In this month’s issue:
City of Berkeley passes Gangjeong Resolution, 2014 base budget issues, Love letter from Afghanistan, Milyang solidarity, Gangjeong Crochet Project, Solidarity from Germany, trial updates, and more!
Save Jeju Now
No War Base on the Island of Peace
Tag: Jang Hana
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“Because of Samsung”…Ministry of National Defense Excuses, Upon Protest by National Assembly Members
Image source: Jeju Sori, Jan. 23, 2013/ 12 DUP members’ visit to Kim Gwan-Jin, Minister of National Defense The Minister of National Defense (MND) excused under the pretext of Samsung for the reason of the enforcement of construction. 12 members of the National Assembly, including Park Ki-Choon, floor representative of the Democratic United Party, denounced the MND.
On Jan. 23, 12 National Assembly members (representatives of the Democratic United Party: DUP) visited the MND and met Kim Gwan-Jin, Minister of National Defense. The meeting was for the protest that six National Assembly members were humiliated to be denied entry into the Jeju naval base project building complex on Jan. 22. (See the below photos. On Jan. 10, two National Assembly members were also roughed up by the police. see here. You can watch the video on Jan. 21, here. ).
The 12 National Assembly members who visited the Minister Kim on Jan. 23 are: Park Ki-Choon, floor representative of the DUP, Woo Won-Sik, Vice-floor representative of the DUP, Ahn Gyu-Baek, Coordinator of the National Defense committee of the National Assembly, Lee Suk-Hyun, Kim Woo-Nam, Kim Gwan-Young, Jin Sung-Joon, Kim Gwang-Jin, member of the National Defense committee of the National Assembly, and Jang Hana.
Park, the floor representative denounced the MND, saying, “without the execution on budget, construction should be stopped [..] Even though the needed is an effort to diligently carry out the National Assembly subsidiary conditions for 70 days, the MND is enforcing construction. The Minister of National Defense has refused to come to the National Assembly, excusing he is busy.”
- Note: The National Assembly had passed the 2013 Jeju naval base budget of about 209 billion won with the subsidiary conditions of ‘execution on budget after the report on the performance on the recommendation items of the National Assembly within 70 days.” For the National Assembly subsidiary conditions, look at here.
However, Minister Kim Gwan-Jin clarified his measure on the enforcement of construction, excusing that there were no words of “construction stop,” in the National Assembly subsidiary conditions.
Further he ascribed the responsibility for the enforcement of construction to a company that is the Samsung being in charge of the 1st work area of the Jeju naval base project, “The construction company that made a total sum contract is continuing construction for the reasons of labor cost, equipment-lease cost and compensation damage on the sub-contract companies. I will make an effort to satisfy the National Assembly subsidiary conditions but there is nothing we can do since the company said it should carry out construction.”
Jang Hana, a National Assembly woman delivered later that the National Assembly members present with the Minister boiled with rage upon the Minister’s such nonsense that Ministry is excusing its violation of law for a private company: “Is Samsung over the National Assembly and law?”
Jang pointed out, “the Ministry of Strategic Planning and Finance is right not to allocate the budget [for 70 days]. The contract should be renewed annually, too. In the case of the Jeju naval base construction, the contract was expired as of January. It is hard to understand that the Ministry is looking on with folded arms while the Samsung is progressing an illegal construction with its own money without being supervised.”
After the meeting, the DUP stated that it would consider legal measure against the enforcement of construction for 70 days even though its actual effect is uncertain.
Yoon Gwan-Suk, spokesperson of the floor representative said, “Regarding the disposal on the passing of the 2013 Jeju naval base budget, the National Assembly conditioned it with the subsidiary items including a thorough verification on the possibility of port-entry by 150,000 ton cruise and its report to the National Assembly within 70 days. Even though ‘construction stop’s was not stipulated in the conditions, there was an agreement on construction stop in content both by the ruling Saenuri Party and opposition parties.”
(Summary of the articles of the Jeju Sori and Jeju Domin Ilbo. See also Yonhap news)
Photo by Rev. Ryu Insik/ On Jan. 21, six National Assembly members (DUP) visited the village and had a press conference denouncing the navy’s illegal construction. Those six members are Jang Hana(3rd from the right), Kim Gi-Sik, Nam-Yoon In-Soon, Eun Soo-Mi, Jeong Chung-Rae, and Jin Sun-Mi. The sign in the back reads, “Stop the illegal construction enforced without budget from Jan. 1, 2013.” 
Jan 21, around 11:20 am/ Many reporters came to the six National Assembly members’ press conference held in front of the gate of the Jeju naval base project building complex. The police little showed up and no construction trucks while the members were in the village. 
Jan. 21. around 11: 55 am/ After the press conference, the National Assembly members tried to have a talk meeting with the chief of the project committee and to witness the site of illegal construction. But the door was rudely closed for about 30 minutes. Many news reporters including the KBS, one of the main Korean broadcasting companies were eager to report on it. 
Jan. 21, around 12: 15 pm/ The six National Assembly members had to finally give up the meeting with the chief of the project committee. One member, Jeong Chung-Rae, is denouncing the navy in his interview with the news reporters. 
Photo by A. T on Jan. 21/ The National Assembly members having a talk meeting with the village representatives had the lunch in the village communal restaurant. They would visit the Seogwipo Police Station to protest its violent oppression on people. at 2 pm. 
Photo by Paco Booyah/ On Jan. 22, members of the United Progressive Party also visited and denounced the navy’s illegal construction as well, around 10 am. 
Photo by Paco Booyah/ On Jan. 22, Nationwide civic groups also gathered in the village, to protest the navy’s illegal construction. It was the Urgent Action day. Around 11 am. 
The people’s bow hit 10,000 times as of Jan. 22 (around 5:30 pm). people have declared 30,000 peace bows on Jan. 10. Jan. 22 was also a day that Park Seung-Ho, currently the only remaining prisoner hit 130th day in prison. The police resumed its mobilization again for the entry of construction trucks in the evening and all over night, after the party and many civic group members returned back to the main land. Here is the video by Dungreei on the night of Jan. 22 (source). An old villager protested police’s mean behavior, denouncing Samsung as well. You can watch another video by Pang Eunmi on Jan. 21, here. On Jan. 23, the police were also protested for tearing a woman peace keeper’s cloths. The police even surrounded another woman peace keeper strongly protesting against it. Watch the Jan. 23 video here. The policeman, Park In-Kyu, was the one who made a peace keeper’s finger injured by hammering the pipes through which people connected their arms together to stop explosive cars on March 9, 2012. ( See the last scene). Protest call to the Seogwipo Police Station, Jeju: 064-760-0112/ the 3rd riot police unit of Busan: 051-971-7634
Near the people’s communal restaurant, Samgeori( three way intersection), a peacekeeper, Deulkkot, is displaying her dolls of people fighting against the naval base project. Despite hard time and ongoing construction(destruction), many people’s dedicated efforts will overcome the difficulties of struggle.
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Military Coup? Navy and Police Even Rough Up National Assembly Members
Jan. 10, the villagers’ first monthly Unity Day in 2013 was a day to be remembered, as the military and police even ignored the national legislature by exercising police violence to two National Assembly members who joined people’s press conference and struggle in protest to illegal construction that is being done despite the National Assembly ruling on 70 days’ construction stop for a thorough verification on the base design. You can see a video on the day here.
At 10:30am , the villagers declared their will to stop illegal construction in the press conference where representatives of the National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island, Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island, catholic priests and protestant reverends and two National Assembly members such as Jang Hana and Kim Gwangjin joined.
Mayor Kang said, “The National Assembly has broken its own promise on through verification on base layout to people by passing all the 2013 Jeju naval base budget. Even though it attached the subsidiary conditions on 70 days in its passing the whole budget, the navy is still enforcing illegal construction and mobilizing state power, committing human rights violation on people.”
See the Korean article, here.
The banner reads, ‘Construction on credit is illegal! Struggle of 30,000 bows to stop construction! The navy should stop illegal construction and take responsibility for thorough verification!’ People will carry on 1,000 bows everyday in rotation. Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun is the one who is doing the bows everyday. For more photos, on the day, see here. 
Right before the press conference, a group of ultra right wing members such as the navy fellow association visited the naval base project committee. Even during the conference, the tension due to the construction trucks to enter the gate was continued. For more photos on the day, see here. Regarding the incident on the violence on the National Assembly members, see the below translation of an article by reverend Jeon Yeon-Gil in the Gagjeong village. Rev. Jeong was released on Dec. 12, 2012, after 98 days’ imprisonment in jail. He was one of the five activists who climbed up on a caisson dock in the Hwasoon port, in protest to the Jeju naval base project.
Kim Gwangjin, Jang Hana, the two National Assembly members were encircled by the police
On Jan. 10, two National Assembly members, Jang Hanna and Kim Gwangjin visited the site of the naval base construction in the Gangjeong village.
The two National Assembly members visited the village to urge [ the navy] to properly keep the ‘70 days’ construction stop’ that the ruling and opposition parties have agreed with each other. The two National Assembly members have made prior talks with the chief of the base project committee and demanded construction stop to the Ministry of National Defense. However, seeing that construction is still being enforced, the two have stated that they would block construction even with their bodies, visiting the site in person, so that the recommendations by the National Assembly can be carried out.
Kim Gwangjin, the National Assembly man demanded saying in the Press conference on the day that, “the agreement by the ruling and opposition parties was that there should be inevitably a construction stop for a thorough verification. The matter on the execution of budget is decided only after verification. It means there will be no subject to provide construction cost during the 70 days if it is proved out to be an improper project later as a result of verification. Immediately stop an illegal construction, being enforced without allocated budget!”
National Assembly member, Jang Hana stated, “it is with so bitter lamentation to see the reality that the National Assembly recommendations are considered merely as a sheet of paper. To see the behaviors by the Government and [ ruling conservative] Saenuri Party, they do seem to have concern with neither 70 days’ construction stop nor thorough verification. They were merely betraying people to pass the whole budget. We clearly state that there would be no verification without construction stop nor possible execution of budget without verification. Since construction has not been practically stopped, the verification period of 70 days has not even started. It is a time when even more members of the Democratic United Party, a party of the subjects of promise to the citizens so that construction can be practically stopped and verification could be thoroughly done.”
However, it happened that the police forcefully encircle and detain the National assembly members who demanded a thorough execution on the National Assembly recommendations and legislature works in the site. [See the two National Assembly members’ Jan. 11 protest statement below]
Photo by Jeon Dae-Hyub/ Kim Gwangjin, National Assembly man is forcefully dragged out by the civilian-costumed policemen, Around 3:20pm, Jan. 10, 2013. 
Photo by Jeon Dae-Hyub/ Kim Gwangjin, National Assembly man is forcefully dragged out by the civilian-costumed policemen. Around 3:20pm, Jan. 10, 2013 
National Assembly woman Jang Hana is protesting against the navy’s illegal construction and the police’s illegal encircling of people. Lee Dong-Min, chief of the Seogwipo police station was also in present. Around 3 pm, Jan. 10, 2013. 
National Assembly woman Jang Hana being encircled by the police, along with other people, Around 3 pm, Jan. 10, 2013. 
National Assembly man, Kim Gwangjin shouted knocking the base project gate in protest to navy’s illegal construction and the police’s violent roughing on him and people. Around 3:30 pm, Jan. 10, 2013. The navy did not open the gate for him. Looking at that, a villager Kim expressed his piled up agony, “ Has there any coup recently happened in the Republic of Korea? How do the police dare to forcefully encircle and detain the National Assembly members in their legislature works? I so deplore the reality of South Korea. It seems Gangjeong became the lawless world where neither law order nor democracy system work, only with police violence being rampant.”
Two National Assembly members, Jang Hana and Kim Gwangjin made peace bows along with the villagers to demand construction stop in front of the base project until 6pm.
Leaving the village, two members expressed their will saying that “given that construction is not stopped by two of us, we will do our best for our promise to the citizens to be carried out by making more members including [Park Gi-Choon, representative of the Party] to visit here. We will come again with more National Assembly members.”
You may see another essay with lots of photos on the day’s incident, here.
Photo by Rev. Choi Hyn-Kuk/ Night time entry and exit of construction vehicles, and police mobilization to rough out protesting people went on to the fury of people. 
Around 9:30pm, even an old female villager was pushed inside the police circle. Not to mention illegal construction, the night time construction went on. .………………………………………………………….
Statement by Kim Gwangjin, Jang Hana, members of National Assembly, on Jan. 11, 2013
We denounce the Jeju naval base project enforced with illegal construction and violence by the police that used physical powers even to the National Assembly members, shielding the project.
1. Yesterday (Jan. 10), Kim Gwangjin and Jang Hana, members of the National Assembly (Democratic United Party), visiting the Gangjeong village, strongly criticized that the 24 hour construction is still going on in the Jeju naval base project without observation on the National Assembly subsidiary conditions.
2.After the press conference on the day, the navy entering the enforcement on construction including the entry and exit of construction vehicles from 3 pm, brought in conflicts between the villagers who have been carrying on 1,000 bows and police. The police pushing away the villagers to a side with the mobilization of physical power, encircled and detained them.
3. During the process, National Assembly man Kim Gwang-Jin and woman Jang Hana, pointing out the problems following the navy’s enforcement on construction, demanded the stop of construction including the operation of construction vehicles. However, it was not received. Rather, Kim Gwang-Jin, the National Assembly man was dragged out and Jang Hana, National Assembly woman was detained and encircled for a long time.
4. We strictly warn once again. The currently being enforced Jeju naval base project is an undeniably illegal construction even without contract action therefore the dispatch of force that protects it is illegal. We will ask legal and political responsibility to the commander who ordered physical power even to the National Assembly members who visited the site. Given that such violence is done even to the National Assembly members in their legislature works, it is unquestionable to imagine how it would be to the villagers and activists in the site. We will make a prompt correction on the police violence in the lawless world of the Gangjeong village
5. Also, the Ministry of National Defense who unreasonably enforce construction even breaking the National Assembly order items, should take the 1st responsibility on the situation. An illegal enforcement of construction is a defiance in the front against the authority of Constitution by which the National Assembly composed by the citizen representatives has the rights to legislation and budget and balance. We strongly demand it to promptly make an order on construction stop and to carry on full verification
(Original source: Click here)