Save Jeju Now

No War Base on the Island of Peace

Tag: government oppression

  • Rebecca Johnson’s letter to Governor Woo on Nov. 16, 2011

     

    R Johnson
    Photo by Jung Jae-Eun, Media Choongchung, Nov. 12, 2012

    Re-post from here

    Rebecca Johnson’s letter to Governor Woo

     

    Princeton University, New Jersey, USA
    November 16, 2011

    Dear Governor Woo,

    I was privileged to be invited to speak at the recent UN-ROK Conference on Non-Proliferation and Disarmament held at the Shilla Hotel(* Samsung owned) in Jeju on November 7-8, 2011. At the dinner that you so kindly hosted I was delighted to hear you speak of your desire to see Jeju Island recognised as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature as well as an Island of World Peace. Together with the UNESCO triple-crowned status, Jeju island is among the world’s most precious cultural and national treasures.

    I was also very impressed with the peaceful protesters who came to talk to us about the way in which construction of a new and unnecessary naval base for submarines and Aegis destroyers is causing desecration of Gangjeong village and coastal waters. When the UN Conference ended I went to Gangjeong to see for myself, and was shocked at the devastation being inflicted on this beautiful part of the world. I met Catholic priests, fruit farmers, village leaders and Haenyo divers and heard how the base construction — and in particular the planned detonation of explosives at Gureombi — will devastate their fishing areas and could destroy their livelihoods forever.

    I have worked on disarmament issues for many years, and have studied the negative impact of military bases for local populations. As well as destroying the livelihoods of local farmers and the famous Haenyo sea women, the Gangjeong naval base will increase the risks of rape and other forms of violence against women and girls. As it destroys traditional fishing and agricultural jobs, the base will cause an upsurge in prostitution and erode women’s rights, security and safety. Is this what you want on Jeju Island?

    I have just heard that Gureombi is scheduled to be blasted open on November 18. I beg you to have this irrevocable destruction of the seabed halted immediately.
    As I learned on my visit, the marine ecosystem connected with Gureombi is a precious heritage of the South Korean people and must be protected and preserved. The destruction of Gureombi threatens the surrounding marine life, the traditional Haenyo fishing areas, and the clean water that farmers and villagers depend upon for their survival.

    You have the power to stop the use of explosives at Gureombi and Gangjeong, and I appeal to you to halt this violence as a matter of the greatest immediacy and urgency.

    You also have the power to order the Navy to stop construction of the naval base so that the interests of Jeju Islanders can be properly considered and assessed. If it is not already clearly recognised what a crime of vandalism will be committed if these explosions and the construction of this unnecessary naval base go ahead, at least halt the construction so that an independent environmental and cultural impact assessment can be conducted before any further violence and desecration are inflicted on the environment and Jeju people.

    I am sure that you do not want your legacy to be the governor who enabled the destruction of this unique natural environment and site of ancient Korean relics. I am convinced you would rather be remembered as a protector of democracy and peace on Jeju Island rather than the person who destroyed the livelihoods of local villagers and opened the door to the rape and prostitution of Jeju women – a human rights violation that invariably accompanies military bases such as that which is being planned.

    I appeal to you to act with the wise foresight of which I know you are capable and put a stop to the blasting of Gureombi and the wanton destruction of Gangjeong for a naval base that is not needed for South Korean security and which the vast majority of local people oppose. Uphold the principles you expressed at the UN meeting and your promises to those who elected you and stop the blast and construction immediately.

    I look forward to hearing from you.

    Yours Sincerely,

    Dr Rebecca Johnson
    President, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN Europe, Middle East, Africa)

    Dr Rebecca E. Johnson
    Executive Director
    Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy
    24 Colvestone Crescent
    London E8 2LH
    United Kingdom
    Tel: +44 (0) 207 503 8857
    mob: 07733360955
    website: www.acronym.org.uk

    …………………………………………….

    Peace activist Rebecca Johnson visits the Jeju Island naval base site

    (Video by No Base Jeju Island)

  • Exposing the Navy, NIS, Island Government’s Psychology Warfare

    Re-post from No Base Stories of Korea, May 14, 2010

    The below videos are the editions by Mr. Go Gwon-Il  (Gangjeong village, Jeju Island) of the original 812th ‘PD Note’ program (about 14 min.), ‘Why the Gangjeong Villagers, Jeju Island, Are Furious?’ broadcast by MBC on May 5, 2009.

    The 1st part is about 10 min and the 2nd is about  3 min.

    One can glance the navy, NIS, Island government’s psychology warfare against the villagers: how the naval base project has been brought up to the Gangjeong village in an undemocratic way, how it brought the conflicts among the villagers and how it caused the fury and frustration of the villagers.

    The Jeju Sori has reported on the program on May 6, 2019.

    The villagers use to say it was like a kind of military operation (meaning psychology and information warfare) when the navy has brought the project in the village. It was not only in Gangjeong, but in the 1st and 2nd naval base candidate areas of Hwasoon and Weemee as well).

    This video will provide some clues on how the military utilizes  division strategy to install bases in  places.

    The most striking evidence of the navy’s psychology operation against the villagers is shown around 8 min.

    Here is the rough translation from that part.

     

    Transcript ( 7 min. 53 to 9 min. to 10 min. 18 sec. )

    7 min. 53  sec. 7분 53초

    이것은 취재중 PD 수첩이 입수한 문건입니다. 해군 기지와 관련해서 유관 기관이 회의한 내용이 담겨 있읍니다. 과연 어떤 말들이 오갔을 까요? 그 내용은 충격적입니다.

    This is the document that the ‘PD Note’ has gotten during the coverage. It contains the meeting contents by institutes, related to the naval base plan. What content was possibly discussed? The [exposed] content is shocking.

    8min.10 sec. 8분 10초

    There was the meeting on the naval base construction issue by the related institutes last September.

    8min.15 sec. 8분 15초

    제주 환경부 지사
    Governor of the Environment Department, Jeju Island

    ‘이제는 추진 단계, 걸림돌은 제거하고 가야…
    Now is the stage to drive [the plan]. An obstacle should be removed…

    해군이 주도해서 공세적으로 해야 한다.
    With the navy’s lead, one has to be aggressive.

    분열은 좋은 상황. 공세적 법집행 필요함.
    Division brings a good situation. Aggressive law-execution is needed.’

    8min. 27 sec.

    경찰 Police

    ‘도에서 조그마한 것이라도 공세적으로 고소 고발해야 경찰도 조치 가능

    The Island has to accuse and prosecute even if it is a small thing. Only then the police can work with measure…

    인신 구속 있어야 수위 낮아져…

    Only by imprisonment of personnel, the level of [resistance] will be low.’

    8min. 40 sec. 8분 40초

    국정원:
    National Intelligence Service

    제주 지검 차장 만나 해군 기지 관련 불법 행위에 대해 엄격히 법 집행 요구…
    The National Intelligence Service met the vice-director of the Jeju Public Prosecutors’ Office and has demanded the strict law execution against the illegal activities related to naval base…

    “외부 세력 개입에 대해 서는 강정 찬성 측에서 문제 제기하면 국정원, 경찰이 측면 지원”
    “Regarding the outside supporters, if the Gangjeong group who is in favor of the plan raises the issue, the NIS and police will side-support to them.”

    […] […]

    10min. 18sec. 10분 18초

    Reporter 보도자:

    “이상하게도 회의록에서 논의된 내용은 마을 내에서 실제 벌어지고 있었읍니다.
    Strangely, The content that has been discussed in the meeting report was actually happening in the village.

    특히 고소 고발 건은 이미 이 마을에서 낯선 일이 아닙니다.
    Specially, accusations and prosecutions are not unacquainted things any more.

    주민들에 따르면 (공무 집행 방해등) 해군 기지 관련해 접수된 것이 총 32건입니다.
    According to the villagers, the cases registered, related to the naval base issues (such as the ‘interruption of the government business execution’) are total 32.”