Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo, Nov. 30, 2012/ Visit by the former Minister of Unification. The former Minister of Unification witnessed state violence on citizens himself. For more photos by Jang Hyun-Woo, see here
On Nov. 30, Lee Jae-Jung, former Minister of Unification visited Gangjeong, seeing himself on the police violation on human rights in Gangjeong.
Will it make any difference? The Ex-Roh Moo-Hyun government for which he has worked as a Minister of Unification, decided to build the Jeju naval base in 2007 in the name of Civilian-Military Port of Call, despite the opposition of majority of villagers. It was under the current Lee Myung-Bak administration to expand the base project as the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty now turned out to be only false mask of ‘pure’ military base.
Lee Jae-Jung, former Minister of Unification and 33rd Minister for Unification who was essential to the North and South Korea summit meeting 2007, lead the intense prelude to the second inter-Korean Leader’s Summit of 2–4 October 2007 (You can see Oct. 4 joint statement here. He is also known to have opposed the base project in 2007.
However, the politicians under the Ex-Roh Moo-Hyun government should be responsible for the current situation. And he should not be the exception. Until they thoroughly apologize to the Korean citizens their fault in 2007 and make all efforts to revoke the Jeju naval base project, people will not pardon them.
We hope the Former Minister, seeing in his bare eyes, the real situation of people’s desperate struggles in Gangjeong, make his best effort to cut the whole budget on the Jeju naval base project!!!!
Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo, Nov. 30, 2012/ The former Minister of Unification witnessed state violence on citizens himself. For more photos by Jang Hyun-Woo, see here
Photo by Jeong Dawoori/ Fr. Mun Kyoohyun, Mayor Kang and Fr. Mun Jeong-hyun (From the left) directly after shaving the heads in protest of the ruling party’s snatch of the budget bill on the Jeju naval base project on November 29 in Seoul. For more photos by Cho Sung-Bong, see here (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)
In the morning of Nov. 28, as the news was told that the Saenuri Party unilaterally railroaded the 2013 Jeju naval base budget without the presence of the Democratic United Party (main opposition party/ ‘DP,’ afterward) members in the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly, four Jeju-based or born National Assembly men and women (all DP) made a protest statement. The Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island and National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island also made a joint statement. And those were followed by the villagers’ emergency statement upon the above news and intensified protest with the arrest of three people in the village on the day(All were released as of Dec. 1). The people including the villagers would declare on hair-shaving and fast protest on No. 29. The below is the collection of the three statements(translated) on Nov. 28. The statements reflect the degree of people’s fury on the ruling Saenuri’ party’s creeping of the National Assembly and its snatch of the budget bill on the Jeju naval base project. For Nov. 29 protest photos and summary, see here
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1. Four National Assembly members ‘statement:
The Saenuri Party’s pass of budget on the Jeju naval base in snatched way should be revoked!! It should be totally nullified!!
Today [on Nov. 28], the Saenuri Party passed the Jeju naval base budget in snatched way in the general meeting of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly. Even though the ruling and opposition parties had talked to dispose the issue by agreement through enough discussion, the Saenuri party ignoring it, acted with even snatchin an unreserved way.
It has never been precedent in the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly that a budget bill was passed in a snatched way even with a vote in its budget examination. It is because there is no ruling and opposition regarding security matter.
We, the present National Assembly members have claimed whole cut of the Jeju naval base project budget for four reasons on Nov. 5, 2011. We especially stated that whole cut of budget is inevitable for construction stop and whole re-examination because the Government has not properly carried out the subsidiary opinion by the Budget and Balance Special Committee of the National Assembly in 2007 that the Government would use the base as the ‘Jeju Civilian-Military Port of Call’; and National Assembly’s five recommendations such as ‘conclusion on the protocol with the Jeju Island,’ presented during the budget examination by the Budget and Balance Special committee of the National Assembly in 2011 (* See the below reference)
Despite that, the Saenuri Party ignored the dignity of the National assembly by itself, acting snatch of the bill in an unreserved way on today, Nov. 28. In relation to the Jeju naval base project, the Saenuri Party committed a behavior of violation on the National Assembly that it passed the 2013 Jeju naval base budget in snatched way as the original Government proposal even without subsidiary opinion.
The Jeju naval base project is dividing the Jeju Island people. Even though the National Assembly has a natural responsibility to settle such conflicts during the examination process on budget, the ruling and Saenuri Party and Park Geun-Hye, Presidential candidate of the Party have shown no will on the settlement of conflicts among the Jeju Island people and no true will on the unity of citizens.
The present National Assembly members strongly denounce the Saenuri party’s Jeju naval base budget-snatching and declare it is a total nullity.
Nov. 28, 2012
Kang Chang-Il. Kim U-Nam. Kim Jae-Yoon and Jang Hana, Democratic United Party, all the present
The five recommendations by the Budget and Balance Special Committee of the National Assembly in 2011 are:
△ Revision of enforcement decree on the Port Act and change of basic plan on harbor and bay so that the base can be designated as a trade port [in part]/ Revision of enforcement decree on Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act for the guarantee of entry/exit of cruise / Conclusion on the protocol on the civilian-military joint use on the harbor and bay among the Ministry of National Defense (MND), Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs (MLTM) and Jeju Island
△ Consultation on the division of the rights on official regulations on harbor & bay: And conclusion on maintenance/repair of harbor & bay facility.
(*On June 29, the revisions on the two bills mentioned above were promulgated. But the protocol was not concluded yet because of the Jeju Island’s raising of question on technical verification on the entry/exit of cruise. There is also the Jeju Island’ dissatisfaction on the rights of official regulation. See here.)
△ Technical examination on the possibility of port entry by 150,000 ton cruise
(* It turned out that, according to recently disclosed technical verification simulation movie, it is possible for cruise to enter the port only by support of four tug boats. See here.)
△ Support on the vicinity areas of the Gangjeong village)
(* On Oct. 25, the villagers dissipated the hearing supervised by the Office of Prime Minister, saying the villagers are not deceived by so called local decelopment with the projecy. See here)
△ The procedures and ways on the investigation on the surface of the earth for cultural treasures to be processed in lawful way.
(* The investigation on cultural treasured were full of law-evasiveness and illegality)
Photo by Lee Woo-Ki, Nov. 29, 2012/ Jang Hana, a young National Assembly woman who has disclosed many times on the government fraud on the Jeju naval base project, cries right after Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyun shaved his hair with the start of fast in protest of the Saenuri Party’s snatching the budget bill on the Jeju naval base project on Nov. 28, in front of the National Assembly in Seoul in the morning of Nov. 29. For more photos, click here and here.Photographer Lee Wooki says. ‘Jang Hana, a newly elected member of the National Assembly and a Jeju-born. While fighting lonely and laboriously against enormously established political power, her heart is always for Gangjeong…Now she is the only true National Assembly member in South Korea.’
2. Statement by the Pan-Island and nationwide organizing committees to stop the naval base regarding the ruling party members’ snatch of the budget bill in the National Defense committee of the National Assembly
The below is a translation. Its original Korean statement can be seen here.
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Dismantle the Saenuri Party that has disposed the Jeju naval base budget in snatched way!
-The Democratic United Party should actively stand to cut the budget!
1. The 2013 Jeju naval base budget that should be fair to be totally cut was disposed in snatched way by the Saenuri Party in the National Defense committee of the National Assembly in the morning of Nov. 28. The members of the Saenuri Party belonging to the National Defense Committee repeated bad habit as the members of ‘the party specialized in snatch’ to pass the budget bill on the Jeju naval base that the Defense Program Administration Agency has proposed. It was a snatch carried out in 10 minutes of the opening ofmeeting in the meeting room of the National Defense committee of the National Assembly.
2. The Jeju naval base project has been unilaterally enforced ignored of the principles such as local residents’ agreement and lawful procedure. Under the Lee Myung-Bak government of the Saenuri Party, nothing has been done with proper elucidation and verification from the total base layout flaws to the controversy on unreliable caisson production and outside pressure to the verification meeting supervised under the Office of Prime Minister.
The recommendation items last year which had been through the agreement between the ruling and opposition parties of the Budget and Balance sub-committee of the National Assembly have been seldom kept. In such situation, the snatching budget-pass by the Seanuri Party this time means they merely overturned their decision items by themselves.
Even though it turned out to be impossible for two 150,000 ton cruises for the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty to come alongside the pier-which the Government has at least promised- as a result of verification and therefore the members of the Saenuri Party know that they need new access to that matter, they thoroughly ignored it.
3. In the time faced of the Presidential election, the snatched passage of budget this time by the members of the Saenuri Party of the National Assembly is merely a mean-spirited trick, reflected of its intention on security trade with the issue of the Jeju naval base.
Especially even though candidate Park Geun-Hye has said that she would make the Jeju as the 2nd Hawai’i with the building of the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, which is nothing to do with the will of the Jeju Island people, it is only to betray citizens for the party to stand idle on the passage of budget in the situation when even basic verification has not even been completed. If the party is to make great unity while deceiving citizens, the party should be basically dismantled and its candidate has to be declared of having no basic quality [as the President (candidate)]
4. The Democratic United Party should also actively respond on the matter of the Jeju naval base. In relation to the Jeju naval base, candidate Moon Jae-In has promised to the citizens and Jeju Island people on construction stop and re-examination. Even though it was not without the efforts by a part of the party, it is still a question whether the Democratic United Party has possibly acted to properly keep such promise. Even now, we demand the Democratic United Party actively step to keep the promise by candidate Moon and its party opinion of construction stop and re-examination during the remaining process by Budget and Balance Committee of the National assembly.
Nov. 28, 2012
Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island
National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island
Photo by Emily Wang, Nov. 29, 2012/ For more photos by Emily Wang, see here and here.Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo, Nov. 29. For more photos by Jang Hyun-Woo, see here. / Even during the people’s hair-shaving event in protest of the Saenuri Party’s snatch of budget bill on Nov. 28, police oppressed them only to make construction vehicles to enter and exit the main gates of the Jeju naval base project area, enforced in the Gangjeong village, Jeju
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3. Villagers Emergency statement (Original Korean statement can be seen here)
Candidate Park Geun-Hye proved out that she is a ghost of the military dictatorship that would lead the Republic of Korea into a dark age.
-Denouncing the Saenuri Party that passed the 2013 Jeju naval base budget in snatched way
The Saenuri Party passed the next year budget on the Jeju naval base project as its original proposal without the presence of the members of the Democratic United Party in the general meeting of the Budget and Balance committee of the National Assembly.
Even though the Jeju naval base has a name of so called the Civilian–Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, it is strictly a military base and of a security project. A security project is a business that absolutely needs people’s agreemet therefore it is a project that the ruling and opposition parties should make an agreement and allocate budget. Still the Saenuri Party abusing its more than half seats in the National Defense committee passed the budget in snatching way. It is the behavior of infringement on the National Assembly as the Jeju-based National Assembly members of the Democratic United Party claim.
As a result, it was disclosed that the Lee Myung Bak government turned out to be irresponsible regime, lack of morality as already seen in the affairs of private property in Naegokdong, Seoul, BBK, inspection on the civilian; to ignore public poll and enforce the projects distrusted by citizens as seen in the four river project and nuclear power plant; and to increase the gap between the rich and poor for its economy policy centered around the Chaebol(재벌/ a South Korean form of business conglomerate). Still it was also disclosed that Park Geun-Hye, candidate of the Saenuri Party is not willing to punish the current regime and heads for another immoral regime which is not different from the Lee Myung Bak government, as to look on snatched pass of budget bill even on a security project.
How the Saenuri Party dares to make limp of the budget bill in snatched way in the National Assembly during the Presidential election perod, if not from the intention to return back to the Yushin period with the election of candidate, Park Geun-Hye, as the President, following Lee Myung-Bak regime that is told to have retrogressed Democracy to decades ago!
If candidate Park Geun-Hye does not apologize on the incident on the snatched bill and does not cooperate on budget cut, The Gangjeong Village Association will enter the campaign to defeat candidate Park Geun-Hye, together with all the solidaity groups who are with the Gangjeong village and all democratic citizens in this country who resist to self-righteousness and dictatorship.
And Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyun, mayor Kang Dong-Kyun etc will start undefined fast and hair-shaving for the purpose of whole 2013 budget cut on the Jeju naval base project, from tomorrow of Nov. 29, in protest against candidate Park Geun-Hye and Saenuri Party that forcefully carried out snatching of the budget bill in the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly. We have a strong faith that history has been always for the victory of people that have broken down the violent coercion by dictatorships. Therefore we will win without fail and will fight until we win.
Finally, we ask Presidential candidate Moon Jae-In and Democratic United Party to make all the efforts to cut the whole budget on the Jeju naval base with the willingness to judge immoral candidate and party.
Nov. 28
The Gangjeong Village Association
Photo by Emily Wang, Nov. 29, 2012/ Mr. Go Gwon-Il, Chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the naval base, holds a sign om the current conscientious prisoners against the naval base projectPhoto By Jang Hyun-Woo, Nov. 29, 2012/ Jeong Young-Hee, Chairwoman of the Village Women’s Association. It is her 2nd time to shave hair in protest against the naval base project. She has cut her hair on May 26 in protest of the Island governor who is complicit to enforce the naval base project.
20 people shaved the heads in Seoul and Gangjeong, Sit-in overnight protest and fasting started in front of National Assembly on November 29, against the government budget bill of Jeju naval base railroaded in the defense committee only with the presence of the ruling party members. The night of Seoul and Gangjeong is very very cold. . .Videos by Dunguree 박성수 (Facebook post by Regina Pyon)
Video on Seoul protest, Nov. 29 (Source: Click here)
Video on Gangjeong protest, Nov. 29 (Source: Click here)
Video on Gangjeongprotest, Nov. 28 (Source: Click here)
Police attack, a Jeju islander on top of a van in front of the naval site main gate. Image: Carole Reckinger
In response to the news that the Jeju Naval Base project budget for 2013, 200,900,000,000 Won, was passed completely without any cuts by the National Assembly and the majority holding Saenuri Party, Jeju citizens, villagers, and activists rose up in anger with direct action. Three people were arrested.
An activist chained beneath a van. Image: Carole Reckinger
Two vehicles were parked in front of the gates to the naval base site and people chained themselves underneath. At one gate, Anglican priests held a prayer service and at the other another person climbed on the roof of a van wrapping himself in barbed wire. People surround the vehicle with their bodies, firewood, junk, and whatever else they can find as usual. Soon hundreds of police arrived. They surrounded the Anglican prayer service so that they couldn’t leave and join the other gate’s struggle. Then they moved to the main gate of the construction site.
The van is towed away. Image: Carole Reckinger
There police surrounded the people and made their usual “gochak” detention circles to throw the people in, blocking them from blocking the gate. One by the one, people were dragged away and thrown in the detention circles. Then they roughly knocked down the person on top of the van, without regard for his safety. He was arrested. Then they cut the chains off the person under the van and arrested him along with a person who was simply accompanying to check his condition, totaling three arrests. Finally the van was towed away and the cement trucks went in and out. But it took almost an hour and a half.
It was a very heavy struggle which left many villagers and activists in tears. The police, seemingly indifferent, soullessly did their jobs and walked away.
Tomorrow, in response to the lack of budget cuts their will be protests in Seoul and several people including Father Mun Jeong Hyun and Gangjeong Village Mayor Kang will shave their heads and begin fasting. The budget will now go to the final stage, the Budget and Balance Committee.
A Gangjeong villager mourns the unceasing oppression and destruction of his hometown. Image: Save Jeju Now
Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ On Nov. 23, village mayor Kang Dong-Kyun filed a lawsuit against the Prime Minister to demand on 0.9 cent solatium for betraying citizens.
On Nov. 23, 2012, Kang Dong-Kyun, Gangjeong village mayor, filed a lawsuit against the Prime Minister, Kim Hwang-Sik, to demand 1 won solatium. 1 won is 0.9 cent by the US currency standard. Why? The below translation explains the purpose of the lawsuit that is hoped to be extended into citizens’ campaign to demand the Prime Minister to make an official apology, stop construction and cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project.
Prof. Shin Yong-In, Professor of the Law School of the Jeju University and legal advisory to the Village Association mentions in relation to it:
“With the exposureby Jang Hana, National Assembly woman, on the technical verification committee meeting minutes and testimony by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou, member of the technical verification committee, in the Island Council inspection, it became completely clear that the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty is a fabrication. Therefore any justifications for construction drive and budget allocation have become disappeared [..] If that part becomes certainly AN ISSUE, our struggle will have tremendous power to bring construction to be stopped and whole budget to be cut [..] We should demand the Prime Minister to make an official apology for his deception to people and to stop construction (destruction). And the Presidential candidates should make public their positions on the Government that cheats people”
The Prime Minister should make an official apology to the people for his deceiving of them!
Stop construction (destruction)!
Cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project!
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Mayor’s statement
: Filing a lawsuit against the Prime Minister, Kim Hwang-Sik, to demand 0.9 cent solatium
1. On Feb. 29, 2012, ‘the result and measure plan on the technical verification on the port-entry & exit by cruise,’ related to the Jeju Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, was discussed in the National Policy Control meeting that Kim Hwangsik, Prime Minister, presided over. As the result of meeting, the participants in the meeting told to confirm that it is possible by and large for 150,000 ton cruise to enter and exit port of the the Jeju Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, decided to drive the construction such as dredging in earnest, to complete construction by 2015 as planned.
2. Since then, the site of Gangjeong was transformed into a situation being alike a battle field where endless daily clashes occur between the navy that enforces construction (destruction) with the mobilization of police and peace activists that make efforts to stop it. For a year of 2012 alone, about 390 people have been arrested.
3. However, on Nov. 19, 2012, it was exposed through the inspection by the Administration and Self-Governing Committee of the Jeju Island Council that the report by the technical verification committee meeting supervised by the Office of Prime Minister was framed on the condition that the Government doctored the meeting result to avoid layout alteration and construction stop, which was through the testimony by Prof. Kim Gil-Sou, Korea Maritime University, who has joined the technical verification committee meeting. It has turned out that Government personnel [in the meetings of technical verification committee] raised [different opinion of] whether there is a firm need to change a harbor and bay design when as much as 150 billion won is more needed for the layout change for cruise to enter the port. It also turned out that the chairman of the technical verification committee meeting induced conclusion into the way that no construction stop is to be realized, he saying in person that it is the basic measure of the Government to conclude the verification matter, when various matters such as the talk that even the entry of military vessels are difficult, not to mention cruise ships, were raised in the meetings. It is also told that the Government changed the 2nd simulation result report by the Ministry of National defense as if it is the report that the technical verification committee has officially acknowledged even though it was a mere reference material. Prof. Kim Gil-Sou told in conclusion that he considers the base design was not for the civilian-military complex port from the beginning.
4. Otherwise, according to the movie that Park Won-Chul, Island Provincial Council member, obtained, it turned out that the simulation was done with the use of four not two tug boats, different from the Government assertion. The government lied from the beginning to the end. As a result, it has become clear that the Civilian-Military Complex Port that the Government and navy have made so much propaganda is merely a fraud play against their citizens.
5. In the old age of history, Confucius has told that three elements of security, economy and people’s trust are important in doing politics. He has also said if one should unavidably abandon one, the first should be security, second is economy, then the last one is people’s trust. The people’s trust to Government is the most important element for the Republic of Korea to exist. The Government cannot exist if it is not be trusted by people. Still the Government has thoroughly betrayed people as if it is the Jeju civilian-military complex port while it is in fact Jeju naval base. How can you trust the Government that betrays people. It should be an example that the Government who betrays its people is thoroughly punished so that Government cannot betray its people again.
6. Since the decision by the National Policy Control meeting supervised by Kim Hwang Sik, Prime Minister, is based on the result of the inducement and manipulation of the result from the technical verification by the technical verification committee, Kim Hwang-Sik, the Prime Minister cannot avoid his responsibility for his intention or fault on it.
7. Since I have been forced to take speechless mental suffering due to the decision of construction drive by the intention or fault like above, Kim Hwang-Sik, Prime Minister, is responsible for the compensation of solatium for my mental suffering.
8. Now I became to make decision to demand solatium to Kim Hwang-Sik, Prime Minister, on my mental suffering. Even though I long to demand hundreds millions of solatium to him, as I, upon the naval base construction, became to have more than 150,000,000 won debt since I have had no time to spare to care for my household, my health has become worse, physically, too, and I suffer for insomnia, I made decision to demand only 0.9 cent to him in the hope that all the citizens join this lawsuit for solatium, and in symbolic sense as well.
9. I demand Kim Hwang-Sik, Prime Minister officially apologize to deceive people even now and cancell the decision on the resumption of construction, based on the falsified technical verification report. If Kim Hwang-Sik, Prime Minister neglect my demand and continuously ridicule citizens, I will extend my lawsuit to demad 0.9 cent solatium into all citizens’ movement.
Nov. 23, 2012
Kang Dong-Kyun, Mayor of the Gangjeong village, as the starting runner for the lawsuit to demand 0.9 cent solatium
People’s 24 hour protest and completion of the 3rd caisson
Meanwhile, people’s 24 hour protest to stop construction vehicles went on. The night time entry/exit of cement mixer trucks resumed on Nov. 19 after 10 days ‘ absence. The 24 hour mobilization of police and people’s 24 hour protest resumed again, too. Despite the weekend break, the whole scene will restart on Monday, Nov. 26, again.
Photo by Lee Woo Ki/ People carry stones over night to stop the night time entry/exit of trucks . For more photos on night time protest by Lee Woo Ki, see here.
Scene of violent oppression on protesters in the night of Nov. 20.
The 3rd 3,300 ton caisson has been recently completed and is in the condition of being dried at the cost of human rights violation and environmental destruction during 24 hour construction that started on Oct. 25.
Photos by Lee Woo Ki/ During the 24 hour construction that started since Oct. 25, people slept in front of construction gates to stop the construction vehicles. For more photos by Woo Ki Lee, See here(Night) and here (day)
It was confirmed on Nov. 23 that Samsung C & T that is in charge of the 1st work area of the Jeju naval base project has demanded the Ministry of National Defense (MND) additional construction costs of about 23 billion won, reasoning that its work in the naval base project is being delayed because of opposition groups’ obstruction of construction. According to Sisa Jeju, the personnel in the Samsung C & T have started to discuss on it with the MND about a month ago.
Hearing that, the Gangjeong Vllage Association and opposition groups strongly refuted on it, saying it is illogical that people’s taxes are to be wasted by giving additional costs on illegal construction.
The Samsung C & T reasons people’s protest for the delay of construction
According to the Jeju Sori, the Samsung C & T said to it on Nov. 23 that it “is consulting with the MND regarding the payment on construction fees etc since the naval base construction has been delayed more than a year.”
The Samsung C & T that is building the outer breakwater of the naval base has gotten from the MND project right on the 1st work area of the Jeju naval base project, which is about 300.7 billion (300.751,000,000) won sum of money for construction, as of Jan. 2010 standard.
The 1st work area is of a large size project on constructing west breakwater of420 meter and south breakwater of 1,076 meter. Currently the Samsung C & T is preparing for the construction of breakwaters, building 8,800 ton caisson for each in the Hwasoon port, Andeok myon, Seogwipo City. See the map below.
The matter raised by the Samsung C & T is about the delay of construction. It asserts that construction is being delayed since the Gangjoeng village Association and opposition groups against the naval base have obstructed the entry/exit of construction vehicles and invaded into the inner side of the construction site.
In fact, the Samsung C & T started construction from February 2011 which was a delay from its original plan. Its current work rate reaches only about 20% (39.1 billion won), far behind its purpose of 80 % (248.7billion won) for November, this year.According to the Jeju naval base project committee, the total work rate as of November currently reaches only to 24.4 % (239.5 billion won) by the standard of executed budget, among the total construction cost of 980.5 billion Korean won. The work rate by the Daelim in the 2nd work area is known to be only 21.4%.
It has been known that the Samsung C & T, analyzing that it could not carry out construction for more than 15 months because of obstruction on construction by the opposition groups against the naval base project, earmarked 23 billion won in the name of labor and construction material costs.
It is known that the loss price has become bigger following the construction postponement as the rent fee for the expensive maritime dock facility that the Samsung C & T has taken for the west breakwater construction amounts 200,000,000 to 300,000,000 won a day.
Navy personnel resonates to Samsung C & T, “the construction has been delayed about 14 ~15 months as the opposition groups occupied the Gureombi Rock area by the early period of September last year and obstructed construction by blocking construction vehicles and interrupting barge movement since then, too. We will decide the matter of preservation on loss price by contacting each construction company through legal examination.” The completion year of the Jeju naval base project has been postponed from 2014 to 2015.
Regarding the Daelim industry that is in charge of 2nd work area of mooring dock, east breakwater and formation on land area, the Sisa Jeju reports that the Daelim industry is demanding the MND to preserve 1.5billion won of loss following construction delay, while the Jeju Sori reports that it has not demanded additional construction cost.
Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ 14th caisson that was made by Samsung C & T in the Hwasoon port is entering the Gangjeong Sea at the cost of environmental destruction on Nov. 15. The vicinity of the Beom Island in the background of the photo is the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with the UNESCO-designated soft coral habitats. The Island itself is the UNESCO-designated Geology Park. Stationing caissons without verified simulation is a total ignorance of even the Island governor’s demand. For more, see here.
People, even the National Assembly members, refute against corporate greed
Upon such behavior of navy-contracted companies, not only the Gangjeong villagers but even the Jeju-based/origin National assembly members are infuriated using the phrase of ‘the thief turns on the master with a club.’ in their remarks.
Kang Dong-Kyun, the mayor of the Gangjeong village said, “The Naval base is illegal construction. It was without proper procedure. And environment is being destroyed. “Billions of caisson that have become scrap irons ( due to unreliable construction) tell that.” (# One caisson is told to take production cost of 5 billion won)
“The naval base construction project itself has been filled with serous problems from the beginning process of location selection to the performance during and after environmental impact assessment. It is righteous to stop illegal destruction. “
“You should not appropriate billions of construction costs with people’s tax again because illegal construction fee has been delayed. The 23 billion won that the Samsung C & T has demanded is absurd.” ”
Go Gwon-Il, chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base also pointed out. “Is the Samsung C & T really qualified to demand additional costs? The Samsung C & T has enforced construction without the installation of silt protectors on the sea last year. If the Samsung C & T had driven construction observing the law, it had not arrived into this situation. Wrong national policy cannot but be repulsed back by citizens’ resistance on it. The injustice of naval base construction should be first examined.
Jang Hana who has constantly raised problesm on naval base emphasized that ‘The villagers and activists have stopped naval base construction since it is illegal. The demand by the Samsung C & T is like to “Save a stranger from the sea, and he´ll turn your enemy.”
Kim Jae-Yoon, National Assembly man said, “Whole matters occurred because the MND has not properly carried out the subsidiary opinion of the National assembly. The Ministry of National Defense is constructing naval base under the cover name of civilian military complex port for tour beauty.”
He also said that “The social costs of villagers’ suffering are much bigger than the large sum of money of construction that the Samsung C & T asserts. The MND should compensate the villagers not Samsung.”
In case the Ministry of National Defense pays for additional construction fee to Samsung C & T, there could be raised of a claim for damage against the opposition groups such as the Gangjoeng Village Association. If then, it could be expanded to lawsuit war.
Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo/ Catholic priest Moo Kyu-Hyun protests against illegal construction. See more photos on people’s protest, see here.Photo source: PSPD (People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy) Hankyoreh newspaper, Nov. 22 Advertisement: People’s campaign to stop construction(destruction) and to cut whole 2013 budget on the Jeju naval base project. See the related site here 4,582 citizens joined to fund the newspaper advertizement campaign.
On Tuesday, November 21, several members of SOS (Save Our Seas), the Gangjeong ocean observation, monitoring, and action team, reunited after several months of focusing on other activities (and several members months long imprisonment). Four members, decided to take two kayaks, one turned into a homemade sailboat, out to the sea to observe the construction. Their plan was to circle the construction site legally from the outside, observe and take pictures and video. They also just to go out to sea for the first time in several months.
The weather was a bit cold and overcast, but it was not dangerous or excessively windy and there were no sea weather warnings. All four members are excellent swimmers and kayakers as well as licensed divers. They also all wore heavy winter wet suits, both for warmth and safety. The members brought their kayaks to Gangjeong port, a small public port, and put their boats in the water. Upon doing so, the coast guard ran to them and began questioning them about their plans and motive. Since Korea is supposedly a free democracy and not a police state, the members merely replied that they were going to the ocean and felt no further need to give more details.
Coast Guard boats intercept the kayaks
As the SOS members got in the Kayaks and took off, they were suddenly surrounded by Coast Guard ships and officers. Without any announcement or information, the coast guard officers jumped in the water and began blocking the kayaks. They then grabbed the kayaks and began pulling and pushing them back to the shore. SOS members struggled nonviolently with the coast guard who continued to attack them and restrict their rights and freedom without any explanations.
Finally after a lot of struggle, one coast guard official began to announce through a microphone that because there was a the construction site nearby, it might be possible that the SOS members would go inside and doing something illegal. He even referenced the June 30 action when Kim Dong-Won climbed a crane doing illegal dredging. Of course, this is outrageous as not only was Kim Dong-Won not aboard a Kayak but also his case is still currently on trial, meaning he is still innocent until proven guilty. Further it was outrageous that simply because there was a construction site in the area (hundreds of meters away, no where near where SOS was blocked while doing something completely legal in a public place. With that reasoning the police can stop anyone from doing anything if there is ever a chance of something illegal happening, which is always and everywhere!
Coast Guard thugs block a swimmer.
The struggle continued on and the SOS members went back to shore and then attempted to enter the water at several other places, every time illegally blocked and assaulted by the coast guard. They continued until it began to grow dark. At which point they returned to the land.
It was an outrageous display of police stupidity and power (there were more than 20 coast guard officers to the 4 SOS), and total trampling on the rights of the SOS team members. It is clear that not only is Gangjeong a police occupation, but that the coast guard and the police are nothing more than free taxpayer paid security for construction companies, Samsung and Daelim. Many Korean coast guard members are very nationalistically proud of themselves for being in the coast guard, but they have nothing to be proud of. They are complicit in the destruction of Gangjeong Village, its people, heritage and culture, and the destruction of the environment, including the very sea that they are sworn to protect. This is both pathetic and shameful.
More pictures available below:
SOS members prepare their homemade sailboat kayak.Entering the water, ready for the journey.Coast Guard officers block the sailboat kayak.Not giving up, the SOS members got out of the water and entered again at another location. They were blocked again, this time by even more coast guard boats and officers.While being trapped by the Coast Guard, the SOS members found an old damaged silt protector, which again raised concerns about whether the construction site is using the required environmental protection.The silt protector viewed from underwater.
1. People’s Nov. 20 statement on the exposure of the Island Council on Nov. 19
( Translated. Original Korean statement can be seen here)
Title: The ruling and opposition parties should cut the whole 2013 budget for the Jeju naval base project as the decision on drive for the Jeju naval base project by the national policy control meeting turned out to be a clear fabrication!
In the inspection by the Administrative Self-Governing Committee of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Island Provincial Councilyesterday on Nov. 19, it was confirmed again that the government has doctored the meeting results of the technical verification committee to finish the committee’s technical verification committee report in the earlier period without design change and construction stop, thanks to the testimony by Prof Kim Gil-Sou who has participated as a member of the technical verification committee managed by the Office of Prime Minister. It was also exposed that there were models of 4tug boats not two boats in the 2nd simulation of which the report was made public by the Office of Prime minister. Further it was also exposed that the report was not the technical verification committee officially acknowledged but a mere reference.’
The Office of Prime Minister has officially taken the 2nd report, asserting its basis that it was manifested following the recommendation by the technical verification committee. However, it turned out that the 2nd simulation report is clearly a fabrication in content and procedure.
Therefore the decision to drive construction by the national policy control meeting on Feb. 29, 2012, which was held based on the report, is regarded as not valid from the origin, too. In detail, the decision of the national policy control meeting came out based on the 2nd simulation report and was concluded on the premise that it is guaranteed for 150,000 ton cruise to enter/ exit of port and to safely come alongside the pier. The premise was conditioned though, that west jetty dock is structured into the changeable and navigation route is changed by 30 degree angle. As the very basis of the decision turned out to be fabrication, the decision by the national policy control meeting can not be established as valid any more.
It was also confirmed that three dimension modeling on the harbor and bay set up in the 2nd simulation was processed borrowing the harbor and bay model established in the 1st simulation. It is a serious reason of disqualification because even though the 2nd simulation is a test formed on the premise of 30 degree angle navigation route, it directly borrowed the area-detailed basic resource for the case of 77 degree angle (vicinity of navigation route, current, wind direction and wind speed). Because it is a test processed even without investigation on the area-detailed geographical and natural conditions in the vicinities of the 30 degree angle navigation route, it is a test that lost even the value as a report.
The matter is that there is a great concern that the revival of the 3rd simulation agreed between the Jeju Island government and Office of Prime Minister could be processed, borrowed of three dimension model used in the 1st and 2nd simulation. It is told that it takes six months only for collection of the area-detailed basic resource and for composition on the three dimension model for targeted ships and harbor & bay. Therefore, given the current situation, there is a high possibility [for the Prime Minister and Island government] to borrow the 1st and 2nd simulation models for the 3rd simulation,
However, we claim that the test lay-out should be inevitably carried out on the ground of clearly collected area-detailed basic resources to take fair and objective verification that the Jeju island government has emphasized many times. Also the researchers who led the 2nd simulation that was proved out to be fabrication should be excluded in the selection of the researchers to join the tests. It is because objectivity and fairness cannot be secured if the tests are processed by re-employing the scholars who have abandoned their consciousness.
[To conclude] the 2013 budget of the Jeju naval base project (Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty) of which only re-verification would take at least six months should be righteously cut.
Thereupon, we demand like the below.
Accepting the inspection result by the Administrative Self-Governing Committee of the Island Council yesterday(Nov 19), Governor Woo should revoke his position on the pass of the Jeju naval base budget and declare the demand on objective and fair simulation.
We request the Island Council to deliver the inspection result of the Administrative Self-Governing Committee and to make efforts for the 2013 Jeju naval base budget to be wholly cut.
To realize stop on construction and re-examination on project that Moon Jae-In, Presidential candidate has pledged, the Democratic United Party should not make any concession regarding the principle of budget cut before fair and objective verification
Finally, the Saenuri party should agree with the whole budget cut for the 2013 Jeju naval base project , bearing in mind that it would be the critical elements in executing the national policy project to lose people’s trust on the Government and National Assembly to allocate budget for the project that does not secure fairness and objectivity such as of procedural flaws and in which unjust behavior such as layout flaws and unreliable construction would be confirmed.
Nov. 20, 2012
Gangjeong Village Association, Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island (26 groups), National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing the Naval Base in Jeju Island (125 groups)
2. Villagers steps for legal suit on the reclamation matter
Regarding the Island government’s license of the navy on the reclamation on public water and its surface in the Jeju naval base project (so called Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty, the Gangjeong village entered for legal step on Nov. 20. The Gangjeong village delivered to the Island governor its application letter on the demand of the cancellation of the navy on the license on the reclamation on public water and its vicinity surface, demanding the governor to reply on his acceptance or denial of it by Dec. 5, 2012. The village said that if the Island governor rejects the application by the village or does not reply to the villagers by the defined date, it would enter the procedure on the lawsuit for the cancellation on the denial disposal on application, based on the law on the administrative lawsuit.
On Oct. 22, 2012, the village has made public if Woo Keun-Min, Island governor does not cancel the navy of the license on the reclamation on the public surface and its water by Nov. 7, it would inquire him civilian and criminal responsibility for it.
Reminder: The Navy Headquarter got the reclamation license on the public water and its vicinity surface from theBusan Regional Maritime Port Affairs and Port Office, without submission of diagnosis report on the date of March 3rd, 2010. It is an act that the Office permitted the reclamation license for the law-violating project, which is unlawful. Otherwise, the right to permission and cancellation on the reclamation construction on the public water and its vicinity surface was handed over from the Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime affairs to the Jeju Island in September, 2011.
3. Illegal destruction of the Gureombi Rock in violation of the EIA
Translation of photo essay by Cho Sung-Bong on Nov. 20, 2012. See original Korean language version, here:
‘According to the ‘Agreed Contents of Environmental Impact Assessment,’regarding the Jeju naval base project, it reads that double-layers of silt-protectors should be installed during the maritime construction and use of Fall Pipes and land washing of sands and stones during the input of them into the sea should be carried out.
However, construction(destruction) is being done with nothing above is observed.
Even though scattered dusts and maritime contamination have spread far wide, yet no measures have been taken.
The article 26 of the law on the Environment Impact Assessment reads that ‘matter on the performance on agreed contents should be confirmed and necessary measures should be taken for the performance of it when agreed contents were not carried out.”
4.Night time protest with the resumption of night time entry/exit of construction vehicles.
Around 11 pm, Nov 20. it is common to be like this every night during night protest. But people don’t lose hope and optimismAround 11:20 pm Nov 20. Today small tower of stones. The police took away people’ stuffs of lumbers, bicycles, and other materials this evening. But people’s imagination will be unlimited. Tonight the police threw down all the stones, too, during their roughing out. so people built the stone tower again. it will be again and again over night.Around 3:30 am, Nov. 20, Police take away stones then the people will build the stone tower again. people are building stone tower repeatedly and the police are destroying them repeatedly, too.Around 7:30 am, Nov 21, People’s recovered tower, after police roughing out of them.
The National Defense Committee of the National Assembly will have its final meeting in the morning of Nov. 16, Friday, in Korean time. Its’ Nov. 12 meeting was dissipated because of wide gap between the ruling and main opposition party. But since then the Democratic United Party (DP), the main opposition party has shown its compromising attitude that it is considering to agree with the ruling Saenury Party (New Frontier Party) to pass all or part of the proposed budget on the Jeju naval base project, to the indignation of people. The people here have mobilized themselves to protest to the members of the DP through email, phone and SNS. There was people’s emergency press conference on Nov. 15. How you can help us overnight in short time? Please see the part 2 of this article.
Photo by PSPD/ People’s press conference in front of the National Assembly on Nov. 15, 2012
1.People’s emergency press conference on Nov. 15
On Nov. 15, there was people’s emergency press conference to demand ruling and opposition parties to cut the whole 201 billion won of 2013 Jeju naval base project budget in front of the National Assembly at 1:30 pm. The Press conference was hosted by the Gangjeong Village Association, Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island (26 groups), National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing the Naval Base in Jeju Island (125 groups). Please watch Dungree video Here (Youtube). You can see the original Korean statement here (posted by the PSPD).
Some points in the press conference statement read:
Even though the Budget and Balance committee of the National Assembly 2011 has recommended the government and navy “to objectively verify on the safety matters of entry & exit of port and coming alongside & out of port by the 150,000 ton cruises through the 3rd institute,” the government and navy have ignored it. Despite that, the members of the ruling and opposition parties in the National Defense committee are to pass 200.9 billion won on the 2013 Jeju naval base project, without asking the matter on the execution on the National assembly recommendation item. The Jeju naval base project currently being enforced is in violation of the 2007 National assembly subsidiary opinion of ‘Civilian-Military Complex Port of Call,’ (* the Lee Myung Bak government has enforced the project under the title of the Civilian-Military Complex Port for Tour Beauty) and also in violation of the 2011 Budget and Balance committee of the National Assembly recommendation item, the demand of verification on the possibility of entry & exit by 150,000 ton cruises. It is a case when a strict response by the National Assembly is needed in the sense that those are of ignorance of the authority of the National assembly that monitors the Administrative. Therefore it is reasonable that the National Assembly cut all 2013 budgets on the Jeju naval base, according to the agreement between the ruling and opposition parties. […] However, Han Ki-Ho (* a former high-rank army commander), member of the Saenuri Party, the person concerned in the ruling and opposition party’s agreement [in 2011] as a member of Budget and Balance Committee and now a chairman of the National defense committee shows shameless appearance to condemn the voice on budget as if it is from that of pro North Korea.
Photo by Tommy Shin Jung-Hyun/ People’s press conference to cut the Jeju naval base budget in front of National Assembly on Nov. 15, 2012
There are some useful points to remind in the people’s protest letters to the two big ruling and opposition parties. Here are some excerpted translations.
The Saenuri party thinks the Jeju naval base is certainly necessary for national security. However, if the Saenuri Party truly thinks security, it should take the lead to cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project. It is because the Jeju naval base currently being constructed in Gangjeong has no validity for project purpose. It cannot even properly be used as a military port.
The government takes protection of southern sea area and sea transportation lane as the purpose of the Jeju naval base project. However, there is no need to be stubborn to build the naval base in Jeju to protect the southern sea water. The government has already measure of the 3rd fleet in Mokpo that does not need another base in Jeju. Further the task of sea transportation lane is originally the duty of coast guard and it is never appropriate that military vessel steps for that, given the geographical conditions and relationship with nearby countries.
Furthermore, it has been turned out through navy resource that the main facilities of the Jeju naval base are being designed and built according to the US military demand to fit for the vessels such as the US nuclear aircraft carrier [and submarines] that the US retain
Protest letter to the Democratic United Party: Excerpts
The remarks by Park Ji-Won, floor representative of Democratic United Party, who said that ‘[the party] would confirm on the test result on the entry/exit of port and then allocate budget,’ is never realistic, given the time to be taken for verification and schedule on budget review. Further in the situational condition that the Office of Prime Minister and navy enforce construction (destruction), ignoring the resolution by the National Assembly who demanded verification through simulation, there is no other alternative than to cut the whole budget (* so construction is to be stopped) to enforce verification. We worry to see the words by [Moon Jae-In], Presidential candidate and [Park Ji-Won] floor representative to be over turned in a week.
It seems that the reason that the Democratic United Party changed its position on the matter of cut on the Jeju naval base budget is because it judged that it would influence not good effect in the Presidential election due to expected repulsion by the navy and conservative class and political aggression by the Saenuri party. However such position is defensive and passive without clear and reasonable basis. In last [April 11] election, all the three Democratic United Party members who oppose naval base have been all elected in Jeju. If the candidate and Democratic United Party actively make public to citizens on various problems on the Jeju naval base in the mainland, it can get superior position in public opinion. The Democratic Party should take a lesson of a case that the people have rather punished the Grand National Party(former Saenuri Party) when the DP actively responded to the GP with the ‘war power vs. peace power’ frame, facing against the GP who intended to win over DP in June 2 local election, abusing the Cheonan ship incident for hunting so called the ‘pro north-Korea’ groups.
Photo by Hwang Hyun-Jin/ Humorous one man protest in front of National Assembly. ‘With 200.9 billion won, you can feed each of 50 million South Koreans with four strings of Kimbab (rice ball kind)
Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ Despite the Island governor’s demand to the navy on Oct. 30 to pose the input of caisson until the finish of simulation on 150,000 ton cruise, the navy thoroughly ignored that. The navy-contracted company is moving caisson on Nov. 14. See more photos by Cho, here.
2. URGENT: Please take 1 min. to help us. Please copy and paste the below and send it to these address below, with your name. You may change contents, of course. Thanks so much in advance.
Title: Cut the whole budget on the Jeju naval base. The world is watching
Dear Democratic United Party members of National Defense committee of the ROK National Assembly.
Please cut all the budgets on the Jeju naval base project. I heard that your party is considering to agree with the ruling Saenuri party to pass the budget in all or part in the National Assembly. It is a shame that your party considers it despite all illegal, undemocratic, environment destructive, human rights- violating matters of the Jeju naval base project that became clear to the eyes of internationals. I was also shocked to hear that the Jeju naval base is nothing but the US base as the Commander of the US navy forces of Korea has intervened in the base design for US nuclear aircraft carrier and US submarines.
Do you truly want the South Koreans’ tax paid for the US war base against China? It will greatly disturb peace in the North East Asia and world. Please remember that your deed will affect not only Koreans but voiceless creatures and people in the world.
It is unbelievable and shame if your party agrees to pass the budget. Please stand on your original position of cutting all the budget of 201 billion won on the naval base project 2013.
Thanks for listening.
Photo by Carol Rekinga/ The hungerstrike of Sung Sim Jang, for more photos, click herePhoto by Kang Han, Catholic News Now and Here/ Construction site, Nov. 13, 2012 (post by Regina Pyon)Photo by Kang Han, Catholic News Now and Here/ protest mass in front of construction gate, Nov. 12 (Post by Regina Pyon)
3. Peace activists resist tenaciously and cry for stop of violence
Please watch this 7 min. video taken by Kim Goon, a peacekeeper that daily appears in the protest site of the naval base construction gate. . The peacekeepers in Gangjeong persistently protest to stop the cement mixer trucks .The video was taken at 3:10pm, Nov. 14. They are fighting for the Jeju naval base project budgets not to be executed but cut, despite the police violence and humiliation.
“All parts of our body are bruised… We have little time to inform about the field news since the start of 24 hour construction… All of us are longing the day when our routine life of being roughed out by the police will end…. We just hope to save the Gureombi, Gangjeong village and ourselves.” (Kim Goon)
The police from Seoul were more violent on Nov. 16. They are the maneuver units of No. 21(male) and 24(female). The police were also violent on Nov. 15, probably because the Democratic United Party members showed compromising attitude on budget. A young activist was carried to a hospital during the protest on Nov. 15.
Photo by Jang Hyun-Woo, Catholic priests united facing the navy and police violence and insult in front of construction gate, Nov. 12, 2012. For many more resourceful photos on the day by Jang Hyun-Woo, see here.
Catholic priests unite against the navy and police violence
Since Fr. Lee Young-Chan(Jesuit) was arrested and imprisoned on Oct. 24, the Catholic priests have been holding a special mass beside their daily 11 am mass in front of construction site, every 4pm, Monday.
At 4 pm, Nov. 12, Catholic priests, clergy men and women who belong to the Catholic Solidarity for the Realization of Jeju, Peace Island, visited the village before the evening mass held by Bishop Kang U-Il in the Jeju City on the day.
It was about 30 minutes later that four buses marked with ‘Korea National Defense University: KNDU’ and ‘ROK navy’ were to visit the Jeju naval base project building complex. When their entry became impossible because of the mass, police were mobilized and the police roughed out and moved away priests from the site, saying that the priests were doing of ‘obstructing business.’ Priests were released only after the buses passed into the building complex despite people’s protests.
Photo By Jang Hyun-Woo/ The signs on the bus read, ‘Korea National Defense University: KNDU’ and ‘ROK navy’
The Catholic priests denounced the police and navy : “It never happens in the world that the police mobilize, stop the mass, and confine priests indiscriminately without notice while religious events are processed. The police have not made any reflection despite the incident of damaged Eucharist by such police behavior last August.”
People including Mr. Go Gwon-Il, Chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base denounced the police: “Though their identities are uncertain, some of them in military costumes or suits in the buses even derided the priests being detained in the police circles. The Catholic priests were shocked. However such scenes are happening everyday in Gangjeong.”
Photo By Jang Hyun-Woo, Nov. 12, 2012/ The young peacekeepers are suffering by the police’s roughing out of themPhoto by Catholic News Here and Now and caption by Regina Pyon/ Catholic Solidarity for the Peace island, Jeju, starts signature campaign until Dec. 2 (1st week of Advent) demanding ‘the release of Jesuit priest Lee Young-chan S.J and four other prisoners of conscience’ and ‘the overall re-examination of Jeju naval base construction’. . . In this photo, Catholic priests are blocking the cement mixing trucks after the mass of November 12 at the gate of Jeju naval base construction site.
Supporting imprisoned Fr. Lee Young-Chan, Bishop Kang U-Il makes a voice
“Peace is not merely having no war or guaranteeing balance between the hostile powers. Peace is a serenity of order. Peace is the result of justice and fruit of love” (Clause No. 2304, Catholic creed, read by Bishop Kang U-Il).
There was a ‘Nation Situational Mass to Release the Prisoners by the Naval Base project,’ in the Central Catholic Church, Jeju City at 7:30 pm, Nov. 12. The mass was sponsored by the 15 dioceses of the Justice and Peace Committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Catholic Human Rights Committee, Catholic Solidarity for the Realization of Peace Island, Jeju.
More than 20 Catholic priests and Catholic nuns have been arrested in their protests against the naval base project in the Gangjeong village. In March, Fr. Kim Jung-Wook was first imprisoned (released after about 40 days) as a Catholic priest and on Oct. 24, Fr. Lee Young-Chan was imprisoned. Both are the Jesuits.
Bishop Kang U-Il said, “The [projected] Jeju naval base is a strategic military facility for our country to be with the United States to dominate the superiority in the North East Asia, against China.”
“The situation in Gangjeong this time is the God’s homework and task given to the Korean churches to examine themselves, which have passively taken on God’s raised question on war. The God is inviting us so that we make all the efforts for peace.”
Photo: Jeju Sori, Nov. 12, 2012 Photo: Catholic News Now and Here/ Catholic mass for the release of Jesuit priest Lee Young-chan S.J. and prisoners of conscience. . .About 900 people attended the mass held in Jeju cathedral. (caption by Regina Pyon)
Nov. 12 poster by the Jesuits Korea (Caption by Regina Pyon): At 7.30 p.m. on November 12, Catholic mass is held officiated by Bishop Peter Kang U-il at Jeju cathedral for the release of Jesuit priest, Lee Young-Chan S.J, and imprisoned peace activists. It was organized by the Catholic Solidarity for Peace Island Jeju, that 15 national justice and peace commissions and representatives of lay and religious committees are participating. Bishop Peter Kang is also chairperson of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea.
Bishop Peter Kang U-Il’s homily on Nov. 12
Full text of Bishop Peter Kang’s homily “There is no just war.” can be read here.
Remembering Fr. Lee SJ and the four brave activists who are serving time in prison for their peace activities and putting their bodies in the way of trucks involved in the construction of a naval base which is destroying the coastal environment and the village community of Gangjeong.This base is being built in an already volatile region and will only serve to increase military tensions. . .this video was played during the Catholic mass at Jeju central cathedral celebrated by Bp. Peter Kang on Nov. 12. Video by Dungree (Caption by Regina Pyon)
Prof. Shin Yong-In on Nov. 12, 2012. The sign reads “The civil disobedience movement is a motion to make just law stand.” Image: Jang Hyun-Woo
Starting a civil disobedience movement for the peaceful settlement of the conflict of the Jeju naval base project and for the realization of just law.
By Prof. Shin Yong-In (Translated by Save Jeju Now)
Nov. 11, 2012
The Jeju naval base project has numerous problems such as doubtful selection of location, resolution on invitation by conciliation and betrayal, ignorance of Gangjeong villagers’ opinion, unreliability of the Environmental Impact Assessment by and large, cancellation of absolute preservation areas without notice, suspicion on the flaws in the base layout, unreliable and illegal construction, falsehood in the so called Civilian-Military Complex for Tour Beauty.
Still, the government and navy are not only enforcing naval base construction with the police force at the head but are recently enforcing 24 hours construction to secure the 2013 budget, indiscriminately confining and arresting Gangjeong villagers, peace activists and even clergymen who make efforts to stop construction.
In the state power’s oppression such as the above, the responsibility of court is also big. The court forgetting its constitutional mission of being the last fortress to keep the basic rights of people, has given indulgence to the wrong executions of the power by taking unjust trial to unilaterally raise the hands of government and navy. As a result, Gangjeong became the site of a lawless world where democracy is damaged and human rights are trampled down as illegality and law-evasiveness take power to themselves.
In the situation when every legal effort to stop unjustly dominating power became meaningless, there is nothing that I, a law school professor and lawyer can do to stop the forceful naval base construction.
Even now, there are Gangjeong villagers and peace activists in front of the Gangjeong construction site, who struggle risking the danger of punishment, by delaying naval base construction (destruction) even for 5 minutes. They are the people who follow the law of consciousness in the situation when the laws of the positive and of the conscious clash each other. They are in fact already doing the civil disobedience movement. Their courageous resistance make me feel shame, who have been confined inside the fence of the positive law, and make me ask what the true law is.
Henry Thoreau, a harbinger of the civil disobedience movement has said:
Now, aspiring for the peaceful settlement of the conflicts in the Jeju naval base project and for the realization of just law, I will start the civil disobedience movement until the government and navy stop the enforcement of naval base construction. I will stop, with my body, entry and exit of construction vehicles in front of the main gate of naval base construction site more than once a week. For the beginning, I will stand in front of the construction gate from 10 am to 6pm on Monday, Nov. 12.
I respect law. But when the law is not just, the law is merely violence. Therefore it is the natural right and responsibility of democratic citizens to disobey to the illegal law. It is nothing but to stop to be human being to give up that. Therefore the civil disobedience movement that I am to do is never the movement to ignore law. It is the movement to make the true law stand. It is an effort to save the Constitution being invaded by unjust power.
Before the start of the civil disobedience movement, I declare the below principles based on the spirit ofSatyagraha by Mahatma Gandhi.
Firstly, I reject every violent way. I will act whatever happens with non-violent and peaceful way. Violence kills life while non-violence respects lives and make them live.
Secondly, there is a saying that ‘You shall hate crime but not the criminals.” Even though I am infuriated from the unjust execution of power by the personnel of the government, navy and police, I never hate them. Hatred kills life. I also believe that the government, navy and police personnel are dignified beings like sky, with reason and consciousness as human beings.
Thirdly, I will be willing to suffer from any disadvantages following civil disobedience. If the police rough out and confine me, I will be willingly taken. If they want to arrest me, I will be willing to be arrested. If they imprison me, I will be willing to be imprisoned. The government can confine my body but not my spirit. If the government attempts to detain my body more and more, my spirit will freely fly up.
Through the civil disobedience movement, I hope the government, navy, court, police can change like the below.
I hope the government no more betrays and disdains citizens but recognize them as the SKY, being afraid of them and serve them.
I hope the court no more wait-and–sees the government but takes trial faithful to the Constitutional mission of control of powers and protection of basic rights.
I hope the navy is born again as the navy for citizens to whom it serves, not as the navy for their own, who fights against the citizens.
I hope the police outgrowing from the role of maid to power, to be the true cane for the people from whom they get love and respect.
I also appeal to all Jeju Island people and citizens to have courage and join the civil-disobedience movement. I urgently ask them to join us until the conflicts in the Jeju naval base project is peacefully settled and just law stands.
Shin Yong-In, Professor of Law School, Jeju University
Around 3:30 pm, Nov. 12/ Prof. Shin is carried away by the police from the protest siteHeadline Jeju, Nov. 12, 2012 Prof. Shin was detained in police circles more than 7 times on the day.Photo by Song Chang-Wook. Prof. Shin ends his first day with the 100 bows early in the next morning, 7am, Nov. 13.
On Tuesday, November 21, several members of SOS (Save Our Seas), the Gangjeong ocean observation, monitoring, and action team, reunited after several months of focusing on other activities (and several members months long imprisonment). Four members, decided to take two kayaks, one turned into a homemade sailboat, out to the sea to observe the construction. Their plan was to circle the construction site legally from the outside, observe and take pictures and video. They also just to go out to sea for the first time in several months.
