A Movie Critic Arrested in Gangjeong on Sunday Morning_April 11, 2010

1. A movie critic arrested during his struggle against the naval base on Sunday morning

* Image sourece: Jeju Sori, April 11, 2010

News of Arrest of Mr. Yang Yoon-Mo on Sunday Morning

Yang Yoon Mo, a movie critic and a devoted peace activist against the Jeju naval base plan, who has set up the vigil tent in the cold rocky Joongduk coast where the naval base is planned, and has stayed there for more than eight months to show his will against the naval base plan was arrested by the police this Sunday morning, while he was alone in the tent in the Joonduk coast he has been living since last year.

At first, it was guessed that he was arrested by the police for his staunch refusal to give the fine of 3,000,000 won that was heard to be changed from 5,000,000 won (He is resolute that he should not give the fine to the police because he thinks there is no reason that he should get the charge for his action that was against the wrong national policy and its procedures), for his protest action to attempt the breaking of the makeshift gate that the navy had set up without the villagers’ agreement (The navy’s behavior itself was the violence against the villagers!) after the police raid on Gangjeong on Jan 18., on the day of the Minister of National Defense, Kim Tae-Young’s visit to Gangjeong where the Minister met the strong protest by the villagers.

Here in the second video, the person who was pressured down on the road by the police is Mr. Yang Yoon-Mo

You can see more on the villagers’ protest on March 20, HERE.

We, Koreans have first concerned about the fact that his arrest happened on Sunday morning when little press was guessed to be available. Fortunately, later on, I could find at least two articles that reported his arrest on the Sunday, thanks to the calls and emails by the villagers and activists. The two are Sisa Jeju (Ko Dong-Myung) and Jeju Sori (Kim Bong-Hyun)

Below is the arbitrary translation of the Jeju Sory article (Original Korean was written by Kim Bong Hyun)

‘제주출신인 양윤모 씨는 지난 2008년부터 강정주민들과 함께 도보순례에 나서는 등 제주해군기지 반대운동에 적극 참여해왔으며, 영화인들을 강정마을로 초청하는 등 제주해군기지의 절차적 부당성을 알리는데 앞장서왔다.

Yang Yoon-Mo, whose hometown is Jeju Island has actively participated in the opposition movement against the naval base plan since last 2008, such as practicing the peace pilgrim walks with the Gangjeong villagers and has been in front to spread the wrongs of the procedures of the Jeju naval base construction, such as inviting the movie personnel to the Gangjeong village.

지난해부터 강정마을에 거주 중인 양윤모 씨는 최근 서귀포시 강정마을 해군기지사업부지 인근에 세워진 해군 홍보입간판을 훼손하고 해군기지 예정지에 설치한 철문을 돌로 부수는 등의 행위가 CCTV에 녹화돼 해군측이 지난 달 서귀포경찰서에 양 씨를 고발조치했다.

[..] As his [March 20] actions such as doing damage on the navy propaganda boards that had been set up nearby the naval base business area in the Gangjeong village, City of Seogwipo and break the iron gate with stones, which had been installed in the planed area of the naval base, had been recorded in the CCTV, the navy has accused him to the Seogwipo Police Office last month.

양 씨는 또 지난달 20일 김태영 국방장관이 제주해군기지 예정지를 방문할 당시 김 장관이 타고 온 승용차 앞을 가로막는 등 업무방해 혐의도 받고 있는 것으로 알려졌다.

Mr. Yang is also known to get the charge of the interrupting the public business affair, such as blocking the car, in front, in which Kim Tae-Young, the Minister of the National Defense was riding when the Minister was visiting the planned area of the Jeju naval base, last 20th.

경찰 관계자에 따르면 “해군 측의 고발조치 이후 몇 차례에 걸친 자진 출두 요청에도 양 씨가 응하지 않아 검찰의 지휘를 받아 체포하게 됐다”고 말했다.

According to the police personnel, “The police became to arrest him under the supervising of the prosecutors, since he had not responded despite its request of his volunteering presence into the police, after the navy’s measure of accusing him.”

서울예대 강사, 영상물등급위원회 심의위원, 강우석필름아카데미 초대 교장, 스크린쿼터영화인대책위원회 집행위원, 한국영화평론가협회장 등을 지냈다.

Mr. Yang Yoon-Mo was the lecturer in the Seoul Institute of Arts, review committee member of the Korea Media Rating Board, Founding Director of Gang Woo-Suk Film Academy, Executive Committee member of the Pan Korean Movie Personnel Counter-Measure Committee to Keep Screen Quota and the President of the Korean Movie Critic’s Association.’

At first we could not but suspect that it was the police intention not to spread the news of his being arrested by the police and to the world. The reason of that concern partly came from our experiences that some of the photos and videos on the Gangjeong villagers’ struggle against the naval base plan on Jan 18 had been removed by the invisible hands in the domestic and overseas blogs and sites.

Interview with him at the Dongbu Police Office in the Jeju City

About 18 people including the villagers and activists have gone to the police to meet Mr. Yang who was in the custody, in the police interview room last evening. Thankfully hee looked fine.

Mayor Kang Dong Kyun primarily talked with him while other 17 people could enter the interview room guided into by the police.

He was supposed to see the lawyer on April 12 morning and if the prosecutors place the review of legality for confinement against him, since there could be little possibility that he might destroy the proofs or run away or have the uncertain resident address, according to the legal terms, he is much expected to be released by the night of April 12or in the morning of April 13.

But since he would tenaciously reject to pay for the fine, and trial may be placed against him.

Two thoings we got from him in the interview room.

1. Mr. Yang in the today's interview said the fine he got noticed from the police was 1,500,000 won for the charge of the interruption of public business and 4,500,000 won for the charge of the destruction of the facilities including navy propaganda board. So, 6,000,000 won that is about $ 5,000.

2. According to Mr. Yang, the police officer interrogated him today was surprised to hear from Mr. Yang that there had been no policemen who deterred him when he attempted to break the makeshift gate by the navy. So some people suspect whether the police had intentionally overlooked his action on March 20.

2. Dinner after the interview with Mr. Yang Yoon-Mo in the police office

3. A birthday cake in a vigil tent in a rainy night