Gureombi Rock will be returned back to us without fail / Naval base entry road is destroying Gangjeong River / Gureombi Rock and Kim Jong-Hwan’s Operation/ Why Do I Fast?/ Udo and Hundertwasser/ From the trees of Guam and Hawaii/ Okinawa Opinion Statements/ More Coal-Fired Power Plants? /Lets’ save Ha-je Village and the Hackberry Tree/ Keep Space for Peace Week/ SCM and THAAD/ Jeju Navy Base should be watched/ A Sewol Ferry Survivors’ fast in front of the presidential house/ Nuclear Weapons Banned Formally/ Congratulations to Christine Ahn, recipient of the 2020 US Peace Prize etc.
Kim Kyung-bae and Fr. Huh Chan-ran, Sejong City Dec. 20, 2019/ photo by Choi Sung-hee
On the night of Dec. 20, Kim Kyung-bae, a resident living in the Jeju 2nd airport-planned area of Nansan-ri, Seongsan, ended his 10 day street fast as he dramatically met Cho Myung-rae, Minister of Environment (MOE) before his decision to end the fast.
Dec. 20 hit the 10th day of Kim’s street fast. The white letters in the black banner read, ” The 10th day street fast struggle for [the MOE’s] disagreement with [the MOLIT’s] SEA on the Jeju 2nd airport.”
Kim has started
fast to demand the MOE to disagree with the original draft of Strategic
Environment Impact Assesment (SEA) made by the Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT).
On Dec.19th, the
MOE sent the MOLIT the 2nd demand of supplements on the SEA. The MOE has
already made the 1st supplement demand this October. And to the draft before
the original, this June, also. Everytime, MOLIT answer to MOE regarding the SEA
was unreliable and insincere.
After the MOE’s such announcement, the greatest issue for Kim was whether the MOE’s supplement demand to the MOLIT included the issue on the legally-protected species. Media articles on the MOE demand did not show that it included the issue. Therefore, Kim decided not to end the fast, which he carried out even without tent on the street in front of MOE and MOLIT building (both are in the same building), government complex, Sejong City, since Dec. 11th.
Snow fell down on the vinyl the two used for cover during the night of Dec. 19. Photo by Choi Sung-hee in the morning of Dec. 20, 2019.Kim Kyung-bae with his friends. Photo by Choi Sung-hee, Dec. 20
And finally, in
the evening of Dec. 20th, Minister Cho heard the new that Kim would not end
fast. Minister Cho met Kim and Kim’s supporters/ friends on the night of Dec.
20th (just last night!). Kim told Minister Cho about the legally-protected
species in the planned area of Seongsan, which are missed in the MOLIT’s SEA.
Hearing Kim, Cho,
who had not been informed of the issue, asked Kim videos of those species in
Seongsan. Minister Cho said to Kim that he would do his best.
Kim who could finally end the fast expressed thanks to everyone, including Fr. Huh Chan-ran, co-executive representative of Islanders’ Emergency Committee to Stop the 2nd Jeju Airport. Fr. Huh stayed with Kim from Dec. 12, sleeping with Kim under the cold sky, and holding a mass for Kim on the sit-in site.
Fr. Huh Chan-ran held a a mass for Kim Kyung-bae at Kim’s street sit-in fast site, Sejong City on Dec. 16th (source)
Kim who has
carried out long term fasts respectively for 42 days and 38 days in 2017 and
the next year, also, wrote the below on his facebook post when he and the
others little expected that he would meet Minister Cho soon in hours.
“I must save not only my life but all the lives along with me. The lives which would be expelled or killed from the planned area for the 2nd airport. [There are legally protected species. Some of those are] Falcon, a natural monument, as well the 1st class endangered species; narrow mouth toad, the 2nd class endangered species; chuckoo, a natural monument.
I will not halt my
street fast struggle unless the issue of legally protected species is included
in the MOE’s demand of supplement again to the MOLIT”
And in his another
post on his 4th day fast, he wrote as the below.
” The fourth day of fasting in front of the Government complex building in Sejong City
Last night, my
mother who will be soon 90 years old called me.
She was about to
cry.
“Where are you?”
“Yes, I am
somewhere.”
“Are you OK?”
“I am very fine.”
“Don’t do it so
long and come back home soon.”
“Yes, mother, it
will not be long. I will be back, soon.”
She came to know
of my fast through the news. She must have cried again after she hung up her
phone, just as she cried for a long time to see my cast-worn leg when I was
greatly hurt during the protest this October.
Whenever I am
fasting, she can hardly eat. I feel so bad to exploit my body like this since
my mother took such care of my frail body when I was a child. She tried to feed
me with all the food known to be good for a person with poor health.
However, mother!
I don’t want you
to have to see my outcry when my dearest home is forcefully taken away from me
for the airport runway. And I don’t want you pass away seeing the horrible
sight of being dispossessed of your lifetime beloved house- where you raised
six children with great care, your house which is only 200 meters from the
planned airport and is one of the homes to be moved first.
I think it would
be more unfilial.
Therefore, mother, please be strong.”
A photo of Kim Kyung-bae’ s mother (from Kim’s SNS)
Finishing his 3rd fast, he can finally see his mother and baby falcon in the garden of his house back in Seongsan, before the New Year.
The MOLIT has a final chance. It should answer MOE with the SEA draft supplemented on the issues MOE demanded. The issues include noise and migratory bird sanctuaries nearby the planned area. There is no deadline for MOLIT to give answer back to MOE. And once MOLIT gives MOE answer, MOE should make a final decision. It would be (conditioned) agreement with the MOLIT SEA or disagreement with it. If the MOE answer is former, our struggle to stop the Jeju 2nd airport (air force base)would be much harder because the MOLIT would have a pretext to make public notification on the Jeju 2nd airport project, which would make legal of the project. If it is latter, the MOLIT project on the 2nd airport will be much thwarted, along with the Ministry of National Defense(NMD) greed who covets to install the Southern Search and Rescue unit (air force base) in the planned 2nd airport in Seonsan.
Kim Kyung-bae carries out a banner daily with him, “ falcons NOT fighter planes in the sky of Seongsan!”
“Falcons not the fighter planes in the sky of Seongsan”/ photo by Choi, Sung-hee
Stop the Jeju 2nd
airport(air force base) project!
# Here are links of some of legally protected species Kim Kyung-bae took record himself. He could find those falcon, narrow mouth toads(known to exist 10,000, around the area), nearby his home, Seongsan, early July, this year, just days after the SEA draft of MOLIT was made public at the end of this June. The false SEA draft stipulated that there discovered no habitats of legally-protected species in the Jeju 2nd airport-planned area of Seongsan.
The sit-in in front of the Jeju Island government hall against the 2nd Jeju airport (air force base), which started by Kim Kyung-bae, a Seongsan resident(50), on Dec. 19, last year, who carried out 38 days’ fast, has continued so far with the participation of more citizens in Jeju and nationwide. On Jan. 17, two Jeju women, Yoon Kyung-mi (47) and Oum Mun-hee (46) joined indefinite hunger strike. And Choi Sung-hee (53) joined them, too, on Jan. 24. People around nation (especially young people and Green Party members) and even international citizens like Russell Wray in the United States joined their fasts one day or more than that, in solidarity with the fasters and No 2nd Jeju airport campaign. While Yoon and Choi had no choice but to end their hunger strikes respectively after 23 and 24 days due to the worsening condition of their health, Oum hits her 37th day fast as of February 22.
From left to right: Kim Kyung-bae, Yoon Kyung-mi, Oum Mun-hee, and Choi Sung-hee/ A photo by Kim Suo
As the provisional meeting of the Island Council approached, people focused on the Island Council to produce a resolution to demand the government halt of the basic planning for the 2nd Jeju airport. The meeting opened on February 19th and we will see the result of it on February 27th. So far, 27 of 43 Island Council members signed to the draft of a resolution. Meanwhile, Won Hee-Ryong, the Island governor announced his will to drive for the 2nd Jeju airport on February 20th, the next day of opening of Island Council. Won’s statement on the need of 2nd Jeju airport was full of lies and manipulation of data and facts. Partly, he strongly denied the prospect that the 2nd Jeju airport would be used as an air force base. However, when Oum and I visited an Island Council member (when I was still fasting), he clearly stated, “The 2nd Jeju Airport? It is right to say it is an air force base, whatever rhetoric is used.” Here I, translate my own statement ending my 24 days’ fast, written on Feb. 17th.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Ending the 24 days’ fast to demand the halt of basic planning for the 2nd Jeju Airport.
I had three demands when I started an
indefinite fast on Jan. 24th
Firstly, the South Korean Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) should stop the launch of basic planning
for the 2nd Jeju airport!
Secondly, Won Hee-Ryong, Jeju Island
governor, should collect the public opinion of Jeju Islanders!
Thirdly, the Island Council and three
Jeju-based National Assembly men should demand the MOLIT the halt of basic
planning for the 2nd Jeju airport.
And I ended my 24 days’ fast on Feb. 16th due to the worsening condition of my health (My blood-sugar level indicated the critical risk). I wondered whether my, and my friends’ fasts reached to the politicians even in echo or not.
I am now in hospital taking liquid water content. As I take it, I feel that my blood-sugar level comes back, headache and stuffiness in my chest disappears, and my organs are a little being recovered. I became to realize more clearly how the Jeju society where I live in and so called Jeju political field are drugged by the game of capital and power. Therefore, even though the achievement of my fast is humble, I never regret my fast. Rather, I could look at the reality I live in more properly and I thank that the targets I have to fight became more obvious.
During the fast, I met some politicians
whom we elected or not whenever we held the signs in the Presidential House,
Island Government, City Hall, and Island Council. And I became to know why our
voice were not reached to them even in eco.
Whether it was the central government, Island government, Island Council, National Assembly man, or anybody else, the voice of Islanders was not important. What is important to them was the voice of capital and military. They say they are taking politics. The politics they say means ‘their own’ politics and the politics by the “politico.” They were there not to represent our voice from the beginning. I will call it oligarchy. I will call it oligopoly, which could head to Fascism.
On February 14th, when I was still in fast, the approximate look of the basic planning for the 2nd Jeju airport was reported in a news. In a map, all the areas of Jeju were divided in five spheres of living, marked with different colors, without any consultation to Jeju Islanders. Namwon and Pyoseon, just next to Seongsan in the east and Andeok and Daejeong in the southwest were tied together as the southern sphere of living which is characterized as a region of the rear support for aviation and specialized education. It was a map which shows how the effect of the planned 2nd Jeju Airport in Seongsan would be connected to the changes of not only the east Jeju but the southwest and whole area of Jeju. Between the east and west of the southern sphere of living, there are other towns which include Gangjeong village where I have lived for near 9 years in opposition to the Jeju navy base. The navy is planning to build a navy museum and premium outlet as a part of community recovery project.
Image by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport(MOLIT). According to its basic planning for the 2nd Jeju airport, the whole Jeju is divided as the above. For the translation of text, see the bottom of the this page. Source: Jeju Today, Feb. 24, 2019
According to the MOLIT, roads are extended or newly built toward the planned area for the 2nd Jeju Airport in Seongsan, east part of the Island. The government is planning to finish the basic planning by June 23th. It is planning to build the 2nd Jeju airport by 2025 with the budget of around 5 trillion won (around $5billion USD) Source: Jeju Today, Feb. 24, 2019
It was in 2005 when Kyle Kajihiro, a peace activist from Hawaii told that there is an island he is most envious, which was Jeju. “Why? Because there is no military base.” It was in 2014 when the so-called Asia-biggest Jeju Aerospace museum opened, which was two years before the opening of the Jeju navy base in 2016, Now in the museum, you can see a grim air force gallery. Under the name of local self-governing and decentralization, Jeju is becoming a laboratory and museum of neo-liberalism and militarism for the centralization. I will call it Fascism.
In the Air force gallery of Jeju Aerspace Museum, it is read, “The ROK air force is making effort to equip the power of aerospace which will carry out military duty by controlling and utilizing out aerospace assets in the sky and universe.” / Photo by Choi Sung-hee
People picketing and doing 100 bows inside the Island Council/ Photo by Kim Soon-ae on Feb. 19th. People organize a trip to the planned area of 2nd Jeju airport in Seongsan. You can see one of the Jeju’s most popular tourism sports called Seongsan Ilchul-bong in the background. About 10 oreums(parasitic cones), 42 species of birds, 43 wells of spring water, 11caves and 16 shines are at the risk of destruction/ Photo by Lee Ki-cheol.Artists in Jeju join the residents in Nansan-ri, Seongsan, to celebrate the 1st full moon in a new lunar year. Nansan-ri is one of the five villages directly affected by the 2nd Jeju airport. Nansa-ri is also a hometown by Kim Kyung-bae/ Photo by Roh Min-Kyu. For more photos, see hereCitizens against the 2nd Jeju airport. A photo after the celebration of the first full moon in a new lunar year. You can see Oum Mun and Kim Kyung-bae in the front (2nd and 3rd from the left/ Photo by Kim Suo, Jan. 18th, 2019)
I still demand:
Firstly, the South Korean Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) should stop the launch of basic planning
for the 2nd Jeju airport!
Secondly, Won Hee-Ryong, Jeju Island
governor, should collect the public opinion of Jeju Islanders!
Thirdly, the Island Council and three
Jeju-based National Assembly men should demand the MOLIT the halt of basic
planning for the 2nd Jeju airport.
February, 17th, 2019
Choi Sung-hee who ended 24 days’ fast as of Feb. 16th.
On Feb. 15th, I and my friends waited for the officers of MOLIT to protest to its unilateral enforcement of the 2nd Jeju airport(air force base). The next day, I was carried to hospital as my blood-sugar level reached to its limit/ photo by Lee Ki-cheol
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Translation of the map above
Mid-mountain special management area (pale green)
: The area for the preservation and
experience of what is Jeju-like
_ Preservation of resource of Jeju’s own
ecological and geographical value
_Restraint of reckless development and
eco-friendly development of development-possible area
_ Excavation of potential values of the mid-mountain area for the future Jeju
Jeju-dong sphere of living (pale yellow)
: International exchange and pivot
management, cultural center area
_ Strengthening of international exchange
as an international freedom city
_Supplementation of tour & vacation
facility through the connection between Oreum and golf course
Northern sphere of living (deep yellow)
: Rear residential area and carbon-free
clean area
_Realignment as an eco-friendly rural
residential area in the rear of Jeju City
_Specialization as a foothold for the
production of new renewable energy and study
_Strengthening pf tourism function in the
kind of education and experience, utilized of geological resource.
Seogwipo Sphere of Living (deep green)
: Center area for International maritime,
recuperation tourism, and life and culture
-Promotion of capability as a foothold for
the international tourism in the future of Jeju
_ Growth as an area of foothold for maritime
rest tourism and leisure sports
Southern sphere of living (blue)
: Aviation, rear support and specialized
education
-Construction of the 2nd Jeju
airport and development of nearby areas around the airport
_ Strengthening of maritime leisure sports
function based on harbor and marina
_ Strengthening of history tourism function
in Jeju
Steady Onslaught of Foreign Warships at the ‘Island of Peace’/Trump is not welcome!/ Please Sign The 4·3 Petition/ Maine Peace Walk for Conversation & Community/The Real Name of ‘Seoul ADEX 2017’ is ‘Murder Weapon Exhibition’/ Remembering Yang Yonbg-chan/ Visits from Okinawa and Japan/ The base’s illegal monitoring and human rights violation/ The SCM and the Jeju navy base/ The Hunger of Kim Kyung-bae: 42 day fast against the 2nd airport/Trial Updates/ A Long Journey to Peace – Two Grandpas’ Story/ Keep Space for Peace Week in Soseong-ri and Gangjeong/Peace Education Update/ Tabling in Seogwipo/ Queer Festival etc.
