Rev. Kim Hong-Sool, representative of Busan, SPARK, and Rev. Kim Hee-Yong, Gwangju, have taken a fast prayer meeting in solidarity with the sufferings of Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo and Gureombi Rock in front of the Jeju prison from March 26 to 29, 2013, during the Passion week according to the Christian faith before Easter.
It is told that, when the two visited Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo on the last day, Yang said to them, “I have been lonely to be alone, but was encouraged to hear that you were suffering with me outside. Let’s please gather power together.”
In the press conference ending their fasts, they demanded release of the political prisoners for opposition activities against the Jeju naval base construction, retraction of fine sentence, and construction stop.
In their statement to the citizens and Island people, they stated that it is the crucifixion of this era that there are the imprisonments of the villagers and peace activists who have peacefully made efforts to stop the naval base construction in Gangjoeng and the reality that a community that has lived peacefully from its ancestors is moaning.
They explained that “From the heart to join the pain of the Gureombi Rock though it is a small gesture, we came here to the site of suffering, the Jeju Prison, where Yang Yoon-Mo has carried out decisive action with 52 days’ fast.”
They scolded that “the war is a monster feeding itself with human blood. The humiliating activity to hand over here to the battle field of another country is a shameful deed that is nothing to do with peace and development. The naval base that is constructed destroying the nature and community is not self-reliant defense but [Korea] will be a consumption country for the war material–production corporations and their trash site.”
Saying on Park Sung-Soo (38), a peace activist that chose a prison labor rather than fines of 1,500,000 KRW, that “a dedicated activist has entered the prison choosing hardships,” they urged to release all the prisoners and retract heavy fine sentences.
They bowed saying that “more than 70 % of the Northwest Youth League that massacred people during the Jeju 4·3 were Christians. Even though we are not representing them, we would like to pay bows of repentance to the Jeju Island people and Gangjeong villagers from the heart to repent our sins.”
In their ending prayer, mayor Knag Dong-Kyun and chairman Go Gwon-Il joined the event.
(Summary by Regina Pyon and Sung-Hee Choi)