[Jeju Update] Gangjeong villagers start relay one man protest in front of the Island Hall on Jan. 10, 2011

_____________________________________
* See the below for the translation of the villagers’ leaflet during their relay one-man protest.
More text comes later.
_____________________________________

*국문 상황 보고는 여기 평화 뉴스 클릭
* 강정 주민들의 도청 앞 무기한 1인 시위 입간판과 전단 전문 국문은 여기 클릭
_____________________________________

* Image source: Lee Jung-Won, Jeju Domin Ilbo, Jan. 10, 2011 이정원, 제주 도민 일보 , 2011년 1월 10일(클릭)

Kang Dong-Kyun, Gangjeong mayor, and Mr. Kim Jong-Hwan, the head of the vigil tent, were the first protesters on Jan. 10, 2011. The yellow flags read, 'No Naval base!'

* Image source: Kim Doo-Young, Headline News, Jan. 10, 2011
김두영, 헤드라인 뉴스, 2011년 1월10일(클릭)

* Image source: Lee Woo-Joon, Media Jeju, Jan. 10, 2011 미디아 제주, 이우준, 2011년 1월 10일(클릭)

Mr. Boo Jang-Won, a worker of the Jeju regional branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Union (KCTU), who has been taking a vigil tent along with other workers in the Jeju Island, to raise the issue of oppression on workers, in front of the Island Hall since Nov. 23, 2010 is encouraging Mr. Kim Jong-Hwan who was the protester with Mr. Kang Dong-Kyun, the Gangeong mayor, on the first day of the Gangjeong villagers' relay one-man protest in front of the Island Hall, starting on Jan. 10, 2011.

* Image source: Han Hyung-Jin, Seogwipo Daily News Paper, Jan. 10, 2011
한형진, 서귀포 일간 신문, 2011년 1월 10일(클릭)

The sign reads:

No Jeju Naval Base!

1. The naval base does not fit to the Peace Island, Jeju Island!
2. It is procedurally wrong, regarding the matters on the location selection and on the collection of villagers' opinions!
3. Even the court has abandoned the Gangjeong villagers!

Now is the time that the Island Council, the representing institute for the Island people, should stand!
It should find the fundamental measure to settle the naval base issue!

* Image source: Woo Seung-Ho, Sisa Jeju, Jan. 10, 2011 시사 제주 우승호 기자, 2011년 1월 10일(클릭)

The banner reads:

The Jeju Island people are infuriated! The Woo Geun-Min Island Governor should immediately settle the natters of oppression on the labor unions in the Jeju Island!
Press interview announcing the result of the Pan-Island people’s petition movement to settle the current matters on the oppression of labor unions in the Jeju Island
Pan-Island People’s Committee for the settlement of the current matters on the oppression on the labor unions in the Jeju Island

While the tent vigil by the workers of the Jeju regional branch, KCTU (Korean Confederation of Trade Union Workers) in front of the Island Hall, has met its 49th day on Jan. 10, 2011, the workers delivered the result of the Island people’s petition that demanded the settlement on the matters of oppression on the labor unions in the Jeju Island, and demanded the Island Hall’s responsible attitude on them.

The numbers of the total signatories of the petition were 11, 078 in 20days, which was more than 10,000, the number for the original aim by the Pan-Island people’s committee (summary translation of the article)
_________________________________________

* Translation of the villagers’ leaflet during their relay one man protest

No Jeju Naval Base!

1. The naval base does not fit to the Peace Island, Jeju Island!

The South Korean government is driving the naval base business for the purpose of protection on the shipping lane in the southern sea. However, there has never been the time that the southern sea-lane was mattered since the establishment of the Republic of Korea [in 1948]. Rather it is a dangerous business that could misjudge China from a potentially threatening nation to a virtually threatening nation. For the Jeju Island that the Chinese most favor as their foreign tourism site, taking the peaceful diplomacy with China is only way to prosper.


2. It is procedurally wrong, regarding the matters on the location selection and on the collection of villagers' opinions!

The navy has said it would not drive the naval base business without villagers’ agreement. Even though the Gangjeong villagers have made their resolution on the opposition against the naval base construction, as a result of 725 villagers’ votes in which favor was 36, while opposition was 680 [in August, 2007], the navy has never acknowledged the fact. The navy has also said that they would never forcefully expropriate lands from landowners when they did not accept the consulted purchase of their lands. However, the navy has forcefully expropriated the whole lands from those in no compliance with consulted purchase. Regarding the issue of the location selection, it has already concluded a planned area then approved the business through formal pre-environmental impact assessment only within three days with a rough-and-ready method, and then the review committee on the environmental impact assessment has blindly approved it, as well. The ex-Island government has run submissive administration by annulling, in snatching way, the absolute preservation areas within the planned naval base area, which are the 1st level nature sceneries and 1st level ecology environments, in the Gangjeong village.


3. Even the court has abandoned the Gangjeong villagers!

The Jeju local court has degraded the Gangjeong villagers down to the status like that of illegal residents, through its court decision that the Gangjeong villagers who were the persons concerned to the applicable areas could not legally raise any issue on the lawsuit on the cancellation on the annulment of the absolute preservation areas in their village [on Dec. 15, 2010]. Now is the time that the Island Council, the representing institute for the Island people, should stand! It should find the fundamental measure to settle the naval base issue!