JEJU VILLAGERS CONNECT THE DOTS TO MILITARISM

Gangjeong Village People’s Council, Demands the Navy Base Reappraisal to President Lee

Translation by Sung-Hee Choi (Inchon, South Korea)

While President Lee Myung-Bak, and representatives from Japan and China, visited Jeju Island to be present in the 3rd ROK-Japan-China Summit meeting, the Gangjeong village people’s council announced its position on the whole reappraisal of the Jeju naval base.

The Gangjeong Village People’s Council saying in the press release called The Gangjeong Village People’s Council’s Position on the ROK-Japan-China that, “There is an expectation that the three countries could have a diplomacy with the principal of co-respect and reciprocity. Therefore we could not but be concerned that the Jeju naval base would influence into the diplomacy of three countries of Korea-Japan-China in some degree.”

The Gangjeong village people’s council pointed out that “Originally the Jeju naval base is the business aimed at the protection of the southern trade sea-lane as the 1st purpose and it should be kept in mind that our sea-lane is under the geographical condition that our sea-lane cannot but pass by the territorial waters of China and Japan.”

“Far from that constructing the naval base in the Jeju would help the easing of the tensions in the northeast Asia, there are enough possibilities that it would be seen as part of arms race. For the Jeju to be born again, the plan of the naval base construction should be re-considered.”

The Gangjeong village people’s council announced that, “We request the President to have the meeting with the newly-elected [Jeju Island] governor and review the issue of the Jeju naval base construction from the principal and make a wise decision.”

Following that, “Since the naval base is the strategic business, the [base] candidate area should be chosen after enough study and review considered with the strategic, effective and economic points and its business should be practiced after all the villagers’ agreement procedures such as the public poll and prior environmental review are processed transparently and perfectly."