[Jeju Update] The pain of Gangjeong 강정의 아픔

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아래는 현재 강정 마을 에서 벌어지고 있는 공사 상황을 요약 (2월 14일 부표 설치, 2월 15~17일 냇깍 테트라파드 설치, 그리고 2월 25일 플랜트 받침 해저 설치 돌입 )함과 동시에 김경훈 시인의 강정의 아픔에 대한 글을 부분 요약 번역한 것입니다. 김경훈 시인의 글 전문은 여기 클릭.
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On Feb. 25, the sub-contracting company of Daerim installed the plant supports under the sea. (See more photos and videos) It was a resumption of maritime construction that started with the installation of five buoy markers in the Joongduk Sea on Feb. 14 and 48 tetra pods under the cliff of Meburi near Natgak which is the downstream of the Gangjeong stream for days since Feb. 15.
(Photos from the Gangjeong residents)

While the villagers, activists and Island Council have continuously made voice to stop the construction and withdraw the naval field office, the navy, Island government and the central government have pushed construction despite villagers’ three lawsuits including that on the matter of public water reclamation, which are still in process.

On Feb. 25, it brought the feeling of fury and sadness to see the broken fragments of the rocks which had been roped during the resumed maritime construction and touched with concrete structures.

Kim Kyung-Hoon, a poet who has written two poetry books about April 3 uprising and works in the Jeju April 3 Peace Park had an essay in a Jeju media. The below is a partial translation of his essay titled, “Please don’t bury me in your memory- tear of Gangjeong.” In his essay, he describes the pain of Gangjeong village from the point of view of Joongduk Sea, in the village:

Today, my appearance is already full of wounds by the cells of cancer that gradually gnaws my whole body.

[The navy and Samsung] have made a small straight stone roads breaking the big rocks in the mouth of Joongduk Sea, which are my chest. It is told that some villagers who had been abetted by the development business companies had employed a power shovel and broken them. My bones are being broken in such way.

(#It was on Jan. 20 when a villager who had been in favor of naval base drove a power shovel in the Joongduk coast under the supervising of navy and Samsung. It was told later that the very villager has been regretting his own doing, seeing that an old sea-diving woman who was his aunt was discovered to die during her works in the Sea on Jan. 29. The villagers thought it was because the sea was infuriated by the broken rocks and the navy, considering the atmosphere of the embarrassed villagers who have been in favor of naval base and composed of about 30 % of the whole villagers, postponed its opening ceremony to a week later. )

Do you hear the sounds of water that flows in the Gangjeong stream? Because of small amount of water in the winter season, even the flowing water sounds are not pulsatory. [The navy] is sucking up water [of the Gangjeong stream] using a water pump beside the naval field office. It is sucking up my blood breaking holes into the blood vessels of my artery with an injector.

Tens of tetra pods are pressuring me near the coast. Those submerged underwater are drearily glaring at me, straddling and sitting like a ghost in a marsh. They are trying to repeatedly draw my feet.


In the already sold lands, crops are being taken out and earth is dug. My flesh is cut thin little by little. The pulse of the earth is gradually running down. It is becoming a sterile womb that cannot conceive life any more.

The buoy markers are floating within the sea of the Beom Island. Those are the marks to prohibit the entry to the coast. My body is being imprisoned in such way. They are blocking me pushing me back from going further to the coast line. My body is getting shrunken back and my stifled heart raises disease inside.


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A blue direction mark on the Olle trail to the Joongdulk coast. The navy has set up a sign board on Feb. 25, which orders Olle tourists to detour from the Joongduk coast because of bay and coast construction for naval base starting from Feb. 24. The sign has brought much confusion for the Ole tourists and fury from the villagers. The navy has not really blocked the passage since then so far. However with planned construction in earnest, which is told to be hurried with 24 hours works from March, the passage may be blocked sooner or later.
A red-lettered graffiti on the road to the Joongduk coast, which reads, No navy that destroys nature and contaminates environment!

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Hwasoon port where the crane and factory for naval base construction are being built and sands are accumulated for it (Feb. 26, 2011)

In the Hwasoon port, which is about 40 minute distance by car from the Gangjeong village, crane and factory are being built for a naval base construction in the Gangjeong village. Scene on Feb. 26, 2011.


Is the ship dredging enormous amount of sands to be used for naval base construction, from the sea bottom? Scene taken on Feb. 26, 2011.

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Seogwipo port where the tetra pods, plant supports are being made and shipped (Feb. 26, 2011)

The Seogwipo port is a place where the tetra pods that have been installed in front of the Meboori cliff near Natgakk which is the downstream of the Gangjeong stream and plant supports which have been first installed under the sea on Feb. 25, 2011 are being made and shipped for the naval base construction in the Gangjeong village. Video was taken on Feb. 26, 2011.