'저는 그들의 땅을 지키기 위하여 싸웠던 인디안들의 이야기를 기억합니다. 백인들이 그들의 신성한 숲에 도로를 만들기 위하여 나무들을 잘랐습니다. 매일밤 인디안들이 나가서 백인들이 만든 그 길을 해체하면 그 다음 날 백인들이 와서 도로를 다시 짓곤 했습니다. 한동안 그 것이 반복되었습니다. 그러던 어느날, 숲에서 가장 큰 나무가 백인들이 일할 동안 그들 머리 위로 떨어져 말과 마차들을 파괴하고 그들 중 몇몇을 죽였습니다. 그러자 백인들은 떠났고 결코 다시 오지 않았습니다….' (브루스 개그논)





For any updates on the struggle against the Jeju naval base, please go to savejejunow.org and facebook no naval base on Jeju. The facebook provides latest updates.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

[URGENT: Aug. 25] Three got the restaint warrant! Fr. Moon was arrested, too! The village needs help!

In Update: Please spread news! See also Anne Wright's report at the bottom of this blog.

See Aug. 24 situation
See Facebook
See Twitter(Check the right column here)
See photos HERE(Thinkunit) and (Coconeck) and HERE(Director Cho)
See Jeju Naval Base and Security dilemma by Cheong Wooksik, Peace Network
________________________

http://cafe.daum.net/peacekj/JWOn/70

From the time of arrest of mayor Kang to the time of arrest of Fr. Moon (Aug. 24 to 25) by Doongree

In the beginning of the video, wife of mayor Kang cries against the policemen, "What has my husband done? He has just wanted to save his hometown!"



At 2pm: Three got the prosecutors' decision of restraint. Fr. Moon was arrested
(Based on the SPARK report in Korean language)

A peace activist and a villager were released but mayor Kang Dong-Kyun, a villager and an activist were carried to the Dongbou police station by the prosecutor decision of restraint against them. When Fr. Moon Jung-Hyun blocked the police car carrying the three, the police immediately arrested Fr. Moon. Fr. Moon is now investigated in the Seogwipo police station. It is told that his cloth was torn and cane was broken during forceful arrest! In the village, people are struggling hard to block the construction as well.


Fr. Moon blocking a police car that carried the three restrained
http://yfrog.com/user/thinkunit/photos


Fr. Moon with a peace activist, around 12pm, before his arrest
http://twitpic.com/photos/coconek



Otherwise, the Supreme Police Agency laid off the chief of the Seogwipo Police station reasoning he under-reacted such as doing negotiation with villagers regarding the matter on the release of five yesterday. It is expected that the police would react with more violent and oppressive measure in the future. It is pressing that all the peace power throughout the Jeju Island and nationwide should gather energy, stop the input of state power, and pressure the government to solve the naval base issue in reasonable and peaceful way. International help and solidarity would be more important than ever!


12:00pm (Based on the SPARK report in Korean language)

It is clear that the Seogwipo police have not kept the promise with Moon Dae-Rim, chairman of the Island Council, to release all the five last night. The police are saying they are in the position not being able to release them as the security dept. of the Supreme Public Prosecutors’ office has not ordered them to release them because he mattered the incident of the Seogwipo police chief being detained by villagers for a while last night. There is news that the Democratic Party is strongly demanding the lay-off of the chiefs of the Jeju National Police Agency and Seogwipo police, charging their excessive input of state power. In front of the Seogwipo Police station, about 100 people are continuing sit-in.

Otherwise, the navy started to assemble the crane for the purpose of resume construction to relocate tetra-pods and caisson covers that had been left in the construction site. Against this, about 20 people are protesting demanding stop of construction. The police troops have now been all withdrawn from the village.

Otherwise, the small committee for the investigation on the Jeju naval base business under the budget committee composed of the ruling and opposition parties on Aug. 24 bears a serious problem. Three among the Grand National Party (ruling party) members, including Gwon Kyung-Suk, chairman of the small committee, originate from military and it should not be silenced that a National Assembly man belonging to no party and originating as an army general is mentioned to play a role of non-bargaining body recommended by the chairman of the budget committee. It would be difficult to hold a fair investigation on the naval base if the small committee is composed primarily by military-affiliated. Not only that, it would be difficult to control or settle on the police input of state power that guarantees the navy’s forceful construction. The navy’s behavior to make propaganda on the naval base business drawing the national defense reporters and to resume construction despite bringing conflict with villagers yesterday might be related to the composition of the small investigation committee in which military-affiliated were primarily considered.

To have a small committee primarily composed of the military-originated members is nothing but to make the works by the National Assembly that had been made after hard efforts to be inactive. The military-originated personnel should be excluded from that small committee to be fair.


As of 10:00am, Aug. 25: The five were not released and people are in anger. In front of Seogwipo police station, more police were mobilized against people. It is worried that construction would be resumed in the village today while people are keeping the police station site. The village is also in watch.









http://yfrog.com/h3wdmuoj (All photos by Thinkunit)

As of 3:30am, Aug. 25, the five were not released yet, unlike police promise that they would be released before midnight. The police has delivered investigation result to a prosecutor in Jeju and the latter is told to decide the matter of release of five at 9am, after approval of chief of the Jeju Prosecutors' Office and security director of Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office . The prosecutor is told that he matters the process of arrest in which people resisted, as 'seriously damaging state power.' It is worried whether the prosecutors intend to expand the accident as 'security affair.'

People are angered because mayor was not doing any activities that the police call as ‘obstruction of business.’ Mayor was just talking with the construction company personnel when he saw they were building the power crane.

The people say the arrest was ‘intentional.’

About 50 villagers and activists are holding street protest in front of Seogwipo police station. see the below photos



(Source: Jeju Sori)


(source: Jeju Domin Ilbo)


(source: http://yfrog.com/kfufjnmj)


As of 12:00am, Aug. 25, the police have not released five yet. The villagers who could not wait for the release of five on the spot, went to the Seogwipo police station to protest . It is worried that the police might close a key spot farm road where Hyun Ae-Ja, a former national assembly woman chained herself from possible police attack and others have been keeping from construction, a SPARK peace activist says. It is known that the mayor was carried to the Seogwipo medical center to get the hospital cure because his ribs were hurt during forceful arrest.

__________________________
Yesterday, August 24, 2011, sirens wailed for citizens to come to the main gate of the Naval Base in Kang Jeong Village on Jeju Island, South Korea where the Korean Navy wants to continue construction of a naval base for 18 ships and a 2 submarines in an area that will destroy a pristine shoreline and endanger marine life. Local villagers and activists from the mainland of South Korea have struggled for five years to prevent the construction of the base.

Sirens signal an emergency-the mayor and four activists are arrested

The siren sounds like a tsunami warning signaling an emergency. And that is what it is-an emergency with 5 activists arrested, including the mayor of the village of Kang Jeong at a huge construction crane on the base. The crane had been brought onto the naval base several years ago in the middle of the night in the Navy’s attempt to escape the wrath of the villagers. It is a huge crane weighing 250 tons and it was brought over a bridge that can hold only 50 tons. The mayor of the village is intent on not allowing the illegal crane to be operated. He wants it dismantled and taken away. The mayor, the peace camp cook and three activists who came racing to the aid of the mayor were also arrested.

Hearing the emergency siren, 60 people quickly arrived to block the main gate of the base with trucks, cars and their own bodies. Others raced to the back entrance to the base to block it. Many were local farmers who had come directly from their fields of tangerine trees and from hot houses where they grow vegetables. They had jumped on their motor scooters to answer the emergency call, not bothering to change from their farm work clothes and wide brimmed work hats and rubber boots. Text messages were flying explaining the situation and directing people to go to the gates of the base. Tweets were alerting solidarity activists around the world to the emergency. An international peace camp had been held here last week and those activists would want to know about the situation.

At the main gate, ten citizens locked chains around their necks and around each other and sat directly in front of a police line that had been placed in front of the gate. One citizen locked a chain around his neck and directly onto a truck that was blocking the entrance to the base.

Crowd stops police car and surround the police

Four of those arrested had been moved from the naval base to the local jail by the time the entrances were blocked. Only the mayor remained inside the base. After several hours, the crowd spotted a police car attempting to leave the base by another entrance and inside was the mayor. The crowd chased the police car on foot, caught it and put their bodies in the way so the driver could not move forward. Cars and trucks quickly followed successfully blocking the police car.
About 60 police reinforcements with batons and shields but no weapons pushed their way past the activists and formed a protective ring around the police car. The police appeared to be new recruits who were doing their obligatory government service. They were very young and looked very scared.

Very quickly the citizens encircled the police and the police car and sat down. From time to time, the police would attempt to move the crowd out of the way, but the citizens would stand up and move directly in front of the police shields. Women, old and young alike, were on the front lines refusing to let the police move and pushing back furiously.

Remarkably, the police did not use their batons on the demonstrators. One person told me that the police on the island are very aware of the history of Jeju Island in which over 30,000 persons, many of whom wanted their country unified after World War II, were massacred by the right wing government of Sighman Rhee that considered them communist sympathizers. Anyone found farther inland that 2 miles were considered guerillas and were hunted down in a scorched earth policy by military and right wing youth brought in from the mainland of Korea.
Many of the police who live on the island had relatives that were killed in what is called the April 3 massacre that lasted over 18 months (1947-48). The small island police force does not want to be seen as heavy handed. Because of this attitude, the national government last month heavy-handedly sent 1,500 mainland police to Jeju Island to use water cannons and tear gas against those challenging the construction of the naval base.
The stalemate of citizens encircling and trapping the police lasted for 5 hours and took on a community event atmosphere. The fiery wife of the mayor stood on the top of a vehicle urged the crowd to protect her husband and then dived into the police line from on top of the vehicle! A huge sound system on the top of another van blasted favorite protest songs including one that told the story of the April 3 massacre. The nightly 8pm candlelight vigil was held in the road with candles placed in front of the police line. Friends sat in small groups talking about the next steps in preventing further construction of the naval base.
Activists chain themselves to a van
Another scene was unfolding back at the main gate. As the police rushed from the main gate up the road to protect the police car carrying the mayor, the way was left open for a protest van to move onto the entrance of the bridge just past the main gate, blocking one of the main roads on the island. Citizens with chains surged to the vehicle and locked themselves onto the undercarriage of the van. A smaller group of police then surrounded the van, but after several hours of watching the group chained to the van, they got tired and sat down along the sides of the bridge.

Police Doublecross

By midnight a deal had been struck. The mayor and four others would be released after making an appearance at the Seogwipo Police Station/jail. The crowds slowly opened so the police and the police car could leave. Not all the citizens agreed to the deal thinking that once the mayor left in the police car, their leverage was gone.

And they were right. 50 citizens slept all the rest of the night on the sidewalk outside the jail waiting for the appearance of the Mayor and the other activists-to no avail! The police violated their agreement and at 2pm all are still in jail.
Another Emergency
In the meantime, another emergency siren blared this morning, calling people to the construction site again. A crane operator was moving some heavy equipment. Citizens raced to the site and laid down in front of the crain where they still are.

Here goes the siren again-another emergency in the lives of the citizens of Kang Jeong to save their lovely land.

Paco Michelson had a comment to Anne Wright's in the same site:

Just some minor points, I'm not good at estimating numbers really but I think there were about 200-300 riot police and then some extra plain clothes officers, maybe around 30. They were not all surrounding the car but most of them were. Also the struggle last about 10 hours if you count the first struggle to arrest Mayor Kang. ..Also another reason the police didn't attack us to much because there was lots of mainstream press. We may not be so lucky in the future.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

[Urgent]Gangjeong is in attack! Five including Gangjeong mayor were arrested on Aug. 24!

See Aug. 25 situation
See Facebook
See Twitter(Check the right column here)
See photos HERE and HERE
See photo and video HERE at the arrest moment of Gangjeong village mayor Kang Dong Kyun, around 2pm(Aug.24). The policemen were like hyenas, the filmmaker says.
See video of policemen attacking Fr. Moon Jung-Hyun(Aug. 24)
See video on the people's cultural solidarity event while they are waiting for the release of five during the night(Facebook)(Aug. 24)
See Other videos(Facebook)(Aug.24)
See Jeju Naval Base and Security dilemma by Cheong Wooksik, Peace Network (Aug.22)
See Bruce Gagnon's Organizing Notes(Aug.24)
See DMZ Hawai'i (Aug. 24)

"Follow #gangjung on Twitter and try to relay as much information as possible. This is taking place at the moment. Contact media if possible. Repost pictures and videos as you find them."(M. Hoey)

From Ann Wright via Kyle Kajihiro on Aug. 24

"I’m in Kang Jeong Village on Jeju Island, South Korea and the sirens are blaring for citizens to come to the main gate of the Naval Base where construction is about to begin in an area that will destroy pristine lava fields and endanger marine life.

The siren sounds like a tsunami siren in Hawaii signaling an emergency. And that is what it is-4 activists were arrested two hours ago, including the Mayor of Kang Jeong, the cook at the camp and a member of SPARK and now 60 people have blocked front of the main gate of the base and many others at another gate.

Ten activists have locked chains around their necks and around each other and are sitting directly in front of a line of police at the gate. More arrests to follow no doubt.


will send more later.

Ann
"
______________________________

UPDATE

As of 12:00am, Aug. 25, the police have not released five yet. The villagers who could not wait for the release of five on the spot, went to the Seogwipo police station to protest . It is worried that the police might close a key spot farm road where Hyun Ae-Ja, a former national assembly woman chained herself from possible police attack and others have been keeping from construction, a SPARK peace activist says. It is known that the mayor was carried to the Seogwipo medical center to get the hospital cure because his ribs were hurt during forceful arrest.

As of 10:30pm: after negotiation, Fr.Go Byung-Soo got the police promise that the police would release five after short investigation and they would carry mayor in general car not police car. There were villagers’ complaint that mayor should not be gotten with investigation but as the police promise was known to media and Fr. Go & other 10 villagers accompanied police car to make sure of it, the negotiation was carried.


http://yfrog.com/h8b1ahfj
The wife of mayor Kang cries on the top of police car, demanding release of five.


http://yfrog.com/z/khdjhbyj


http://yfrog.com/h8zuymnj


9pm: Villagers are raising candles and continue to keep the site. The standoff with police has been seven hours by now since the arrest of mayor Kang and other 4 people around 2pm.


8:20pm a village woman sitting in protest, "Release all the five!" The villagers and activists are still standoff with police




8pm More people are gathering
http://yfrog.com/gyv07uyyj


Injured by police violence
http://twitpic.com/6aixdp


6:50pm police is violently attacking people, Right Now!


Villagers blocking a police car when it attempted to escape to another road
http://yfrog.com/kj6rcqcj








6:10pm Fr. MoonJung-Hyun has once been in danger when he blocked police car on the top of it. The policemen was pushing away him on the top of car. In the above photo, Fr. Moon is sitting very tired after it.
http://yfrog.com/kjcggnmj


6:oo Gangjeong villagers blocking police car where mayor is held. Some people chained themselves with construction equipment
http://yfrog.com/kj6rcqcj

http://yfrog.com/kj6rcqcj



5: 29pm

전경병력 계속동원!! 본격연행 시작!!
5:20pm Police are continuously mobilized! More arrest started!
http://yfrog.com/kle5hnrj






5:10pm People chaining them selves strongly protest against the arrest of five including Gangjeong vilage mayor Kang Dong-Kyun
http://yfrog.com/gyg1yqlj







Right after arrest of five, some villagers and activists chained themselves to construction equipment (Source: Jeju Sori)

___________________________


Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun just before his arrest
http://twitpic.com/6ahpcj

Monday, August 22, 2011

제주 해군 기지 반대 자료들(2010년 12월~ 2011년 5월 18일)


강정 마을 자원 봉사자 모집(클릭) 강정 마을 후원 계좌(클릭) 대국민 강정 마을 현수막 보내기 운동(클릭)
5월19일, 양윤모 영화 평론가, 감옥 단식 44일째(4월 7일 사진 및 단식 경위:
클릭)
면회에서 만난 양윤모 교수님(4월 10일: 클릭) (4월 14일: 클릭) (4월 15일: 클릭) (4월 16일: 클릭) (4월 29일: 클릭)(5월 4일: 클릭) (5월 6일: 클릭) (5월 13일 재판 및 5월 14일 면회: 클릭)
양윤모 교수님 5월 16일, 옥중 단식 41일째 유언(기록: 클릭)(소감: 클릭
) (주민 소감: 클릭)
양윤모 교수님 약력(클릭)/양윤모 교수님 강정 모습 사진들(
클릭)/양윤모를 위한 변명(사진: 클릭)
/강정 주민 민성 아빠 말(클릭)/ 도대체 뭘 하자는 건지요?(클릭)
서명하세요: 절대보전지역 지정 해제처분 직권취소 청원 서명 용지 (자필서명)(클릭
)
서명하세요: 폭행경찰 징계 및 영화평론가 양윤모씨 석방! 제주 강정 마을 해군 기지 공사를 즉각 중단!(클릭)
제주 교도소 구치로로 이감된 양윤모 선생님께 편지를!(클릭)/ 인터넷 서신(클릭)
4월 6일 사진 및 비디오 증빙 자료들: 제주 해군 기지 반대 투쟁하던 양윤모 영화 평론가, 4월 6일 연행시 최소 3명이상의 경관에게 폭행 당함(클릭)/ 비디오: (클릭)/ 추가 충격 영상(클릭)
[4/15, 고발장] 양윤모 선생 폭행경찰에 대한 서울지검 고발장(클릭) / [5/11] 양윤모 선생 폭행경찰 고소고발사건 서울중앙지검 처분결과(클릭)
재판 관련 기사: (5/13 미란다 원칙 고지 이슈: 클릭)
4월 7일 기막힌 비디오 : 해군 이은국 대령과 강정주민들과의 대화 담긴 영상: (
클릭)
[5월 28일: 예정] 강정 해군 기지 반대 예술인 선언(기자 회견) (클릭)
[5월 27일] 해군 엄포(?) 천막 철거일
[5월 20일] 공지: 양윤모 교수님 3차 재판(제주고등법원, 4시)
[5월 18일] 강정마을 절대보전지역 항소심 ‘기각’ (해설: 클릭)(관련 기사: 클릭, 클릭, 클릭) 깅동균 회장 항의인터뷰(클릭, 클릭, 클릭, 클릭)/ 시민 의견(클릭)
/ 진보 신당 (항의 성명서 전문: 클릭, 기사: 클릭)/ 민주 노동당(항의 성명서 전문: 클릭, 기사: 클릭)/ 평화통일주권연대(기사: 클릭)
[5월 18일] 기사: 국방부 "해군기지 공사 일시중단 어렵다": 정치적 판단' 결정만 남아...주변지역발전계획 수립 '속도'(
클릭) (클릭) (클릭)(클릭)(클릭)(클릭)(클릭)(클릭)(클릭)
/ 도, ‘해군기지 지원’ 조례안 입법예고(클릭)
[5월 18일] 기사: 해군 ‘권력’ 자리한 강정마을 ‘화약고’: "시위하는 저것들 레미콘에 갈아버릴라” (클릭) (클릭)
/조영배 교수 인터뷰(클릭) (관련 보고: 사진 : 클릭, 클릭, 클릭) (비디오: 클릭, 클릭, 클릭, 클릭)
[5월 18일] 기사: 제주창조당: "우 지사의 해군기지 공사중단요청은 면피용 술책?" (클릭)(클릭)
[5월 18일] 기사: 야5당 "반대단체와 비공개면담? 말도 안된다"(성명서 전문: 클릭, 관련 기사: 클릭)
[5월 18일] 기사: ‘우 지사 망언, "해군기지 유치, 나도 화순항이 좋겠다 싶었어요" (클릭)
[5월 18일] 기사: 유엔사령부 대표단29명, 제주 제주특별자치도청 포함 관광 나서? (클릭)(사진: 클릭)
[5월 18일] 현문권 천주교 제주 교구 신부: 국책사업의 혼란스러움(클릭)
[5월 18일] [한겨레 세상읽기] 제주도 강정마을 / 한창훈(클릭)
[5월 18일] 한-중 FTA 대응 추진단 구성 ‘6월부터 본격 운영’(클릭)
[5/17] 정욱식: 제주도가 미군의 전초기지가 되면… 제주 해군기지, '유사시' 대비해 건설 중단해야(클릭)
[5/17] 의견: 해군기지 싸움에서 이기는 방법 3가지(클릭)
[중요: 다운받아요!]해군기지 건설반대 팜플렛!(클릭)
[중요핵심자료] 제주해군기지의 문제점] (클릭
)
[5/14] 국회 진상 조사단 방문시 강정 주민 발언(클릭)
[5/11] 붉은발 말똥게를 약천사로 옯기려고 채집을 시작했습니다!! (클릭)/ 해군은 최대한 서식지 원형 보전 한다 뻥(클릭)
붉은 발말똥게 이주 담당 용역 회사는 에코 션(클릭)/ 강정 주민 분노(클릭)/투망에 잡힌 불쌍한 게들(사진: 클릭)
[5/10] 유네스코 지정 연산호 보호 군락 무시, 제주 해군 기지 사업단 조감도 2011. 2012(클릭, 클릭, 클릭)
[5/8] 강정 마을 경자생 추모비 강제 매입? (클릭) /쯧쯧.. 문화재 파괴 공사 현장?(클릭)
[5/3] 강정 마을 주민들의 국민 여러분께 드리는 간절한 호소문(클릭)
[5/3]강정 마을 자료: 제주해군기지건설현장.. 절대보전지역에다가 테트라포트,케이슨 만여개 투하?(클릭)
[5/2] 강정 마을 자료: 정당성이 없는 제주해군기지 건설(클릭)

[5/1] 주민들의 농지, 강제수용한 해군, 1600만원 변상금까지 물리겠답니다!! (클릭)
[5/1] 강정 마을 자료: 제주출신 학자가 본 ‘제주’(
클릭)
[4/15] 고권일 대책위원장 님 전화인터뷰 동영상-15(금) 인터넷 진보언론 '주권방송'인터뷰(
클릭)
[4/11] 강정마을의 대도민 호소문(클릭)
[2010/12/31] 매튜 라이스 기사: 한국의 군비 확충 ‘2차 냉전’ 부른다(클릭)
[2010/12/30] 신용인: 붉은발 말똥게의 권리는 누가 지켜줄 것인가: 부당한 공권력 행사를 고발한다(클릭)
[2009년] PD수첩 제주해군기지 전모를 알수 있는 영상(클릭
)

제주 해군 기지 관련 일일 기사 및 글 (2011/3/25~ 4/30:클릭) (2011/5/1-10: 클릭) (2011/5/11-20: 클릭)
2010년 12월~2011년 3월 24일 일일 기사 및 주요 글(
클릭)

제주 해군 기지 반대 상시 자료들: 강정 마을회, 생명 평화 결사, 개척자들, 비디오, 평화 뉴스, 평화 만들기 외 다수 자료 포함(클릭)

Monday, August 8, 2011

[Choi, Sung-Hee] 3 Aug 20111 Drawings from prison

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Monday, August 1, 2011

[Choi,Sung-Hee] 27 July 2011 Drawings from prison

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Sunday, July 24, 2011

[Jeju update] 15~18 July 2011

On July 15th, the arrest of the three leading Jeju Island resistance leaders by undercover police happened. Here's the video of that morning:
http://youtu.be/74SL1KPq0K0


July 18th, for the whole afternoon, the broadcasting in Gangjeong kept informing villagers that the press conference in front of the navy office would be started soon for against the naval base and for criticizing two more conscientious prisoners newly being in jail.

Village leader of Gangjeong said "if one thief come to your house, won't you try to arrest them? But now the thief tried to accusing back the owner of house under the name of business interruption, and the police surprisingly turn back to arrest the house owners. In the morning of 15th July, you send so many police men (around 70) to arrest me. Am I that much dangerous? "

In my eyes, their eyes are so pure, how can they be the people who need almost one hundred police men to arrest them?

In the press conference, Yune, The Frontiers staff, read Brother Song's letter which he wrote while lose freedom. One word by word, one sentence by sentence, she read. Hope the people who should listen really listen. We will never stop talking like this.

The Following is the letter from Brother Song:

Letter from Brother Song in Jeju East Regional Police Station Detention Cell_July 17

July 17, Sunday, 2011
Song Kang-ho from Jeju East Regional Police Station Detention Cell

Dear Navy, Samsung, Daelim People

I have met you starting from this early March. It is already 5th month. Personally I feel so sorry that I have caused you big trouble. I know you have been through hard time. We could be good friends if we not meet under the situation of Gangjeong Nave Base Construction. In my eyes, you look like good and kind uncles, friends and juniors. I am trying to understand you even though you have restrained me by force and abused me a lot. All things are because of your job. After all our evil destiny brought me into prison, now my freedom is taken as you wished.

I do not blame you, nor reproach you. I believe the wrong policy of Korean Government and Ministry of National Defense put me in prison. It was our Constitution Day when I was imprisoned a charge of business interruption against Navy Base Construction. All democratic procedure was ignored. Finally I was imprisoned because of the fighting against our Government to protect democracy, the foundation of Republic of Korea Constitutional Law, to save our country from the war, to preserve our beautiful sacred nature.

Personally I like you, even respect you. It is because of my absolute respect for the blue workers. Even though I am against war and hate militarism, it is true that I admire your dauntlessness, dignity and feel human affection at the same time. I ask you no more criminal making. 50 residents have punished disgracefully, tens of people are accused. Please deliberate why Gangjeong Villagers should go through these trials. Please think about the discords and distresses that you bring this peaceful fisherman and farmers village. Why you should work like this? Don't you recognize that it is inevitable to face with bigger opposition if you proceed the construction by force? I do believe that this mad Navy Base construction would be stopped someday. But what I am concerning most is that it will cause irrecoverable sacrifice, loss, pain and harm of villagers. Do not forget villagers even could lose their life. I beg a favor of you. Please stop the construction temporarily, resolve the conflicts with residents, first. This is all people's request, and most of residents pro Navy Base construction also agree with. There is no reason to be existed if the military ignore the people. Please respect residents, listen what they are requesting. Stop the war against residents and try to persuade them. You have your own logic, counterproposal and compensation plan. Why you could not persuade residents? Gangjeong residents love our country, respect military service same as other villagers. Please appeal to their patriotic sentiment, remind their national defense spirit. Please do your best to talk with residents.

The one thing I want to make clear is that you should give up Navy Base construction if you fail to persuade residents. You should not proceed construction by force. Oppressive construction will destroy our National Identity as democratic country. I sincerely beg of you. Declare construction stop, try to do unlimited talk with residents. It is the only way to resolve all the conflicts caused by Navy Base construction, not make pure heart residents becoming disgraceful criminal. Oppressive construction is like dragging an unrolled wheel car. Your car must be fallen down. Like a wheel could not win asphalt road, Navy could not win people, nor samgsung does. Please listen carefully what people saying before you get bigger losses and shame, before people go through bigger pain and sacrifice.



Mr. Ko and Brother Song walking out from the trial room.
Brother Song was holding a bible which a friend gave to him at that day before the trial.

Press conference in front of the Navy Office to protest the unjust arrest of peace activist on July 18.



Thursday, July 7, 2011

[Choi, Sung-Hee] A letter from prison 0703_Dear residents in Jagatsinghpur

July 3, 2011

Dear residents in Jagatsinghpur,
I am a woman and activist living in South Korea, the country of the POSCO you oppose. I am currently being jailed in the Jeju prison, under the charge of 'interruption of business', because of my resistance against the enforcement of the naval base construction in the Jeju Island located in the south of South Korea. As of today, July 3, I met 46th day since my arrest and 44th day since my being restrained.
I accidently happened to see two of your struggle photos and a photo in the Korean Times, June 13, 2011 had a below caption underneath it;
'Anti POSCO action in India: A village sprays water to relieve children lying with other villages along the entry point to prevent policemen and officials from entering their area at Jagatsinghpur district, about 140 kilometers(87 miles) east of eastern Bhubareshwary India, Saturday. The villagers have been protesting against turning their farmland into an industrial developed area for a $12 billion steal plant of South Korean conglomerate POSCO (AP-Yonhap).'
The situation of the Gangjeong village, Jeju Island, when I, along with many others, wanted to prevent naval base, is very much like yours.
The Gangjeong villages who have fought for four years to save their village are keeping vigil day and night against sudden crackdown by the navy and construction companies (Samsung and Daerim etc.).
It is for not being robbed of their lands. If trucks come, they block them with their bodies and if ships come, they resist them by swimming to them. Recently, a movie critic named, Yang Yoon-Mo had total 76days' fast including 60days' prison fast, against naval base. The Gangjeong village itself is an ecology-excellent village while the Gangjeong Sea is when the UNESCO-protected soft corals inhibit. The naval base construction site in the Gangjeong village is the very habitat for the endangered species such as red feet crabs and small round frogs. But the navy has expropriated more than 51% of the villages' land and threatened them so that they could not but get the deposited money as indemnity.
Because the Jeju naval base would make the Jeju, 'the Peace Island' into 'the War Island', and would destroy peace in the northeast Asia, further in the whole Asia & world, not only the Gangjeong villages but many people are opposing it.
I could but feel great sadness and anger over the fact that a big South Korean conglomerate is to rob of and to destroy your lands. The POSCO is one of the big, infamous corporations, along with Samsung, which has oppressed its workers, with its no-labor union policy.
Since the POSCO would destroy not only the environment of your hometown but also your rights to live, your struggle is so just 'legitimate self-defense'. It is like my action should be called not as 'interruption of business', but as 'legitimate self-defense'.
Expression my anger to the POSCO and my apology to you, I also send my warm, comradeship, respect, consolence and encouragement. Your courage and urgency more me.
Wholeheartedly supporting your struggle to save your hometown and your rights to live from reckless developmentalism and imperialism hands. I pray for the success of your struggle.

In solidarity.

July 3, 2011
Sung-Hee Choi



Thursday, June 30, 2011

Gangjeong Village Blogger_English contents

cafe.daum.net/peacekj

I am sorry you can read articles only!