No War Base on the Island of Peace
In this month’s issue:
Soft corals of Gangjeong dying, Jeju after the elections, Sydney Harbor, Solidarity with Okinawa for the Battle of Okinawa, police disturb Catholic mass, village bus gets painted, nonviolent direct action workshop in Gangjeong, remembering the Korean war, noisy construction, prison updates, trial updates, international solidarity, and more!
In this month’s issue:
Gangjeong at the World Council of Churches, National and local base inspections, Solidarity from Philippines and Christian Peacemaker Teams, Peace for Life Forum and Women’s Pilgrimage Report, prisoner releases, trial updates, and more!
1. Facing typhoon, illegal construction (destruction) is madly being done
Dr. Song Kang-Ho, member of the SOS team whose recent activities are reported in Hankyoreh 21 wrote on June 24:
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.
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.”
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.’
See one more video, here:
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.
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.
It was already reported on April 9 that:
“‘It appeared that the sea area of the Beomseom (Tiger Island) designated as the government natural memorial is largely being threatened as big amount of mud water was leaked from the Jeju naval base construction site into the sea, for the strong rain and wind last weekend.
The Jeju branch of the Korean Federation for Environment Movement stated on April 8, confirming the fact that the damage of mud water reached even to the sea areas of the Beomseom and Seogun Island where soft corals inhibit in group. It would affect their ecology environment not a little. [..]” (See here)
Despite that, the navy has been enforcing construction therefore the Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island (Pan-Island committee afterward) made a press conference in the morning of April 12 and demanded stop of naval base construction(destruction) and joint investigation on the affect on the ecology system, as well.
The committee reminded that “The Gangjeong sea, the construction sea area, is a habitat of soft coral designated as natural memorial by the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea. The focal content of its approval condition on navy base construction is on the installation of silt protectors and thorough operation/management of those for the protection of soft coral habitats.”
“However, not to mention great damage of silt-protectors by recent winds and sea waves, it was confirmed that the status of management and installation of those are quite poor to the degree that those have been of no proper function already from the past.”
Even though it is righteous that there should be protection layers installed to prevent sea weeds onto canvases and should be works to remove those there, various sea weeds have already been propagating on the canvases.
The ropes that have been installed to the bottom of sea water to prevent the move of the canvases were already cut in tremendous amount. No obligatory item on the repair of silt protectors has been kept, not to mention formal floating buoys of silt protectors only on sea surface. (decoration?)
The committee criticized both the CHAK and navy and demanded the Island government to take prompt measures on those problems.
“While it is already problematic that the CHAK approved navy construction only on the condition of installing silt-protectors as a way to protect soft coral habitats where tens of law-protection species inhibit, the navy’s behavior to carry out the condition only with formality is dumbfounding.”
The committee also raised issue on ‘extreme exclusiveness’ of the naval base construction area that is in fact, ‘extraterritoriality zone.”
The navy has intentionally delayed or refused visits even by the government officers who were to confirm the violations of laws inside the construction area.
The committee, criticizing the Island government’s clear dereliction of its duty, demanded it to make a prompt order on the stop of navy’s illegal construction (destruction) and to take strong administrative measures on it.
The committee also emphasized that there should be a joint investigation on the affect on the ecology system and independent post-EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment), joined by Gangjeong villagers and environment groups. It also claimed that there should be joint examination on the items of performance on the approval conditions within the naval base construction area.
It should be noted that people have been demanding such things numerous times, pointing out the problems of illegal construction on the sea (for example, see here). The navy has always ignored people’s demands while the Island government has been irresponsible to take clear and strong measures on the navy.
The Jeju Island government was told to have requested the navy to pose construction until the completion of restoration on the silt-protectors but the construction(destruction) noise in the construction area in the night was louder than ever on the very day (April 12) of its request to the navy.
In this month’s issue:
Launch of the new demilitarize Jeju campaign, Samsung above the law?, U.S. military wrecks in coral reef, more prisoner releases, Yang Yoon-Mo arrested and on hunger strick, Interview with former prisoner, continued environmental regulation problems, and more!
Conclusion in advance: What the simulation T/F team proved out on Jan. 31 is the ‘Civilian-Military Complex Port,’ is IMPOSSIBLE. Still They are deceiving themselves, not to mention people by saying, “NO PROBLEM.’
On Jan. 31, the Office of the Prime Minister and Jeju Island government stated that there is ‘no problem’ in the matter of 150,000 ton cruise port-entry & exit as a result of the simulation ‘show’ (not verification) carried out in rough-and-ready method in two days of Jan. 17 and 18, despite the FULL OF FLAWS in the layout that became more obvious even by their official report (You can download it, in the middle of the site here, though Korean).
On Feb. 4, the Island governor, Woo Keun Min made public at 2 pm that he would drive for the civilian-military complex port. His sugar-coating words deceiving the Island people again was that he would promise the local development, supported by the central government, console the Gangjeong villagers (no villagers opposing the base project will be consoled but infuriated against him) and that he would ASK the central government pardon for the people who have gotten the legal disposal for the struggle against the base project. It is in fact, his submission to the central gov, as the leader of the Island. (See the Korean article here)
The navy has been of course manipulating public opinion abusing such government lies. all those government and military’s false and deceiving play has been what people could somehow expect.
It is a great deception and betrayal again for the central and Island governments to lie to the people in the domestic and world to state as such. It has become very clear that the Jeju naval base project which has been violently and illegally enforced in the name of so called civilian-military complex port for tour beauty, despite the opposition of majority villagers who just want to save their hometown as it is, can properly function neither as a civilian nor a military port. It is because the navy, government, corporations like Samsung have been enforcing the project consistently with rough-and-ready methods, which contradicts from their own claim of so called a ‘national security policy.’
Most media seldom reports on such BIG DECEPTION that is why it is important to share the below, which is people’s own statement regarding the full of flaws in the base layout, revealed in the government report itself.
Yang Yoon-Mo, a movie critic, who was arrested and jailed directly from the court due to his opposition on the base project has started prison fast from the evening of Feb. 1, the day of his imprisonment which is the 4th time in his life . He demands two by his prison fast: 1. Nullification of the government simulation report on Jan. 31, 2. Revocation of the Jeju naval base project.
We hope that the below provides the reader some tips for the recognition of how the base project-including the base layout- has been totally falsehood from the beginning. Why these wrongdoings are seldom mentioned in the media? Does it surprise you to hear that the Korean mainstream media has been controlled by the big corporations like Samsung, one of the main contractors of the base project?
Does it surprise you to hear that the Island government said that it has not even preserved the base layout map, which made the villager mayor, Kang Dong-Kyun and others so infuriated? Does it surprise you to hear that they could not even say a sensible word to the strong criticism by the village representatives who have had to investigate the flaws of layout themselves without sleep for long days? (See the Korean article, here) Does it surprise you to hear that the current Island government is willing to accord with the coming government of Park Geun-Hye on whom the controversy on election fraud has been constantly raised?(See the Korean article, on Feb. 4, here)
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People’s statement on Feb. 1 (Click here for the original source)
Title: “The simulation that made confirmation again on the flaws in the base design should be annulled from the origin!”
: “Immediately stop the naval base construction (destruction) and re-examine the project!”
The government stated on Jan. 31, 2013, that it would drive for the naval base construction without setback, saying that ‘it confirmed the safety matter,’ as a result of the simulation show (* not ‘verification’) on the control of 150,000 ton cruise ships in the so called Jeju civilian-military complex port for tour beauty project.
However, the report on the result of the show by the Task Force team on the simulation on the control of cruise ships only confirms again that the matter on the flaws in the design on turning basin and sea route, which was raised in the 1st and 2nd simulation verification, as well, is a fact, therefore there are serious problems in the safety matter of harbor and bay.
Firstly, the simulation show this time was carried out in the condition of no jetty in the west side-different from the [navy] plan on changeable jetties [in the east and west part of the port] . According to the item 1 of the synthetic opinion by the researchers in the simulation report (Page 17, the Report on the Simulation Show on the Control of Cruise Ships in the [ Project] of the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty), the researchers demand a conducted layout change by which the jetty in the west part would be completely removed.
Related to it, Lee Dong-Seob, chief of the T/F team states that, “it is difficult to answer (on the safety of harbor and bay) in the condition of the jetty in the west side. It is a conclusion that there should be no jetty in the worst condition.”
That means it was a merely a patch measure for the navy to avoid controversy on the safety matter to have changed the sea route [from 77° to 30°] and introduced changeable jetty at the time of the 2nd simulation that it unilaterally carried out in Feb. 2012. Therefore it proves the justice of a claim that change of base design and construction stop is inevitable to guarantee the safety of 150.000 ton cruise to enter & exit of port and to come & exit alongside the pier.
Otherwise, the matter of removal on the jetty in the west part means that there is a serious problem in the project of so called Jeju civilian-military complex port for tour beauty: It cannot properly function as a military port, not to mention properly function as a civilian port.
It is because the accommodation ability of the Jeju naval base that should accommodate a task fleet is drastically being reduced. According to the original design (Image No. 4.4.5, page 129, book No. 1 of the report on investigation and test), the base design has been done for a base where total 24 ships can simultaneously come alongside the pier.
As the project was changed to a so called civilian-military complex port [in 2007], the south and west breakwaters were designated as a trade port as a facility for cruise to come alongside the pier. If the entry and exit of more than 2,000 ton cruise is permitted as the Jeju Island demands to the military, ( * It is a condition that the Island governor demands to the military to conclude a joint use protocol on the port) the south and west breakwaters cannot but be used only as (dis)embarkation for materials and human beings so the function as a military port disappears. It means five among 24 ships cannot be accommodated.
If a jetty dock in the west part is removed in such condition, additional 4 ships cannot be accommodated. Even with a ship that might take place on the site of the removed jetty, three ships cannot be accommodated. As a result, total 8 military ships among 24 ships cannot be accommodated.
That brings a result that the navy and Minister of National Defense give up the purpose of the Jeju naval base, in other words, the role of it as a deployment base where 20 large size naval vessels can simultaneously moor.
The Office of Prime Minister, navy, and Ministry of National Defense are irresponsible even by their own logic to say that they would enforce construction stating that “there is no problem in safety matter,” without an explanation whether the navy would be willing for such serious change of the base design or not.
To look at, to ask why the change of the base design is inevitable, one can recognize that the core of the matter lies in the issue of the turning radius.
The turning basin for the 150,000 ton cruise should be of D 690 m, which is 2L of the object ship, following the ‘Standard of the Layout in the Harbor & Bay and Fishing Port. While the turning basin of the Jeju naval base was designed as D 520 m, in violation of such legal standard, the matter is that the inner sea area of the projected Jeju naval base is too small to accommodate even D 520 m.
In the plane plan of the navy’s report on the basic plan, the D 520 m turning base is drawn rather spared. However, it can be recognized that the turning basin is interluding major sites of placed ships as in the below picture, when a correct 3 D modeling was established for the simulation show this time.
It can be confirmed that cruise ship is overlapped in the turning basin in the south breakwater and even destroyers (KDX-II) that come alongside the dock – exclusive only for the large size ships- have no turning water area and spare.
In case that a large size aircraft carrier in the south breakwater or a naval vessel higher than KDX-III level comes alongside the pier- exclusive only for the large size ships-, the radius of the turning basin is more being intruded therefore the safety of the cruise entry & exit of port and coming & leaving alongside the pier becomes more difficult.
Given that, the navy, Ministry of National Defense, and the Office of prime Minister cannot avoid people’s suspicion that they have intentionally hidden the problems of the flaws on the design on the turning basin by now.
Secondly, the item 2 of the synthetic opinion by the researchers of the simulation show point out that “ Due to high entry speed in the gate part in harbor and bay.. it is necessary to pay attention to pressuring currents.” The pilots who joined the simulation show are also stating that they ask attention on the pressuring currents in the harbor gate.” It means the ships in simulation had to navigate with high speed to the degree of concern, without decreasing speed to maximum following the shipbuilding program at the time of entering and exiting out of port. In other words, the ships in simulation had to increase their propulsive force so that ships are not being pushed by the crosswind of 27 knot.
What they point out is that there is a concern that the ships may be clashed to breakwaters: In case of the Jeju naval base project, the width of the sea route is only 250 meter. Therefore the navigator on the ship bridge in 150,000 ton cruise cannot observe the end tip of the breakwater in the mouth part of the port so that he can rely only on guess or GPS. If wind suddenly stops or more severely blows, the ship may clash with breakwaters.
In other words, they were expressing their concern: If the ship entering the port without reduction of speed clashes with breakwater, such incident cannot but be extended as a giant incident in the worst case. It is because wind blows irregularly in real situation different from the simulation when wind blows homogenously. If then, the suspicion whether the 150,000 ton cruise can safely enter and exit the port is still unresolved task.
Thirdly, looking at the 3rd items of the synthetic opinion of the researchers in the simulation show, the matters that we have pointed out many times are written as they are. We have consistently pointed out that, while the 2nd and 3rd simulations are based on 30° sea route, actual area-detailed data around the 30° sea route have not been input.
The words that ‘sea route environment and sea route signs same with the simulation condition are needed,’ means that the maritime environment such as the water depth of the sea route and current should be fit into the environment applied in simulation. In other words, it can be interpreted that the natural environment should be changed into same with the simulation environment since the simulation was done without actual area-detailed data.
It means, to make a sea route that crosses low water depth area, there should be inevitably an underwater construction such as rock excavation and dredging. It is a result that reveals more of the rough-and-ready of the 3rd simulation done even neither with an environmental impact assessment nor procedure on the status change on the cultural treasure.
Even though water depth is supposed that it can be artificially controlled, the inner currents that occur by the gap between ebb and tide cannot be controlled by human beings. We have pointed out many times that the inner currents of the water area near the train rock are very high before this 3rd simulation.
As a result, we conclude that even the researchers themselves who carried out the 3rd simulation acknowledged the serious problems in the layout of turning basin and sea route. The 3rd simulation that was carried out even with neither synthetic plan and measures on the layout change and scientific investigation on the environment near the 30 ° sea route is merely a test completely ignored of the preceding conditions and nullification from the origin. It is because the result is also a lie, in the science formed based on lie.
Therefore the government should immediately stop construction (destruction) acknowledging the flaws in layout, not enforce construction (destruction) repeatedly saying “there is no problem in the matter of safety.” .
We aslo strongly demand the Island governor to make all the efforts for prompt construction stop and whole re-examination with the decision responsible for the history of Jeju, on behalf of the Island people, not blindly following the Government.
Feb. 1, 2013
The Gangjeong Village Association
National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island and
Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves Core Zone
Seogwipo Municipal Marine Park
Ecological Landscape Preservation Area
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…
It was one of the coldest weather on Dec. 5. While the people’s sit-ins are ongoing in Gangjeong and Seoul near a month by now, people in both regions had to fight with cold weather that accompanied heavy snow (Seoul) and sleets (Gangjeong) in strong wind. Otherwise the village association entered judiciary measure against the navy, companies and Island government, regarding environmental destruction. A good news is that Buddhists made public their large size mobilization for care of Gangjeong. Otherwise, 333 intellectuals made a statement opposing Park Geun-Hye, the Presidential candidate of the ruling conservative Saenuri party, with concerns on the possibility of returning back of Yushin dictatorship. For the details of each, see the below.
Amid coldest weather, Gangjeong joins the protest for the victims of Samsung
In Seoul, the struggle in such bad weather was highlighted though in solidarity by the people who are opposing against naval base, who joined the emergency press conference by the workers and bereaved families of the victims of the Samsung industrial disease in front of the Samsung headquarter in Gangnam, Seoul. On the day that Samsung chairman’s only son was promoted to vice chairman. See an article, here.
The Samsung General Union had called for solidarity upon the Samsung’ security workers’ violence on one-man protesters on Nov. 30, the day of the 25th anniversary event commemorating the inauguration of Lee Gun-Hee, President of Samsung. For more detail, see here. The venue was in front of Samsung headquarter, Gangnam, Seoul, where even long-time staying tenants are ready always to be evicted by the corporate greed.
Workers’ Presidential candidate demands to revoke the Jeju naval base project
Kim So-Yeon, a leader of legendary Kiryung workers’ struggle and now Workers’ Presidential candidate also shined people’s protest. Still the people’s struggle would meet the Samsung’s counter-rally in which the Samsung seemed to have mobilized its workers who are not actually willing to be. The Samsung also mobilizing the police even interrupted Kim’s election campaign.
Photographer Lee Woo-Ki writes:
‘We have fought all day amid snow. Even though Kim So-Yeon has Presidential candidate debate at 11 pm, tonight, she is still with us. . She says she was sorry that there was no night time passage of construction vehicles so no police circling of people [on Sunday, Nov. 18] when she visited Gangjeong with determined mind to be with people. Kim has slept beside Fr. Mun in sleeping bag when there was sit-in in front of National Assembly.”
Following the Dec. 4 TV debate held by three Presidential candidates of the ruling, main opposition, and opposition parties, there was another TV debate for three minority Presidential candidates who belonged to non-party on Dec. 5. Among the three, Kim So Yeon represented Workers. Kim Soon-Ja represented cleaning workers. Park Jong-Sun is a conservative. The other candidate, Kang Ji-Won was absent in refusal of the debate form in which major and minority candidates were differentiated.
Kim emphasizing the oppressed people, pointed out the hypocricy of two big parties. Regarding the Jeju naval base, Kim said, “While Park Geun-Hye, Moon Jae-In, two candidates emphasize the Northeast Asia peace. They are keeping silent on the issue of the Jeju naval base that stirs tension and brings war threat, regarding the US. To stop the Jeju naval base construction is to cut the US- centered diplomacy and establish the peace agreement.” See the related Korean article here
Snow can be suffering cause for night time protesters in Gangjeong
A nigfht time protestor nicknames Saewoo writes:
“Tonight, streaks of snow fluttered.
The SNS was all covered with shouts of joy. However, I was not so glad.
In Gangjeong, snow brings coldness. Our cloths are wet by sleets. Even hot packs are being frozen. Still there are people who sleep on the cold ground to stop the night time construction vehicles…
My heart is likely to fall down with pains.
My tears are not dried even though I cry and cry.”
Villagers’ statement on having entered judicial measure against the navy, companies and Island government
Following its official letter to the Island government on Nov. 20, the village association entered on judicial measure against the navy-side and Island government on Dec. 5. The Original Korean statement of the below translation can be seen here.
Title: Is the navy harmful insect that gnaws on the value of the Jeju to enforce the construction even in violation of the agreed items in the Environmental Impact Assessment again following the general unreliability of the Jeju naval base construction?
The Jeju naval base project committee installed silt protectors on the sea with half a heart because of the protests by the village Association and environmental groups when it started maritime construction without installing stationary silt protectors on the sea in the beginning of last year.
However, it attempted to enforce construction again in the situations when silt protectors were not still equipped and even when the silt protectors were partly or completely damaged due to heavy sea waves. As a result, the Jeju Island government, lodged with civilian complaints, has ‘demanded’ official construction pose to the Ministry of National Defense(MND) and Environmental Agency (EA) three times by this year ( * ‘demand’ is weaker measure than ‘order’ that can practically stop the construction)
Even with those facts, it is already enough for the Jeju Island government to take a measure of the business suspension to the applicable enterprises. It is right to say that it is possible for the Jeju Island government to take a measure of business suspension to the applicable enterprises and cancellation on the superintendence committee’s registration, which is more than the measure of negligence fines against them, added of its records of directions to the navy on the installation of silt protectors four times and of repeated directions twice following the none-carried directions.
The Jeju Island is proud of its heaven-blessed nature. The Seogwipo maritime environment is the only UNESCO-designated maritime Biosphere Reserve in Korea and the Gangjeong Sea is of the habitat of soft coral, ROK Government-designated natural memorial No. 442. It is the start point that made the Jeju Island as the UNESCO triple-crowned and Seven Nature of the World. Is not the navy like harmful insect that gnaws on the value of the Jeju to enforce a large-size construction in such place even in violation of the minimum agreed items on nature protection?
We have clearly stated that, if the Jeju Island government does not strictly punish on such destroying behaviors, we would take a judicial measure even against- not to mention the navy, navy-contracted construction companies-the Jeju Island government responsible for unreliable execution on the duty of management and supervision [on the navy and its contracted companies].
On Nov. [20], the Village Association has requested the Jeju Island government to give the navy direction on execution, submitting it with the proofs on the navy’s illegal construction (destruction). And the Jeju Island government notified us that it has sent its official letter to the MND and EA on the date of Nov. 30. However, in the Gangjeong Sea, illegal construction is still being committed.
Thereupon, the Village Association states that it entered the judicial measure thanks to the MINBYON (Lawyers for Democratic Society), against the navy, navy-contracted companies, superintendence committee and Jeju Island government, along with sending the Island government an official letter that demands it strong administrative measures such as the imposition on the negligence fines. We warn again the navy that dares various law-evasiveness and unlawfulness, being blinded only for securing 2012 budget. The navy should immediately stop the construction (destruction) that destroys the environment of Jeju while staging a fraud play of ‘Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty,’ which is a nonsense. And it should bear in mind that there would be only a disgrace of judicial judgment along with people’s, if it does not take steps for re-examination on the project along with apology to people.
Dec. 5, 2012
The Gangjeong Village Association
Buddhists plan to cure the village with a religious service for the God of Sea in the port on Dec. 13.
Peace keeper, Park Yong-Sung writes:
Facing the Presidential election, the Jogye religious order, Jeju Buddhism orders and Buddhists from the Jeju and nationwide will come to the village to console the pain of Gangjeong. The Yongwangje ( a religious service for the God of Sea), the traditional village event, will be featured with the characters of Buddhism this year, as there are many Buddhists in the village. So the name will be ‘Yongwangdaejae’ combined with Buddhism ritual of ‘Jae.’ The event will be held at the Gnagjeong port, people looking at the Gureombi Rock and Gangjeong Sea at 2 pm, Dec. 13, Thursday.
It is a big event even the highest leader of the Korean Buddhism and other high-profile Buddist monks join. The monks who has had little concern with Gangjeong and temples of various religious orders will come to Gangjeong. It is to cure the pain of the village and to recover the 400 year history community
In this event, Do-Beop, leader of the Life and peace Fellowship and Chairman of Hwa-Jaeng Committee, Korean Buddhist Jogye Order will join the event
Statement of Intellectuals in Asia Who Remember the Yushin Dictatorship
Excerpt:
( Kyunghyang, Dec. 5: Digging up the Grave of Chang Chun-ha to Identify Cause of Death
An article that reminds the dark age of Park Chung-Hee, military dictatorship for 18 years (1961-1979). Park Geun-Hye, The Presidential candidate of the ruling Conservative Party is the heir of Park Chung-Hee. If she becomes the President, the future of Korea is dangerous…See also Park Chung-Hee in wiki )
See also Carol Reckinger’ s blog, ‘Camera War,’
1. A tug boat belonging to Samsung C & T hit a broken caisson and submerged during the night construction, spreading gasoline oil on the sea
In the early morning of Monday, Nov. 26, the news on the illegal night time naval base construction on the sea rang the media.
A 45 ton tug boat belonging to the Samsung C & T submerged beginning with its bow around 12:10 am on Nov. 26 in the Gangjeong Sea where the navy-contracted companies are working for building the naval base. The sea wave and wind were strong during that night. And the accident site was about 100 meter distant from the coast of construction area.
It was later confirmed that the tug boat hit a 8,800 ton caisson (a concrete structure of 20.4m height and about 8 stories apartment building size) in the sea, which has been one of seven caissons that have been broken and damaged by the typhoon Bolaven at the end of this August and abandoned in the sea since then . The tug boat was to return back to Hwasoon port ( *40 minutes car distance from the village) after the caisson floating dock’s makeshift stationing of another 8,800 ton caisson
It is weird that the company contacted the Seogwipo Coast guard after seven hours of incident.
In the tug boat, there were 7 crews including captain. All those were rescued thanks to a dredging barge nearby. But the coast guard could not rescue the boat as of 9am.Nov. 27.
The Seogwipo Guard mobilized security and express ship on the sea. It was known that about 10,000 liter of gasoline had been loaded on the boat. Despite prevention work for any oil leak, oli was leaked to the worry of environmental contamination.
A peace activist, Jo Yak Gol writes:
The navy and Samsung were in emergent to brought kitchen cleaning material of 800 liter (about 60 bottles of 13 liter) to remove oil leaked in the Joongdeok Sea, Gangjeong village. It means they would pour such chemical material into the Gangjeong Sea. [..]
Seven caissons of which total production costs are 35 billion won and which have been abandoned in the sea four months ago by the typhoons greatly threaten maritime safety, being like reefs in the sea. Still the navy does not take any measure on those.
The Gangjeong fishermen are angry, saying it is too dangerous for them to navigate fishing ship during the night since the navy has not equipped any proper safety facilities in the naval base construction. The fishermen says they were also at the risk of accidents many times. They say the navy keeps silent even though they protest to the navy on it. The navy-contracted workers themselves know it is too dangerous for them to navigate ships here so they cannot even retort back to Gangjeong fishers’ protest.
The navy and Samsung’s reckless enforcement of construction has eventually bought another accident[..]
The Gangjeong Sea located in the corner of typhoon is improper for naval base because of powerful current of water and wind even in the routine time. Further the Government made a base design for US nuclear aircraft carrier, [nuclear submarines], and Aegis Destroyer. The Office of Prime Minister has even lied and manipulated a mere reference (*made by the Ministry of National defense) [as if it is the technical verification committee’s official report ] for cruise to forcibly fit into the base design even though it never fits to it.
According to the testimonies by the workers, the caisson have been unreliably built short of standard and cannot properly function. Won’t the caissons be trashed when they are buried as those unreliable are roughly stationed in the strong sea wave and wind, according to false layout?
Reckless construction (destruction) even during dangerous nights has brought such incident. Is it weird that we have heard some crews were sick the other day but they were secretly cared for by visiting doctor and nurses to the barge? And how about the maritime environmental destruction? The rushing construction(destruction) is bringing such human and nature disasters. Cut all the budgets for the Jeju naval base project!
Please remind:
The Samsung C & T has been accused to the Prosecutor Office for its illegal operation on floating dock without inspection in the beginning of this year
The Samsung C & T floating dock has hit three fishing ships of which two ships became to submerge and one ship sunk down on March 11, 2012 when it was to moor in the outer port of the Hwasoon port.
Reference :
http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=122988
[속보] 삼성물산 예인선 제주해군기지서 침수
2012.11.26 08:45:54
http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=123008
삼성물산 예인선, 8천톤급 케이슨과 ‘충돌’ 침수
2012.11.26 11:50:17
http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165737
제주해군기지 공사현장 예인선 침수…선원 7명 구조
해경, 경비함정 7대 투입 배수작업 전개
012.11.26 09:10:52
http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articlePhotoView.html?idxno=165780
제주해군기지 공사현장 예인선 침수원인 “케이슨과 충돌”
바지선에 연결해 침몰 막아…기름유출 우려
http://www.mediajeju.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=137051
해군기지 예인선 침수 원인은 케이슨과 충돌
2012.11.26 12:56:14
2. Meanwhile, the villagers made a statement on the Samsung C & T’s demand on the amount of loss for the delay of construction. Here is a statement(translated)
Regrading the Samsung C & T’s demand on the amount of loss for the delay of construction
It has been known through media that the Samsung C & T demanded 23 billion won for the loss and additional cost by the construction delay of the Jeju naval base (so called Civilian-Military Complex Harbor for Tour Beauty), while Daelim, another main-contract company of the naval base project is told to plan to demand on the loss, too. And it is informed that the Samsung C & T reported that the delay of construction occurred because of activities by opposition groups.
To say in a word, it is like ‘the thief turns on the master with a club.’ The Samsung C & T got the order on the maritime construction of the outer facilities such as breakwater, becoming in charge for the 1st construction work area. If there was any people’s activity of obstruction on construction, it was to point out on the uninstalled silt protectors, the measure on the reduction of floating materials, following the Environmental Impact Assessment. People were just stopping illegal construction since [the Samsung C & T] has enforced construction (destruction) even without proper installation of immobile silt protectors among the double-layered silt protectors.
If the Samsung C & T had proceeded construction with proper installation of silt protectors from the beginning and still there were activities of obstruction of construction, the Samsung C & T is right to assert its claim. However, its construction delay happened because it has been disclosed of its illegal constructions (destruction) so has gotten correction orders many times from the Jeju Island. The construction delay was more caused from the maritime condition that has not been ready due to strong wind such as typhoon.
If it is a construction delay happened due to natural condition, it is righteous that a service order agency that has miscalculated the days of impossible construction for natural condition takes responsibility for it. If construction delay occurred because illegal construction was driven and disclosed, it is righteous that applicable company is punished, rather than the company says so and so on the compensation on the amount of loss. Therefore if the Navy Headquarter or Ministry of National Defense demands a right to indemnity against local residents, the world will laugh on it.
Even though the construction might have been delayed because local residents repulsed back against construction, the state should naturally compensate for the construction delay. It is because the state has the responsibility for smooth construction with its [responsibility] of persuading local residents in its driving for a national policy. Further it is a [so called] security project in the words of the Government. The Government should be responsible for all the loss and legal disadvantage that have occurred, being awakened that the project has become rather destroying security, not only destroying a local community but even dividing citizens’ opinions on it.
Gangjeong Village Association
Nov. 26, 2012
……………………………….
Reference
http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=165795
“해군기지 공사지연 손실금 구상권?…천하가 웃을 일”
강정마을회, 공사지연 손실금 청구 입장표명
2012.11.26 15:21:03
3. Otherwise there was an event called, Consolidate Solidarity for No Jeju Naval Base Campaign and Asia-Pacific Peace Movement
PSPD, Cafe Tongin (1F)/ PM08:00 Nov. 26 (Mon), 2012
Sponsored by the People’s Solidarity for participatory Democracy
The Story tellers who were invited were: Dr. Song Kang-Ho, Fr. Mun Jun-Hyun, Kang Dong Kyun, (Gagjoeng village mayor), Joseph Gerson (US), Liu Yintuo (China), Corazon Fabros (Philippines), and Kawasaki Akira (Japan)
For more on it, click HERE
(Post by Fielding Hong)
4. 24 hour construction and 24 hour protest are continued
Video by Jo Yak Gol (Source: Click here)
Video by Ki Gami/ 11pm, Nov. 27 (Source: Click here/ post by Regina Pyon)
1. People’s Nov. 20 statement on the exposure of the Island Council on Nov. 19
( Translated. Original Korean statement can be seen here)
Title: The ruling and opposition parties should cut the whole 2013 budget for the Jeju naval base project as the decision on drive for the Jeju naval base project by the national policy control meeting turned out to be a clear fabrication!
In the inspection by the Administrative Self-Governing Committee of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Island Provincial Council yesterday on Nov. 19, it was confirmed again that the government has doctored the meeting results of the technical verification committee to finish the committee’s technical verification committee report in the earlier period without design change and construction stop, thanks to the testimony by Prof Kim Gil-Sou who has participated as a member of the technical verification committee managed by the Office of Prime Minister. It was also exposed that there were models of 4tug boats not two boats in the 2nd simulation of which the report was made public by the Office of Prime minister. Further it was also exposed that the report was not the technical verification committee officially acknowledged but a mere reference.’
The Office of Prime Minister has officially taken the 2nd report, asserting its basis that it was manifested following the recommendation by the technical verification committee. However, it turned out that the 2nd simulation report is clearly a fabrication in content and procedure.
Therefore the decision to drive construction by the national policy control meeting on Feb. 29, 2012, which was held based on the report, is regarded as not valid from the origin, too. In detail, the decision of the national policy control meeting came out based on the 2nd simulation report and was concluded on the premise that it is guaranteed for 150,000 ton cruise to enter/ exit of port and to safely come alongside the pier. The premise was conditioned though, that west jetty dock is structured into the changeable and navigation route is changed by 30 degree angle. As the very basis of the decision turned out to be fabrication, the decision by the national policy control meeting can not be established as valid any more.
It was also confirmed that three dimension modeling on the harbor and bay set up in the 2nd simulation was processed borrowing the harbor and bay model established in the 1st simulation. It is a serious reason of disqualification because even though the 2nd simulation is a test formed on the premise of 30 degree angle navigation route, it directly borrowed the area-detailed basic resource for the case of 77 degree angle (vicinity of navigation route, current, wind direction and wind speed). Because it is a test processed even without investigation on the area-detailed geographical and natural conditions in the vicinities of the 30 degree angle navigation route, it is a test that lost even the value as a report.
The matter is that there is a great concern that the revival of the 3rd simulation agreed between the Jeju Island government and Office of Prime Minister could be processed, borrowed of three dimension model used in the 1st and 2nd simulation. It is told that it takes six months only for collection of the area-detailed basic resource and for composition on the three dimension model for targeted ships and harbor & bay. Therefore, given the current situation, there is a high possibility [for the Prime Minister and Island government] to borrow the 1st and 2nd simulation models for the 3rd simulation,
However, we claim that the test lay-out should be inevitably carried out on the ground of clearly collected area-detailed basic resources to take fair and objective verification that the Jeju island government has emphasized many times. Also the researchers who led the 2nd simulation that was proved out to be fabrication should be excluded in the selection of the researchers to join the tests. It is because objectivity and fairness cannot be secured if the tests are processed by re-employing the scholars who have abandoned their consciousness.
[To conclude] the 2013 budget of the Jeju naval base project (Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty) of which only re-verification would take at least six months should be righteously cut.
Thereupon, we demand like the below.
Accepting the inspection result by the Administrative Self-Governing Committee of the Island Council yesterday(Nov 19), Governor Woo should revoke his position on the pass of the Jeju naval base budget and declare the demand on objective and fair simulation.
We request the Island Council to deliver the inspection result of the Administrative Self-Governing Committee and to make efforts for the 2013 Jeju naval base budget to be wholly cut.
To realize stop on construction and re-examination on project that Moon Jae-In, Presidential candidate has pledged, the Democratic United Party should not make any concession regarding the principle of budget cut before fair and objective verification
Finally, the Saenuri party should agree with the whole budget cut for the 2013 Jeju naval base project , bearing in mind that it would be the critical elements in executing the national policy project to lose people’s trust on the Government and National Assembly to allocate budget for the project that does not secure fairness and objectivity such as of procedural flaws and in which unjust behavior such as layout flaws and unreliable construction would be confirmed.
Nov. 20, 2012
Gangjeong Village Association, Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island (26 groups), National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing the Naval Base in Jeju Island (125 groups)
2. Villagers steps for legal suit on the reclamation matter
( Korean language reference: See here)
Regarding the Island government’s license of the navy on the reclamation on public water and its surface in the Jeju naval base project (so called Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, the Gangjeong village entered for legal step on Nov. 20. The Gangjeong village delivered to the Island governor its application letter on the demand of the cancellation of the navy on the license on the reclamation on public water and its vicinity surface, demanding the governor to reply on his acceptance or denial of it by Dec. 5, 2012. The village said that if the Island governor rejects the application by the village or does not reply to the villagers by the defined date, it would enter the procedure on the lawsuit for the cancellation on the denial disposal on application, based on the law on the administrative lawsuit.
On Oct. 22, 2012, the village has made public if Woo Keun-Min, Island governor does not cancel the navy of the license on the reclamation on the public surface and its water by Nov. 7, it would inquire him civilian and criminal responsibility for it.
Reminder: The Navy Headquarter got the reclamation license on the public water and its vicinity surface from the Busan 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 unlawful. Otherwise, the right to permission and cancellation on the reclamation construction on the public water and its vicinity surface was handed over from the Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime affairs to the Jeju Island in September, 2011.
(See also Headline Jeju, Nov. 20, 2012 강정마을회, 제주도에 해군기지 매립면허 취소 요구)
3. Illegal destruction of the Gureombi Rock in violation of the EIA
Translation of photo essay by Cho Sung-Bong on Nov. 20, 2012. See original Korean language version, here:
‘According to the ‘Agreed Contents of Environmental Impact Assessment,’regarding the Jeju naval base project, it reads that double-layers of silt-protectors should be installed during the maritime construction and use of Fall Pipes and land washing of sands and stones during the input of them into the sea should be carried out.
However, construction(destruction) is being done with nothing above is observed.
Even though scattered dusts and maritime contamination have spread far wide, yet no measures have been taken.
The article 26 of the law on the Environment Impact Assessment reads that ‘matter on the performance on agreed contents should be confirmed and necessary measures should be taken for the performance of it when agreed contents were not carried out.”
4. Night time protest with the resumption of night time entry/exit of construction vehicles.
