung C & T, there is no problem in dual silt-protectors.”
The Island government confirming the fact that there are no canvases underneath the protectors through a June 24 video taken by a SOS activist, made a directive to the project committee to pose the related dredge works until dual silt-protectors are properly installed.
However, the next morning of June 25, the Samsung C & T still enforced maritime construction(destruction) despite still damaged silt-protectors.
On the day, the Samsung C & T having crane in the ship of Woosung GD No. 2, worked on dredge and carried dredged earth to the ship of Samyang No. 13. At the time, two silt-protector-monitoring ships of the supervising committee were in operation nearby. In other words, the supervising committee ignored the Island government directive. As on June 24, along with its connivance on illegal destruction, the committee intended to hide the situation on June 25.
The Save Our Sea monitoring team called for complaint to Jeju Island government officer. When the Island government called to the supervising committee, the committee said “It is not a dredge work but a work to replace machine.”
However, the committee finally acknowledged the fact that the Samsung C & T has been working on construction(destruction) despite damaged dual silt-protectors only when the Island government checked the fact visiting construction site.
The Island government made directive to the committee again to pose dredge work until silt-protectors are being recovered. [..]
Behind the illegal destruction by the Samsung C & T, there is a supervising committee who ignore its illegality and does not take any measure on it for whatever reasons. [..]
Otherwise the Jeju Island government decided to report the situation to the Youngsan River Environment Office belonging to the Ministry of Environment that the committee not only violates the consultative items of the environmental impact assessment but also repeats full of lies of explanations.
1. Maintenance of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve despite massacre of nature?/ People’s letter to the UNESCO
Despite great mass killing of UNESCO sea creatures in the Gangjeong Sea, Jeju, it isreported that the UNESCO International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere program (MAB) adopted the report by the Jeju Island government in its evaluation on May 28, 2013. The evaluation is held every 10 year. The Jeju Island became to continue to hold the title of the UNESCO triple-crowned: The Biosphere Reserve, World Natural Heritage and Geology Park. Please see the very related and important post regarding the matter of the UNESCO renewal , here.
The Jeju Island was designated as the Biosphere Reserve in Dec. 2012. The total designation area is 30.94㎢, which is about 45% of the whole area of the Jeju Island, It includes the Halla National Park, Youngcheon (Young Stream), Hyodoncheon (Hyodon Stream), Moonseom (Moon Island), Beomseom (Beom/ Tiger Island), Seopseom (Seop Island) that were designated as the CORE Biosphere Reserves in 2012. (See the same article of the Jeju Internet News linked above)
The status of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Jeju Island. The scarlet areas and spots indicate the core zones of the Biosphere Reserve: Mt. Halla, Beom, Moon and Seop Islands. The blue areas are buffer zones while the pale blue areas are transition areas. (source: Jeju Internet News, May 29, 2013)
The National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island has sent a letter to the UNESCO MAB secretariat as of May 29, to request the UNESCO ‘objective reviews on the Jeju Biosphere Reserve,’ concerning about the ‘destruction and pollution of the Jeju Biosphere Reserve in relation to the Jeju Naval Base construction.’ Please see the letter in English in thesite (Please scroll down mouse until you see the English part).
In its letter, it first raised on the matter of ‘inconsistent maps of the Biosphere Reserve Buffer Zone’ around the core Biosphere Reserve of the Beom Island (Tiger Island):
‘Inconsistent maps of the Biosphere Reserve buffer zone brings confusions and raises doubts on the Government’s performance on monitoring the management and preservation of the entire Jeju Biosphere Reserve.” (See the letter for details)
It also made clear that the ‘sea route of the Jeju Naval Base would cut through the buffer zone’: ‘In the last World Conservation Congress held in September 2012, the Government insisted that the Jeju Naval Base construction does not violate the Biosphere Reserve. However, in any of above mentioned three maps, the sea route of the Jeju Naval Base would cut through the buffer zone, which would bring negative impacts on the Biosphere Reserve. The Government did not mention about these concerns in its Periodic Report submitted in September 2012.’
Despite the letter, according to the the Jeju Island government who stated on May 29 , “the UNESCO MAB-ICC made an overall evaluation that ‘the Jeju Island is faithfully carrying out the Biosphere Reserve network rules and regulations,’ according to its advisory committee evaluation result. The MAB-ICC adopted the periodic reviews from the six regions of Canada, Germany, India, Paraguai, Mexico, and Jeju Island, among 55 regions, without special demand items. It adopted periodic reviews from the other regions with recommendation and demand items.” the same article reads. (See the article)
According to the article, ‘the Jeju Island government delivered that it included the physical character of the Island’s Biosphere Reserve; types of creatures’ habitats; activities within the Biosphere Reserve; activities on study, monitoring; education & training and public relation; management, policy, budget on its biosphere reserve.’ It also added that it ‘introduced Gotjawal, Oreums, inner land wetlands, and soft coral habitats as the habitats of special concern, while introducing stone culture and sea-diving women’ lives as its traditional culture.’
Did they ever report on the current on-going destruction and killing of UNESCO Gangjeong Sea by the naval base construction(destruction)? Probably NONE but with lots of cheats ! The UNESCO is dammed to be cheated by the Jeju Island and ROK governments. You may see the ROK government document to the MAB-ICC, here, which conceals many serious matters of ROK government’s environmental destruction in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, especially in the Jeju.
2. People file for a lawsuit against the navy and Samsung
On May 31, the ROK Day of Sea, some groups such as the Office of Jang Hana, National Assembly woman, Hot Pink Dolphins, and the Gangjeong Village Association filed for a lawsuit accusing the ROK navy, Samsung and Daelim, especially in relation to the navy and companies’ massacre of sea creatures with their thoughtless dismantling works of damaged 6 caissons, which started on May 5, this year, the Children Day in Korea. (See the accusation document in Korean, here).
The groups along with the members of the Seoul and Gyunggi branches of ‘Gangjeong Friends’ also had a press conference in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office on the same day.
Jang Hana, National Assembly woman talking and holding accusation document against the navy and corporations such as Samsung C & T, during the press conference on May 31. People wore the hand-made hats of endangered species in Gangjeong by the naval base construction(destruction)
Jo Yak Gol, member of Hot Pink Dolphins and a peace keeper of Gangjeong speaks during the conference on May 31. (Source/ Original Source: Voice of People, May 31, 2013)
According to Jang Hana, National Assembly woman: “The navy’s behavior of contaminating the sea ecology system in the Gangjeong Sea, by its dismantling process of damaged caissons underwater, bringing the very poisonous cement powders and concrete lumps in the sea is in violation of item 2 of article 22 of the maritime environment management.
The item 2 of the article 22 of the maritime environment management defines that “nobody should leak contaminating material that occurs in the maritime space such as maritime facility, beach resort, and mouth zone.” The punishment for the violation of it is up to two years’ imprisonment or up to 20 million won fine.
The people also reminded that when the World Conservation Congress was held in Jeju, 2012, there was a controversy of environmental destruction on the damaged caissons by typhoons. At the time, Captain Yoon Seok-Hwan stated in the press conference, that the navy plans to “float damaged caissons and then dismantle and dispose those ON THE LAND or dispose those in the ways not badly affecting environment. We will NEVER use the way such as underwater blast.” (See a Korean article, here) .
Go Gwon-Il, Village chairman of the Stop the Naval Base Project speaks during the press conference on May 31. The banner reads, ‘Immediately stop the Jeju naval base construction (destruction) that destroys maritime ecology system. ‘(Source/ Original source: Newsis, May 31, 2013)
However, that promise has never been kept. The navy is openly dismantling those caissons ON THE SEA, carelessly blowing out poisonous cement powders and lumps into the sea. Its disastrous result could be seen on the SOS teams’ May 15 video. “Even though the navy and Samsung say that they would dredge the cement on the sea bottom, there is really no way to dredge all the chopped-up parts of cement because those powders are spreading far into the sea by the strong currents of the Gangjeong Sea. It is already illegal to throw down concrete cement, poisonous waste, into the sea.” (from people’s accusation document)
3. Three recent important videos on the navy’s destruction of Gangjeong sea
(1) The navy and companies’ illegal dismantling of damaged caissons on the sea
It is a vivid scene of navy’s illegal dismantling of damaged caissons on the sea, which started on May 5. (Video by Moetppuri Park, edit by Ryu Dong-Kyun)
Seven caissons were destroyed by the typhoons such as Bolaven on Aug. 29, 2012. The whole production costs of those caissons are 35 billion won. The ROK Ministry of Construction and Traffic has concluded in 1998 that the caisson construction method is impossible in the southern part of Jeju, after the result of a year’s investigation. It is because of severe typhoons and currents to the total destruction of harbors in the Seogwipo area, the southern part of Jeju. (See the recent Korean article, here). Especially, the Gangjeong village is of a protruded out geography in its coast. The villagers have warned the navy numerous times that the village geography itself is impossible for any huge harbor, not to mention naval base. Despite that, the navy has enforced the construction (destruction). It is only forthe profits of big corporations such as Samsung.
(2) The UNESCO Gangjeong Sea being killed by the naval base construction (destruction)
(Video by Save Our Sea team on May 15, 2013)
‘While heavy metal-poisonous materials such as leaking earth and sands, concrete lumps and cement powders are injected into the sea as they are by the illegal naval base construction(destruction), the silt protectors never properly work because of unreliable installation and restoration of their damaged status… The Gangjeong Sea where the endangered species such as the Indo-Pacific bottle nose dolphins, red-feet crabs, soft corals have been playing is being killed. There hardly is no trace of living creatures in the bottom of the sea. Only sediment materials can be touched. The damage on the fisheries by the illegal naval base construction (destruction) is extended into Beophwan and Wolpyong, nearby Gangjeong’ (SOS. Source)
You may painfully compare the above video with the below which was taken in 2009, before the destruction of sea by the naval base construction.
(3) Illegal quarrying, transportation, and reclamation of sand and stones.
(Video by Kim Bok-Chul, edit and arrangement by Dungree(Park Sung-Soo)
The Jeju naval base project is already infamously illegal in the sense of dual MOU, violation of EIA, violation of law on the cultural treasure, layout flaw, manipulated fake simulation. It was disclosed by a construction worker last October that the Samsung C & T is building unreliable caissons, using the reinforce rods under-standard, which results in easy destruction of caissons by typhoons.
Not only that. The video discloses the illegal quarrying, transportation and land-filling of sand-stones by the companies.
On Jan. 31, this year, a peace activist, Mr. Kim Bok-Chul traced a truck from the Hwasoon port and Gangjeong and found that the stone-quarrying site located in the Mooreung-ri, Daejung-eup, Seogwipo City is illegal. Given the record, it can be estimated that tens of thousands of illegal sands and stones have been transported for 40 days around Jan. 31. Those illegal stones would never properly work in the basic construction of the base.
It has been also known that there are about nine transportation companies of which trucks commonly violate legal speed, freight amount, central line and traffic signs.
Putting sands and stones in the sea is also done in violation of the EIA. The silt-protectors have never properly functioned but rather contributed to the destruction of environment.
The navy and company should stop destruction of nature with illegal methods which are only for reduction of construction costs. The sea is of the soft coral habitats, which are ROK natural memorial NO. 442, as well as the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
While the Seogwipo Coast Guard is investigating on the illegality of sand and stones, the Seogwipo City and Seogwipo Police should also thorough examine the illegality of construction (destruction) rather than oppressing protesting people in violation of their human rights.
In this month’s issue:
Crackdown in Gangjeong, Catholics stand up to police, SOS international training, Jeong Young-Hee returns from US tour, Emily Wang’s reflection on deportation, Villager Mi-Lyang badly injured by police, Conscientious objection in Korea, and more!
1. Mr. Kim Young-Jae, a peace activist was illegally arrested and got the arrest warrant.
Photo by Park Yong-Sung/ Mr. Kim Young-Jae was arrested on April 12, 2013.
On April 12, Mr. Kim Young-Jae, a dedicated Gangjeong peace activist and a member of the SPARK (Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea) was arrested. He was standing in front of a truck around 1 pm in protest to illegal environment-destroying construction (destruction). His arrest marked the 2nd arrest this year, following the April 8 arrest of Mr. Bae Gi-Chul, representative of the Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island (Pan-Island committee afterward). Mr. Bae was released next night.
On April 14, the prosecutors filed for an arrest warrant against Mr. Kim Young-Jae and the Jeju court issued it against him around 2 pm. With prof. Yang Yoon-Mowho hits his 74th prison day as of April 14, 2013, Mr. Kim became another current prisoner. The total numbers of imprisonment became 24.
Mr. Park Young-Sung, a fellow activist, has reported on April 12 that the arrest on Mr. Kim Young-Jae was illegal and unreasonable. He reasoned that:
1. Even though Mr. Kim left the site after the police’s 2nd request for leaving, the police obstinately and illegally arrested him
2. Even though another activist with a sign stayed longer than Mr. Kim, sitting on chair in front of the truck, the police arrested only Mr. Kim.
Photo by Park Yong-Sung on April 12/ Mr. Kim Young-Jae holds a sign
It should be mentioned that Mr. Kim Young-Jae has been remarkably dedicated activist responsible for coordinating activists in Gangjeong, as well as being a member of the SPARK that has been targeted by the government for years. He was also one of the five who climbed up to a caisson dock in Hwasoon in protest to naval base construction on the opening day of 2012 WCC (World Conservation Congress) Jeju, Sept. 6, 2012.
Photo source: Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyeon’s tweeter/ Mr. Kim Young-Jae being detained in the Dongbu Police station, Jeju City on April 14.
2. “Where there is oppression, there is uprising!”
Amid the people’ fury for the arrest of Mr. Kim, a big trailer advanced into a gate of the naval base project committee building complex 30 minutes later of his arrest on April 12. The trailer was ignorant and uncouth to load its heavy weight on a small road in front of gate. There were risks that protesting people might be injured or some of them could be arrested, too…
In the afternoon, there were also Pan-Island committee activists who visited Gangjeong for protest after their press conference in the morning, which was on the environmental destruction for the naval base construction (destruction). The police forcefully encircled them with physical force, too. However, as the words that ‘where there is oppression, there is uprising, stated by people during 4·3 uprising are still remembered by many people, more people will rise up against bigger government oppression . The aspiration for peace would be greater.
On April 12, a big trailer advanced into a gate. For more photos, see here.The Pan Island committee’s banner reads, “The Jeju Island government should promptly demand stop on the navy’s illegal construction! Immediately carry out joint investigation on the ecology affect following illegal construction(destruction)!”A Jeju activist stops a truck, April 12, 2013Police forcefully encircling protesting activists on April 12, 2013Photo and caption by Cho Sung-Bong (site) / The sign reads… “Police, there can be no difference between you and [the oppression force during the 4·3! At the time of 4·3, people’s public sentiments exploded! Ignoring the public opinion that cause should be healed, U.S. captain Brown (* Commander of the US military of Jeju then) killed more than 30,000 Island people, led by military and police, saying, “ I am not interested in the cause of the uprising. My mission is to crack down only.”The content is clearly exhibited in the Peace Memorial Hall of the Jeju April 3 Peace Park.
Trucks and police were coming every 30 minutes…
(video by Pang Eun-Mi on April 12)
Photo and caption by Cho Sung-Bong/ “How can you endure this tough world without dance?,” she/he asked. You may dance if you love. For more photos by Cho Sung-Bong, see here.People who can’t leave the gate.. photo by Cho Sung-Bong. For more photos, see here.
On Wednesday, January 23rd, the two members from the SOS (Save Our Seas) ocean activism and environmental monitoring team took a kayak and went out to monitor the construction in the sea and also check the silt protectors surrounding the construction site. Although they were not blocked by the coast guard, the scene was quite comedic as the whole time they were surrounded on all sides by 8 coast guard motorboats. As the coast guard boats surrounded them and recorded their every action, they stupidly, completely ignored the massive amount of environmental regulation violations going on right next to them. Once again, the coast guard has shown itself to be a completely worthless organization, failing entirely to protect the sea or the coast, and merely being blind and dumb thugs for Samsung, Daelim, and their bloodsucking friends…
In this month’s issue: A message from Chomsky to Gangjeong, a new civil disobedience movement, prison letters, prisoner releases, construction accidents, art activism and more!
Photo by Rev. Cho Hun-Kook/ Release of Rev. Jeong Yeon-Gil and Mr. Park Suk-Jin from the Jeju Prison, on bail, on Dec. 12. Two have been imprisoned since Sept. 6, the opening day of WCC.
‘The National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island submitted individual complaints to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association and Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on human rights situation in Gangjeong. Human rights defenders including peace activists, religious leaders, villagers, and environmental defenders are continuously harassed by the government of the Republic of Korea, the navy and construction companies during their peaceful protest against construction of Jeju naval base.
Press statement was made in Korean but attachments are in English, so feel free to download the letter and case fact sheets from below link for your information 🙂
Scenes of release of Rev. Jeong Yeon-Gil and Mr. Park Suk-Jin (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)
Welcome back of two prisoners, Park Seok-jin 박석진 and Saltcandy Yohan 정연길. These two climbed up the caisson dock at Hwasun port with the other peace activists on September 6, opening day of World Conservation Congress in Jeju. They were released on bail on December 12. For more photos by Jang Hyun-woo 장현우 http://cafe.daum.net/peacekj/496a/729, http://cafe.daum.net/peacekj/496a/731
Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ People celebrate the release of two in front of the jeju prison on Dec. 12Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ Released Rev. Jeong Yeon-Gil (Saltcandy Yohan) is again surrounded by the police on the same day at the gate.Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ Celebration in the struggle field on Dec. 12
Welcome back to Gangjeong of two prisoners, Park Seok-jin 박석진 and Saltcandy Yohan 정연길. These two climbed up the caisson dock at Hwasoon port with the other peace activists on September 6, opening day of World Conservation Congress in Jeju. They were released on bail on December 12. Video by Dunguree 박성수
Update on the conscientious prisoners against the Jeju naval base project
As of Dec. 16, 2012
Mr. Kim Bok-Chul, 188th day (No. 598)
Mr. Park Seung-Ho, 93rd day (No. 290)
Fr. Lee Young-Chan, 53rd day (No. 407) Please send each letters of support with the prisoner number to the address at:
Jeju Prison
161 Ora-2 dong, Jeju City,
Jeju, the Peace Island, Korea
Image: Kim Bok-Chul, a former laid-off railroad worker and one of the leaders of the field struggle, with a humorous sign, ‘Break down the fence.’ For the photo source, click here.
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Dr. Song Kang-Ho was released on Sept. 28 (after 181 days). See here.
Villager Mr. Yoon Chung was released on Oct. 24(after 44days). See here.
Mr. Kim Dong-Won was released on Oct. 26 (after 118 days). See here.
Rev. Jeong Yeon-Gil and Mr. Park Suk-Jin were released on Dec. 12 (after 98days). See here.
