Fwd: Photos from Gangjeong on March 20: Protest against the Minister of Defense_No Jeju Naval Base!!

* [All photo credits: artist Kim living in Gangjeong village, Jeju Island] His friend, artist Koh forwarded these photos on the villagers' protest upon the visit of the Minister of Kim Tae-Young, to No Base Stories of Korea on March 20, 2010. Click the images for larger view.

[사진 제공: 제주도 강정 마을 예술가 김] 친구분인 예술가 고선생님께서 3월 20일 국방부 장관 방문에 따른 주민들의 항의 사진들을 포워드하셨읍니다. 이미지를 클릭하시면 화면이 크게 보입니다.

1. Voice of Gangjeong 강정의 목소리

The villagers and artists in Gangjeong have recently installed the banners as below, near the planned area of the naval base, in protest against the navy's unilateral propaganda boards nearby after Jan. 18 police raid, that falsified the prospect of the naval base construction as rose-colored.

'The morning of Gangjeong is full of peace...The stream of Gangjeong is full of life...
The sea of Gangjeong is full of love...However, they installing the ugly wire fence, with unreasonable logic,
attempt to build the naval base... Without the natural heritage that our ancestors inherited to us,
there is no future of South Korea.' (arbitrary translation)

In the Gangjeong village where a peaceful and quiet life has been enjoyed with the background of Halla Mt.,
if the naval base is constructed, the sea where our ancestors have lived and where we would inherit to our descendents would be displaced with the deep black naval vessels & aircraft carriers; the quiet Gangjeong port would be filled with military vessels; the Jeju Island, Island of Peace would be defined as the first bombing target from the hostile countries nearby; then not to mention the naval vessel, but all the things including the Gangjeong village and lives designated by UNESCO would disappear forever, by the pouring bombs. (arbitrary translation)

2. Villagers Join Together, Stand up Together, and March Together, with the Flags, "No Naval Base!" " 해군 기지 반대" 깃발과 함께 단결하여 일어서 행진하는 주민들

Upon the news of visit by the Minister of National Defense, the villagers took the emergency action. Following the mayor who called the villagers hours earlier before the Minister came and who distributed the yellow flags of "No Naval Base!", many villagers ran from their houses, encouraged one another, stood up and marched together toward the planned naval base area where the minister was attempting to enter into. Some banners shown in the photo say, "Let's keep Life & Peace village, Gangjeong", and " No naval base even though the government cajole us with hundred millions of money!"

* One sees the Poonglim Resort building here. The Poonglim Resort is the company that had to sell their land
that they owned in Gangjeong village, by the oppression of the navy
who enforced the company to sell their land for naval base.

3. Infuriated Villagers Protest against the Minister of National Defense and Police
분노한 주민들, 국방부 장관과 경찰에 항의

The police blocked the protesting villagers so that the Minister' car could go ahead into the planned naval base area. Some angry villagers have even tried to block his car in motion, with their own bodies. The Seogwipo article says some villagers even laid down their own bodies in front of his car. During the resisting process, it seems that the police forced down some villagers on the street, while the villagers fiercely protested against the Minister of Defense who has thoroughly ignored the villagers' opinion but is now trying to save himself upon the coming March 25 trial that has been appealed by the villagers against the Ministry, last year.

4. Event by Its Own: Never welcomed Visit of the Minister of National Defense By the Villagers
그들만의 행사: 주민들에 의해 전혀 환영받지 못한 국방부 장관의 방문

The Minister of National Defense was never welcomed by the villagers. The Minister and his group could enter the planned area for the ceremony for the construction of naval base (The Minister has hoped it within March, in his Feb. 24 speech in Seoul) of the naval base only by help of the police who heavily blocked the entering passage into the site.

5. Reporters 기자들

Reporters look at the site on the hill where the navy has set up the propaganda board on naval base. It is our hope that some courageous reporters could continuously deliver the voice of Gangjeong. We would thank for their sense of justice.