SMALL BUT WELCOME VICTORY ON JEJU ISLAND

Sung-Hee Choi reports from Gangjeong village on Jeju Island in South Korea:

The villagers have just got a small victory by getting the Island Council’s resolution reversing cancellation of the previous Island council’s past bill on the annulment of absolute preservation areas in their village. The ex-Island council had passed the bill in snatched way in Dec. 2009 and it became the legal pretext for the Navy to enforce the Naval base construction that the villagers oppose.

After the Jeju Island council’s March 15, 2011 vote was passed, the villagers and civic organizations gathered in delight, being proud of their first victory after nearly four years’ hard struggles, in front of the Island council. More difficult fights are still to come as this new resolution will not stop the Navy base construction by itself but could help in the legal action that is still underway.

The Gangjeong mayor led the people’s slogans. The slogans were rhymed between him and the other people as the below:

Mayor: We/ People: Can do it!
Mayor: We/ People: Did it!
Mayor: The persistent/ People: will win!
Mayor: Naval base/ People: absolutely No!
All: Fighting!