Save Jeju Now

No War Base on the Island of Peace

Tag: international solidarity

  • Celebrating the 6th anniversary of the launch of the Villagers’Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project

     

    1.  Summary on the recent hardships and international solidarity activities.

     

    The recent joint war exercise by the ROK-US-Japan in the water areas of the east  and south seas of Korea –including the water area between the east south of Jeju and Kyusu Islands, Japan on May 15 is with the mobilization of Aegis destroyers from three countries and US nuclear aircraft carrier that has brought students’ protest in Busan.  The war exercise is suspected of the US Missile Defense system.

    Meanwhile, between May 7 and May 17, so many things happened in the village. Following the re-imprisonment of Park Suk- Jin who was directly arrested from the court for the charge of so called violation of bail conditions on May 7, Kim Jong-Il, co-representative of Seoul branch of Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (SPARK) was arrested directly from the Jeju Prosecutor’s Office and imprisoned on May 15. He was unjustly charged of unpaid fines of 450,000 won. It is his 2nd imprisonment in relation to the naval base issue. The total number of current prisoners is five including three before them.

    Further, as the Island government conducted murder-like crack-down of people’s sit-in tents(see here and here), even mobilizing some main land policemen, four people including mayor Kang Dong-Kyun, uncle Kim Jong-Hwan, a villager, and two activists of Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa and Koh Gwang-Sung were arrested. They were all released by now.

    The crack-down resulted in two villagers’ medical diagnosis or hospitalization. Kim Mi-Lyang, a woman villager was pushed off by the police elbow and fell from 6 m railing. Fortunately she is alive. But she had to get stitches in her belly. She is still in hospital. Uncle Jong-Hwan fell during the police investigation due to tension and stress during the crack-down. More details should come but you can see some photos of them here and video on police’s intentional pushing-her-off, here.  On May 10 event, see Organizing Notes, here.

    The next day, Jang Sung-Shim, a Catholic follower and Jeju native was arrested when she protested illegal construction (destruction) of the naval base project and demanded the Island government and police’s official apology to Kim Mi-Lyang.  She carried out self-injury by hurting her wrist with knife and the embarrassed policemen released her soon the next day (See the photo and video each).

    Still, inspiring solidarity activities have been done in Taiwan, Okinawa, and the United States. The details would come, too. Especially Jeong-Young-Hee, Chairwoman of Women Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project has been thankfully invited for the US speech trip for 20 days. We so thank you all the international friends who have shown constant care and support on the struggle.

    On May 17, the village welcomed the 6th anniversary of the launch of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project.  Here is the text sent by Mr. Go Gwon-Il, Chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project, which was sent to the people in the village in the morning of May 17. You can see the original Korean script and some photos, here (article and photos by Kim Min-Soo, Jeju Internet News, May 17)

     

    2. Celebrating the 6th anniversary of the launch of the Villagers’Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project

    By Go Gwon-Il, Chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project

     

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    Chairman Go Gwon-Il congratulates the release of mayor Kang Dong-Kyun and Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa, as well as safe returning-back of Jeong Young-Hee, Chairwoman of Women Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project on May 12.

     

    Today is the day when Buddah came to this world , as well as the day that remembers the 6th year of foundation of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project.

    It has really been an exhausting and very hard time.
    However, it has been alomost a miracle that merely a small village like Gandjeong has resisted as such against huge organization named Government

    Now, the Gangjeong village has become well known with its name in the nationwide and overseas.
    Even though the naval base is being driven with its changed and false name of so called civilian-military complex port for tour beauty, we are not losing yet.

    Unless we give up, the navy cannot progress to the stage of militarization of the village and Island as it wishes.

    Even though the navy has not given up its military residential housing project and is to extend its business such as to entry road and cruise terminal etc., it will be difficult for it to drive as it likes, if only the Gagjoeng villagers’ will is firm.

    Even though last six years have not been by our will, our own achievements have been that we have differentiated the direction of government, though small, braking its unilateral way. Isn’t it same with the thing that an ant, though cannot abruptly stop the steps of elephant, interrupts it not to properly walk or to change its direction by making it cover its own eyes or by tickling its ears?

    If there are many more ants, the elephant cannot but turn away.

    Now the struggle against the naval base has become the fight between justice and injustice, haves who attache to money & power and have-not-s who know to be happy despite small possessions and who live well without law, though the latter do not have power.

    The people in the world are watching us.

    They will be the judge of this struggle.

    The more judges, the more difficult is for the navy to win over us with its unfair acts.

    Jeong Young-Hee, chairwoman of the Village Women’s committee to Stop the Naval Base Project has traveled the United States and made public relation on the struggle.

    Most overseas Korean societies are supporting the Gangjeong village. She tells that many United States citizens are with us.

    It is only possible because we have fought for seven years overcoming the hardships of six years.

    The first start has been today, six years ago.

    We truly express our respect and gratitude to the initiators who courageously created the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project at the time when it was wrongly presupposed that many would be in favor of naval base.

    And thanks so much to the Gangjeong villagers who have courageously endured hardships and crisis. Please be with us in the future as well.

    Go Gwon-Il

    Chairman of the Gangjeong Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project.

     

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    Jeong Young-Hee, Chairwoman of the Women Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project, Gangjeong Village, reports on her US trip on May 12.
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    Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun, released two days later after his arrest on May 10, talks about unjust murder-like crack-down on people’s sit-in tents and police arrests of them on the day. He chained himself and was dangerously hung to chain during the police crack-down. On May 12, the court dismissed police application on the arrest warrant against him.
    Solidarity messages from the friends in the United States. Jeong Young-Hee brought this from her about 20 days’ trip to the US that included Hawaii, Maine. Boston, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
    Messages of solidarity from the United States

     

    “We gonna dance in the Gureombi!”

    May 17 was also celebrated by the Christian youths. The video is a scene from the event program of Christian youths’ peace pilgrim visit to Gangjeong. “Peace Starts When We Cry Together.” The original title of the music is told to be “We gonna dance in the DMZ.” Some dancers include village chairwoman Jeong Young-Hee and Paco Booyah.

  • A court hearing following prosecutor’s unjust appeal against Paco Booyah

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    Photo by Save Jeju Now/ Paco Booyah after the court hearing on May 9, 2013

     

    There was an original court judgement on Paco Booyah, an international peace worker staying in Gangjeong on Feb. 8, 2013. See here. He was the 1st international to stand in the court in person, in relation to the naval base project issue. On Feb. 8, the judge, Kim Kyung-Sun made a decision of ‘postponement of sentence’ on 700,000 won fine, saying he has ‘no criminal record in the past, his act happened during the NGO activities, and the damage of the victims (company) is  little as the whole duration of his sitting time [in front of gate] was short (* which was 8 min. during a daily Catholic mass). Even though the judge Kim said he was guilty, she did not accept the prosecutor’s demand of 6 months prison sentence against him on Dec. 21, 2012 when the only hearing of original court trial on him was held.

    However, the prosecutor has appealed to court against the original court decision. On May 9, there was a hearing of it in the Jeju local court, which is the first as well as the last hearing of the appeal court. It started around noon and lasted for about 30 minutes.

    The prosecutor talked on the reason of his appeal against Booyah saying that: 1. The accused does not acknowledge and does not show any of his repentance, 2. There is the possibility of his committing second offense.  3. [Compared to sentence on Koreans in the same charge of obstruction of business] the original court sentence on him is too weak.

    In repute of it, Paco Booyah’s lawer, Paik, argued on harsh and unjust Immigration Control Act, especially in relation to No. 3, saying that she cannot agree with the prosecutor’s definition of weighing of an offence against him. The summary of her repute is that:

    The policy of ROK Immigration Office on foreigners is too harsh. She has heard from an Immigration officer that a foreigner with 100,000 won fine sentence could be forcefully deported by option. Further, it is heard that there is even an internal regulation of the Immigration Office that it would forcefully deport a foreigner only if one gets fine sentence. According to the Immigration Control Act, one cannot make re-entry at least for five years if one gets injunction. One cannot ignore possibility that one cannot make re-entry again, for a long time, in fact. In relation to naval base project, about 21 internationals- some of whom have never visited Gangjeong-have been denied entries(* Wang Yu-Hsuan is the latest victim of it). Once deported, the victims have to endure suffering from the matter of separated family, in case. One should not argue on balance with the cases of Koreans.

    The lawyer Paik also said that Paco Booyah has been recently carrying out international NGO peace activities by  focusing on recording photos. He might suffer from the possibility that he cannot re-enter Korea once deported though he has his family members in Korea.

    As Paco Booyah has stated in his statement as the accused, he has not done anything that the police and prosecutors would pick him up, following  police call four times and prosecutor’s indictment against him. Even though the current Immigration Control Act is unjust and vicious, he has no intention to make disadvantageous of his life as he has family members in Korea and as the act is currently working. In other words, there is little possibility of his second ‘offence’ that the prosecutor ‘asserts.’ Further it was only 8 min on July 23, 2012 that he made so called ‘sit-in’ that the prosecutors talk. Moreover, it was during the daily Catholic mass and he was sitting there because of hot weather while taking photo record.

    The people who watched trial today could not but be shocked that the prosecutor raises his reason of appeal from the baseless inference that Paco Booyah has the possibility of so called ‘second offence’ and that he shows ‘no repentance,’ which is without proof. We should watch whether the ROK prosecutor authority loyal to the government and Samsung would oppress another innocent international peace worker or not. We should also watch whether the ROK judge make a just decision.  We should join together to protect their safety.

    The court decision on Paco Booyah will be at 2 pm on May 30.

     

  • Wang Yu-Hsuan’s Own Words Upon Her Deporation by the ROK Government

    The writing forwarded below is by Wang Yu-Hsuan, Taiwan, who wrote this in the night before her leaving on April 26. We, in the village, used to call him Emily, her nickname. She came to Gangjeong in 2011 and has been recently in overseas for two months. It is very emotional day for all the people who have known and thank her wonderful spirit that inspire many.  

    The South Korean government rejected her entry on April 24, the day of her returning back from the overseas, with neither explanation nor specific information of which government institute demanded the denial of entry against her.   Wang Yu-Hsuan became the 2nd international peace worker who were denied entry to Korea since the launch of Park Geun-Hye government, after Ban Hideyuki on April 19, who is a co-representative of the Citizens’ Nuclear Information Center, a representing Japanese anti-nuclear group. (See PSPD)

    Regis Tremblay immediately made a video on her on April 24. You can see it, here.

    The Front Line Defenders also made a statement denouncing South Korean government. You can check it, here.  (Thanks, Gayoon Baek,  PSPD, for informing this)

    Many Korean news media including Hankyoreh, Ohmynews, Gobal News, are reporting unjust entry denial against her.

    She is the victim of vicious Immigration Control Act (See No. 3 and 4, item 1 of the Article 11, which can be indiscriminately applied to any internationals to the violation of their human rights ) of South Korea. 21 internationals have been refused entries  in relation to the Jeju naval base issue. Beside that, Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter have gotten injunction and exit order respectively for their peace works in Gangjeong, last year.  We hope this tragic moment would inspire many. We thank and bless Wang Yu-Hsuan for her new journey of life. 

    Emily w Dong 1
    Wang Yu-Hsuan (Emily Wang), a peace worker, is with her lover, Kim Dong-Won, Incheon Airport, in the morning of April 26. The South Korean government rejected her entry into Korea without explanation.
    Sign form
    ‘I won’t sign the document which they asked me to sign, and I won’t leave by my own legs.
    And I need a clear answer why I have to be out especially when I hold a legal visa by Republic of Korea, and when I applied my legal visa, I did explain well what I do in Korea. I work for peace. I am a peace worker.’ (Wang Yu-Hsuan in the morning of April 25). She has persistently  demanded the reason from the Immigration Office since she got this notice from it on April 24.

    Dear friends

    I am leaving for Taiwan tomorrow with a ticket by my friends. I have to many to say, so I don’t sleep at the late night in the airport waiting room. Please read it.

    I want to express my deep thankfulness for every small effort which you have done for me. I am not a perfect peace worker, but I would like to be brave to identify myself as a peace worker.

    Since I got to know I am not to be allowed to enter Korea in the afternoon of April 24th, the immediate warm supporting action has been taken by the friends who I know or the friends who I don’t even know around the world.

    When I am struggling in the immigration office in Incheon airport on the first day, I had my Korean friends who fly the same flight with me to support me and be with me although soon they were taken away. And in the first day’s stressful process in the immigration office, I won’t forget the endless ringing form the protesting phone calls and it bothered the immigration officers so much during the process. I never forget the immigration officers came to me to ask me to stop the posting on twitter as they’ve been annoyed so much by the protesting phone call and “even the phone call from UK!” said with an annoyed voice by one immigration officer. I talked on the phone of Immigration office with some protesting friends as they requested to talk with me who got stocked in the airport.

    As soon as I took the phone from the officer, there’s one funny and impressive action which they did to me in common. Before telling me the encouragement words, they all told to me in the very beginning that “Just listen and don’t talk about the name(듣기만해 이름 부르지마).”

    You will know why if you ever stay in Gangjeong. You will know why people become so sensitive about their names. I, as one of the peace worker in Gangjeong, know about it.

    As a peace worker, we want to practice trust not doubting but one of the pathetic thing is a vicious circle of mistrusting. How beautiful my name is but for such a long time, I couldn’t tell my name in public.

    Look at my case. I’ve never got arrested or received an investigation from the Korean police. I’ve never got a trial in the court. I’ve never easily told people my real name or in the beginning not even my nickname. But now I am rejected to enter to ROK because I am in the “Red List”. (* She means ‘black list.’)

    It’s uncomfortable experiences but I am not surprised that ROK know about a small person like me. The Gangjeong police called my nick name “Emily” so naturally as if they have been knowing me for a long time. But I’ve never introduced even my nickname to any of the police, and since one day, even the security guys of naval base called my real name (passport name) to one person who’s appearance is similar with me.

    I don’t want to deeply think of how they discovered these personal information as I want to be happier. haha But anyway I keep in mind that the nightmare which happened to many other our foreign friends may happen to me some day. And it happened now. Without the bad record from ROK police, I am directly on the national Red List! And so far, under the pressure of Korea congress men, the ministry of justice of ROK remain silent on the reason why prevent me from entering Korea. It’s an (inconvenient) secret.

    Firstly, when I was brought to the immigration office and being told about what happened to me, I wasn’t cool enough to arrange my feelings and words.

    I just kept requesting to the officers to tell me why a person like me with the legal visa issued by ROK got rejected to enter to Korea suddenly after a short oversea trip. I’ve been living continuously in Korea since 2011, but suddenly you reject me to enter again, and then how about all my “belongings” there: I still have family and friends there, I have seniors and Juniors there, I have love there, and I have inspiration there.

    I just thought ROK, you are very RUDE! You don’t even have the manner which the elementary student usually have.

    But Now I a bit regret that I should have said to the immigration officers that “thank you for highly value my peace work in your country by kicking me out. I didn’t know I am such an important small peace worker.”

    By giving me the special label, I want to say thank you. You give me a big present to continue the vision of Inter-peace islands solidarity. I traveled out of Korea partially for the Inter-peace islands solidarity, but now I must be out of Korea for at least 5 year. I wonder how to receive your big present with honor.

    In the beginning, I didn’t want to leave until I am forced out as I wanted to get the answer from the ministry of justice of ROK but my dear family in Jeju initiated to buy a return ticket for me to go back to Taiwan my home country, which made me not happy in the beginning. They said to me “I am sorry and ashamed but in the end we want you to walk back with dignity not with being carried by police.”

    I was not happy but accepted the group decision. But after I clean up my mind in my last night in Korea (actually not Korea but the waiting room in airport), I was happy again as I begin to understand that I should walk back to Taiwan and other islands by my own will to realize “inter-peace Islands”. It’s not new to be carried out for a Gangjeong person but this time, I am not going to be carried out but I will walk beyond because I am not blocking but walking a new way.

    Still I demand an official reason from ministry of justice, but now the burden lays on my families and friends in Korea who promised me to take the responsibility. Instead, they asked me to walk ahead with dignity. I am awakened about the price of my final dignity and I’m also awakened about the Big Present from ROK.

    Too many thanks to say, so I said to the one.

    Let’s work together, let’s not leave each other alone in the way of peace, so that we can finally say no to the war base.

    War Base you are really Bad and RUDE!

    Wang, Yu-Hsuan ( How beautiful name I have! )
    2013/4/26 02:35 am

    Emily w Dong 2
    A sad but unforgettable moment. We wish much bless to both of you!
    Emily leaving
    Photo by Dr. Song Kang-Ho/ Wang Yu-Hsuan raises hand for good-bye to the friends in Gangjeong, invisible for her, though. Just before her leaving on April 26. (Source)
    repatrition order
    ‘After arriving in Taiwan, my passport with this paper was returned back to me. On the column of Reason of Repatriation, it’s written “person who got ENTRY DENIAL ” or maybe I can say “black list. ” but there’s no reason.’ (Wang Yu-Hsuan, April 26)
    Emily
    ‘I am one of the people who has known Emily very well. I interviewed Emily who came from Taiwan on a day of July, 2011 when I had been much staying in and reporting on Gangjeong. Emily joined the struggle opposing to the Jeju naval base project, staying in Gangjeong village since June, 2011, along with other members of the ‘Frontiers,’ an international peace group.
    Emily was doing silent protest holding her paintings in front of construction gates of the Jeju naval base project illegally being enforced. Can you say it was the ‘act to damage the public safety of the Republic of Korea’? Emily who ate ice cream that villagers gave her in their expression of thanks: Can you say it was the ‘act to damage economic order of the Republic of Korea? Emily who enjoyed the hide-and-sick play with the village children because they were especially fond of her: Can you say her play with children was the ‘act to damage good customs?’ (Lee Jubin, Ohmynews, April 26, 2013)
    Emily with flag
    Photo by Jeong Dauri/ Wang Yu-Hsuan on a day of march ( information on specific date was not given) (source)

    ‘Dear Korea government, do you want to deport me because I witness the beauty of Gangjeong which you have been trying hard to hide from the world?’ (Wang Yu-Hsuan, April 25) It’s about Gangjeong in my eyes… (Video by Wang Yu-Hsuan )

  • A sacred tree in Gangjeong was designated as a cultural treasure.

    A sacred tree in the Gangjeong Village was designated as a Cultural Treasure No. 544. The  Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea (CHAK) reported on April 26, 2013.

    SONY DSC
    Photo by Cho Sung-Bong, Benjamin Monnet in front of the sacred tree in the Netgiriso shrine, July, 2011.

    The Headline Jeju, April 26, reports:

    ‘The evergreen tree, located near the camphor tree habitat (natural treasure No. 162), and belonging to the family of Elaeocarpus sylvestris var. ellipticus is a sacred tree by  Jeju folk custom. The villagers have paid their faithful service to it for a long time. Its folk custom and culture value is evaluated high.

    The tree’s age is inferred to be about 500 years. Its biological value is high because of its large size with 11.5 m height and very unique  shape.

    The personnel in the CHAK stated that it “would preserve the tree as natural heritage that the Korean citizens can share together, through the cooperation with the Jeju Special Self-Governing Island.” ‘

    The tree is located at the Netgiriso shrine(nicknamed Illuye Grandmother shrine). The word ‘Netgiriso’ means ‘four good omens of fall, rock cliff, sweet fish, and clean water.’ The Netgiriso is the water source of the Gangjeong stream that feeds 70 % of drinking water for about 200,000 citizens of Seogwipo City. It is also a habitat of mandarin duck, natural treasure. The Netgiriso itself is a sacred site where you would not even dare to swim but pay respect and prayer.

    Many  environment lawyers and activists during the IUCN co-sponsored WCC visited the sacred tree and Netgiriso and expressed their awe to them. See here.

    card1
    Source: Click here.

    Many photos of the sacred tree and Netgiriso by Dir. Cho Sung-Bong are available here. Dir Cho took the photos in July 2011. You can see two internationals of Benjamin Monnet and Wang Yu-Hsuan (Emily Wang) there. Both have been forcefully deported by the South Korean government, in March 15, 2012, and April 26, 2013, respectively.

    It is told that the navy is planning to build an entry road in the site about 100 m distance from the tree area.

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    Photo by Save Jeju Now: Kang Mi-Kyung, a meditator of the Seogwipo City leads the prayer in front of the sacred tree in Oct., 2012. The scarf in the back is a present by Ron and Joan Engel, Center for Human and Nature, who visited Gangjeong during the WCC, September, 2012. (source)

  • Non-violence in times of war: Protest and resilience in Jeju, South Korea

    Re-blog from the Intrepid Report

    meal
    Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ People take meals during protest in front of construction gates. For more photos of protest by Cho Sung-Bong, see here.

    Non-violence in times of war: Protest and resilience in Jeju, South Korea

    by Carole Reckinger

    April 16, 2013

     

    In the midst of warmongering and a worsening of tensions between North and South Korea, a group of peace activists is continuing its non-violent struggle against the construction of a naval base on the island of Jeju, South Korea.

    Tensions between North and South Korea are not new and the importance of building the base have been repeatedly put forward by the South Korean government as playing an important role in coastal defense. It claims the naval base must be completed and put into service as soon as possible in order to react quickly to any further military provocations by North Korea.

    Since 2007, the small fishing village of Gangjeong has led a non-violent resistance against the construction of a naval base right next to a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Despite 94% of the villagers having opposed the base in a referendum, the government has not respected the wish of the people concerned and seems to be buckling under the pressure of corporate conglomerates and the weight of the United States’ wish for an increased presence in the Pacific.

    In November last year, I spent a month in Gangjeong village. Day after day, I observed the disproportionate police reaction to the non-violent blockade of the entrance to the construction site and. The most striking feature of the protest was the protesters’ resilience. Young and old and from a multitude of social backgrounds, despite their bruised bodies, the odds stacked against them and the risk of high fines or imprisonment, they kept returning to the front of the gate to fight for what they believe is right. But since tensions have been rising with the North, police crackdown has become more severe and more protesters have been arrested.

     

    ‘Professional troublemakers’

     

    From the time the construction of the base was announced, activists, Catholic priests and nuns, Protestant pastors, law professors, teachers, artists, writers, families and students from all around South Korea have joined the villagers’ protest. In order to hinder and delay construction, protesters file lawsuits and press for a reconsideration of the project nationwide, but also regularly block the entrance to the construction site with their bodies, chain themselves to anything available and go on hunger strikes. The fight against the naval base currently mobilizes more than 125 non-governmental organizations across South Korea and more than a hundred abroad [1].

    The reasons for which activists from across South Korea and abroad oppose the base are manifold. They include calls for environmental protection, social justice, demilitarization and non-violence. Support for the anti-base movement at the national level is limited, one reason being that the mainstream media has not picked up the topic. When it has, it has portrayed the activists as troublemakers and has tried to discredit them. In times of heightened tensions with the North, calls for demilitarzation, peaceful resolution of conflict and the protest against military bases are heavily criticized, and the Gangjeong protesters are insulted as undermining the security of the state and being pro-North Korean agitators.

    The protest demographics, however, invalidate accusations of professional trouble-making as the movement is composed of housewives, taxi drivers, teachers, farmers and students, from all ages and social backgrounds. Many activists in Gangjeong, are members of pro-disarmament and peace groups/networks, and clearly oppose a militarization of the ‘Peace island.’ When Jeju last hosted a military base in 1948, 30,000 people were killed, 40,000 houses burnt down and 90,000 people made homeless (with a population of 300,000 at the time), as the government sought to quell an uprising led by a small group of alleged communist insurgents.

    Only in 2003 did the South Korean government apologize. President Roh Moo-Hyun called the massacre, which became known as the April 3rd incident, a “violation of human rights by the state.” He declared Jeju the “Island of World Peace.” But the official peace rhetoric was short lived. Only four years later, the same President finalized plans for the naval base on Jeju. “We do not understand why South Korea, with more than 100 military installations, still needs another military base,” says the mayor of Gangjeong. “We are not convinced by the argument that this naval base will enhance the security of our country” [2].

    The ROK Navy already operates seven naval bases in South Korea and the Republic of Korea Armed Forces is the sixth largest army in the world. [3] Since the end of the Korean War, South Korea has a joint military partnership with the United States through the US-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty. South Korea relies on its security partnership with the United States to protect itself from external threats, most notably North Korea.

     

    A new tactic of discouragement

     

    In the midst of the growing tension between North and South, demilitarisation and peace messages will not be given much space in the national discourse and the mainstream media. The risk is high that security arguments will be used to crack down on the peace workers and smother the years old struggle to an end.

    During the long years of dictatorship, dissent and civil disobedience would have been met with bloody repression. Today, the government is not in a position to use such deadly violence on its people and uses other tactics. Since the start of the construction, around 700 arrests have been made with 500 indictments and 22 people imprisoned. However, following the presidential election of Park Geun-hye in December 2012, fines against the protesters have been soaring. The total amount of fines for anti-base protest has reached approximately US$450,000 in addition to damage compensation fees of approximately US$280,000. Between January and mid-February 2013 alone, around 100 people went on trial and were sentenced to combined total fines of US$90,000 [4]. This seems to be the government’s newest tactic to discourage protesters from taking part in the protest. This is a much more discreet but just as effective method of repression.

    It is clear that in the eyes of the government, the local community’s livelihood and the natural and human resources on which it depends come second to geo-strategic and corporate economic interests. The current North-Korean military threats will further undermine the nonviolent protest against the militarization of Jeju and the government seems prepared to use all levels of state power to go ahead with the project, from massive executive reinforcement to legal and political measures. With all the media attention focused on the war rhetoric, the fight of the Gangjeong activists is at risk of being forgotten.

     

    Notes

    1. Information retrieved from www.savejejunow.org
    2. Personal interview conducted 19 November 2012 in Gangjeong, South Korea
    3. Quoted in Republic of Korea Armed Forces, Wikipedia entry, Retrieved from www.wikipedia.orghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Korea_Armed_Forces
    4. Gangjeong Village story (feb 2013), severe judicial oppression fought with healing hands

     

  • Solidarity from Maine, US and AWC_Japan

    The two below messages are forward from Carolyn, Maine, US and Y. Nakamura, AWC_Japan.   1. Solidarity from Maine, US (April 15, 2013)   “It is a link to one of the radio stories I produced in February about Gangjeong. This one aired last week.’ ‘Gangjeong village’s struggle against a navy base – produced by WERU volunteer Carolyn earlier this year, after she returned from a trip to the area [..]’ http://archives.weru.org/weru-news-report/weru-news-report-20130409 ‘I’m sending along a photo of a banner we’ll bring to area demonstrations. Love and miss you.’ ( By Carolyn)

    Maine
    Photo by Carolyn/ Solidarity from Maine, US
    South-Korea
    Source: Times Record/ The Times Record, April 15, 2013, reported the news on Gangjeong struggle in a page of its printed version.
    Mayor
    Friends in Maine, US, thankfully delivered the Timed Record newspaper prints. along with the Nuclear Resister March newsletter. Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun in his office.

    2.. Solidarity from AWC_Japan (April 15, 2013)

    Japan1
    Photo by Y. Nakamura/ Solidarity from Japan(April 15, 2013)
    Japan2
    Photo by Y. Nakamura/ Solidarity from AWC_Japan

    ‘Regarding rising military tension over Korean Peninsula, AWC-Japan held a protest action against ongoing massive US-ROK military exercise at US consulate in Osaka today, April 15, 2013. At the same time, we denounced Japanese government’s warmongering and racist propaganda against DPRK. We are planning to hold similar action at US embassy in Tokyo. No war on Korea! No to US-Japanese military alliance! US troops out of Asia-Pacific!’ ( By Y. Nakamura)

  • Update on Yang Yoon-Mo on his 68th prison day and international solidarity messages


    Yang Yoon-Mo hit his 68th prison day as of April 8, Monday. On April 10, he would hit his 70th prison day.

    On a sunny Monday, the way to the meeting room of the Jeju prison was filled with green trees and magnolia.

    Yang Yoon-Mo was still in patient cloth. Though still thin, he looked bright. His hairs were cut in tidy fashion.  The international team member could not tell him that there clash began in front of the construction sites from the early morning of the day because she worried about his heath that is still in recovering process.

    Web_tree
    A tree seen on the way to the meeting room of the Jeju Prison

    Instead she delivered him some international solidarity messages sent to him after the end of his 52 days’ fast as of March 24 and asked his reply to the people who sent those.

    For all the international solidarity messages mainly sent on March 31, please see the bottom. Here is his reply:

     

    “Thanks to the international team, the news on me has been informed. It is my honor to be  one with the peace activists in the world.

    I will not do anything more to bother my body. I think it should be my return for the friendship and support of those.

    I will do all my efforts to renew my daily change always. It is the will to be along with all the living creatures, not regarding body merely as an individual matter.

    I thank all the friends in the world, especially to Bruce Gagnon, who helped me to realize that.”

     

    The below is his reply on the question of his health, such as dyslexia:

    ‘ I will eat rice gruel by the end of this month so it will be thankful if people could send me enzyme by the end of this month. I need two bottles of enzyme a week. Since my power of concentration has become very weak, I can hardly read letters yet. I am planning to apply for a meeting with psychologist in the prison.

    Currently five people including me are in a same sick room. Since the other people in a room prefer to watch the TV, It is hard for me to mentally concentrate. There is no clash with them but I suffer in my head as I try to overcome my inner conflict.

    My only way is to hold mass alone at 11 am,  same time with Catholic mass that is held in the village and focus on it. It feels like I have given stress to my physical body for last two months’ fast.

    Since relaxation is needed to release stress, I am trying not to push compulsion in my body. I have experienced chill three times since the end of my fast because of lowered immunity. I felt my body was shivering like an aspen. Since my body has become very sensitive even to cold wind, I restrain myself even from outdoor exercise (which is allowed for 15 to 20 minutes a day for every prisoner) I make efforts not to make my body to be excessive.”

     

    Yang was happy to hear the news that the 4·3 movie ‘Jiseul,’ has already attracted more than 70,000 audience throughout the nation, which is quite a remarkable record for an independent movie. He has originally dreamed at least 30,000 audience for the movie. He was also glad to hear that the 4·3 –remembering events were very meaningful this year because of the outcomes of two 4·3 movies(Jiseul and Binyom) and a book named, ‘You, Dear Gangjeong.’ Reports on the 4·3 events will come as soon as possible.

     ……………………………………………….

     

    International Solidarity message to Yang Yoon-Mo and Park Sung-Soo (Dungree)

    Here are the International solidarity messages mostly sent and collected on March 31. See the Korean translation, here. The village international team had asked the friends in the world to send the messages to the two people of Yang Yoon-Mo and Mr. Park Sung-Soo (Dungree) before it. Mr. Park Sung-Soo who has refused to pay unjust fines and to be volunteering to be jailed was suddenly released on April 1 as an anonymouse people paid for his fines without his knowledge and will.

     

    Bruce Gagnon, US

     

    Dear Yang Yoon-Mo,

    I was happy to learn you ended your courageous hunger strike against the Navy base.  It was a good decision to live and fight another day.

    Your efforts over the past couple of years have been deeply inside my heart and remain there.

    Each day you and others spend in jail is another day I look to do something, anything to help Save Gangjeong village and the nature that surrounds it.

    I often watch the video Island of Stone (* movie in 2011, see the below), which always brings tears to my eyes, to hear your profound analysis and sacred love for nature. I send you my best wishes for strong healing and hope your abdominal muscles are now working overtime.

    For peace with justice,

    ISLAND OF STONE from Island of Stone on Vimeo.

     

    Park Sung-Soo,

    I write to thank you so much for your excellent photos and videos which have helped me from so far away stay close to the resistance against the Navy base.

    I was sad to hear of your jail sentence but also felt proud of you for refusing to pay the illegal and immoral fines.

    Please know that your good efforts for real peace and justice are deeply appreciated by many of us. I send you my best wishes and look forward to your visual art works very soon.

    In peace,

     

    Bruce K. Gagnon

    Coordinator

    Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space

    PO Box 652 Brunswick, ME 04011

    (207) 443-9502

    globalnet@mindspring.com

    www.space4peace.org

    http://space4peace.blogspot.com/  (blog)

     

    *# Thank God men cannot fly, and lay waste the sky as well as the earth.  ~Henry David Thoreau

     

    Lindis Percy and Laila Packer, UK

     

    Dear friends Yang Yoon-Mo and Park Sung-Soo (Dungree)

     

    We are thinking of you so much and send you greetings, solidarity and love.

    We hope that the health and strength of Yang Yoon-Mo is recovering and that soon your body will be restored.

    Your mind has always been amazingly strong!  You are both very brave and courageous and inspiring people.

    We hope that the prison authorities are treating you well and with the respect you deserve.

    In peace and love

     

    Lindis Percy and Laila Packer

    Joint Coordinators

    CAMPAIGN FOR THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF AMERICAN BASES – CAAB UK

    www.caab.org.uk

     

    John Goss

     

    I am so sorry to learn of your imprisonment for taking a stand in protection of Jeju Island. Your efforts to stop the advance of US military occupation is inspirational. I pray for your release.

     

    Agneta Norberg, Swedish Peace Council

     

    I am so sorry to learn  of your imprisonment for taking a stand in protection of Jeju Island. Your efforts to stop the advance of US military occupation is inspirational.

    I pray for your release. We in Swedish Peace Council,Sweden, want to express our SOLIDARITY and support for Yang Yoon-Mo and Park Sung-Soo in their just and fair struggle against the US marine base in Gangjeong village.

    We also  want to express our disgust against the jailing of these two honest persons! We condemn SAMSUNGS COOPERATION IN US WARPREPARATIONS in SouthKorea.

    We say: Stay firm! We are with you in our thoughts!

    Agneta Norberg, Swedish Peace Council

     

    Carole from Luxemburg

     

    Dear Yang Yoon-Mo and Park Sung-Soo,

    From far away Luxemburg I am following your plight, courage and fight against injustices!

    I have great respect for what you do! With more people with your courage this would be a better and juster world!

    I can not do much here in Luxemburg to help, but talk about the fight in Gangjeong to everyone I meet.

    You are an inspiration!

     

    Carole from Luxemburg

  • Report from UK: Benjamin Monnet’s SOAS Speech

    Ben1
    Image: UK Gangjeong solidarity Team

     

    Report on Benjamin Monnet’ s SOAS speech on March 21

    By Andrew, UK Gangjeong solidarity team

     

    This month SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) University of London, hosted Benjamin Monnet to talk about the struggle against the Jeju naval base, sponsored by the ‘Save Jeju Island’ student society. Benj, as he is known to his many friends, lived in Gangjeong village for ten months, joining the resisting the naval base and bringing the issue to the attention of international media. He was a valued and loved member of the village peace community, but last year was deported suddenly, violently and illegally by a South Korean government clearly worried by his non-violent acts to defend the Gureombi from detonation.

    He arrived in London from his hometown in France the day before his talk and came straight to SOAS, meeting other students involved in the ‘Save Jeju Island’ society. Immediately he was engaging with students, inviting them to the event and helping our team put posters around the student union. A real ‘hands on’ guest speaker! We shared a delicious Indian curry provided free by Hari Krishna devotees on the campus. Benj, who is now based in Nepal, said the food made him feel at home.

    Ben 4
    Image: UK Gangjeong solidarity team

    The talk the next day was attended by twenty five students, from the UK, South Korea, Japan, Norway, Italy and Tahiti. Benj’s desire was to ‘generate some inspiration’, and he did so speaking in his warm, calm French accent. But behind this softly spoken man there is a strong passion for justice, and for harmony among all people and nature. There is anger too at the destruction and injustice taking place at Gangjeong. He showed film of the navy’s ramming of Save Our Seas team kayaks, in which he narrowly missed being killed ( * See the English article, here), and described, when asked by audience members, the events leading up to the deportation that has separated him from his partner, and the people and place he loves. But he was careful to not make himself the focus of a talk about that is fundamentally about the struggle against greed and militarism. He is uncomfortable with the ‘activist’ label – “I’m not sure what I am, but I know I am human and I have a heart”. Without saying it directly, he was challenging the audience to examine their own hearts in relation to the Gangjeong issue.

    Video by Jeju Sori TV on March 8, 2012

     

    Benj is keen from the outset that his talk should be a dialogue, not a monologue, and encourages a relaxed atmosphere where people are free to contribute and question. Many students express despair about the ongoing construction. ‘Is it really possible to stop the base?’ ‘What about all the work that’s already completed?’ He dismisses the defeatism behind such questions with a smile. ‘Of course it’s possible. Where there’s a will there’s a way – but we need your help. Don’t worry about the work that’s already done, that can be removed. Korean people work fast!’

    Ben 2
    Image: UK Gangjeong solidarity team

    There is a lively discussion about North Korea, but Benj makes sure people know that the base is related to China. He says that in terms of kilo wattage, the US will have the equivalent of 12,000 Hiroshima bombs on Jeju Island. ‘One was enough, huh?’ A Korean student expresses strong support for the naval base as he thinks it is about self defence. Benj listens patiently and respectfully, but then challenges the student. ‘If I point a gun at your head, is that self defence? Is this how you should treat your neighbour?’ It’s a response that he makes several times when he meets young Koreans in London who have the same view about national defence. ‘Some people are a bit shocked when I pretend to hold a gun to their head’ he remarks, ‘but sometimes we need to shock people. Some people are sleeping, and they need to be woken up!’

    Many people were reluctant to leave after the event, and stayed continuing discussions. Benj warmly suggested everyone go together for dinner, so ten of us went to ‘Naru’, a Korean restaurant near the university. We enjoyed making new friendships over delicious food. Being with many Korean students, and engaging with the friendly staff made Benj visibly happy. ‘Oh I’ve missed the energy of Korean people!’ he said, beaming with a big smile.

    Ben 3
    Image: UK Gangjeong solidarity team

    Unfortunately his planned visit to Wales to meet with British peace campaigner Angie Zelter, who was also arrested with Benj at the time of his deportation, and who is now barred from entering South Korea, could not go ahead due to heavy snow. Benji used his extra time in London to meet with an independent film maker, who had attended his talk, and who is working on a documentary on South Korea. He also made contact with a professor in another UK university who was keen to invite Benj to speak about the Jeju naval base. While at SOAS we met political rapper ‘Lowkey’, who asked lots of questions about the situation in Jeju, and the US military in South Korea, and took away Gangjeong Village news letters.

    On a personal level, I was happy to spend more time Benj and deepen our friendship. We had lots of interesting discussions, and some pretty funny ones too. Over another Korean dinner, and some very good makkoli, we celebrated the great news that Yang Yoon Mo had ended this 52 day hunger strike in jail, and agreed this should encourage us to work harder for the ‘Free Yang Yoon Mo’ campaign.

    It was great to have Benji with us in London. He definitely generated inspiration, and he continues the fight for Gangjeong, waking people up so they might join us.

    Ben 5
    Image: UK Gangjeong solidarity team

     

    (Thanks so much, UK Gnagjeong solidarity team for the report and photos)

  • Gangjeong Village Story: Monthly News from the Struggle | March 2013 Issue

    In this month’s issue:
    Remembering the one year anniversary of the blasting of Gureombi, the campaign to demilitarize Jeju continues, linking the tar sands protests and Jeju, Solidarity from Okinawa and Taiwan, trial updates, Guest articles from several visitors, as well as Angie Zelter and Benjamin Monnet, and more!

    Download PDF

  • Prof. Noam Chomsky’s message for Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo

    Chomsky_Ohmynews
    Photo by Choi Kyung-Joon, Ohmynews, May 29, 2012

     

    The Korean media, Hankyoreh, a prominent center-left media, Voice of People, a leading alternative media  and Headline Jeju, a leading internet media, Jeju, reported on March 18, 2013 that Prof. Noam Chomsky sent a message for Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo via Simone Chun, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, Suffolk University.

    It is Prof. Chomsky’s 2nd supporting message for Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo, following 2012 when Prof. Yang was imprisoned  for the 3rd time and took more than 42 days’ prison fast. Prof. Noam Chomsky has been a strong supporter for the Jeju Struggle against the naval base and has sent a message during the last Presidential election as well.

    We so thank him and Simone Chun, Ph. D  to take solidarity for Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo.

    The below is Noam Chomsky’s message forwarded by Simone Chun. His message was written on March 16, 2013

    ‘I understand that Professor Yang Yoon-Mo is still imprisoned for maintaining his opposition to the construction of the Jeju naval base, and is now at the 44th day of his hunger strike in protest against the base and his sentencing. I would like to urge, once again, that Professor Yang be immediately released, and free to continue his just and courageous protests against the base on Jeju Island, designated an “island of peace.”

    Noam Chomsky‘

    양윤모 선생위한 촛불
    Simone Chun, Ph. D with her graduate students in the human rights class being solidarity with Yang Yoon-Mo (Photo fwd by Simone Chun, Ph. D)