Objections grow to Korean naval base

Cheju diocese poll shows fears over environmental impact
Paul Hwang, Seoul
Korea
June 30, 2010
Catholic Church News Image of Objections grow to Korean naval base
Aerial view of the naval base which is being constructed. Photo courtesy of Republic of Korea Navy

Most members of a Korean provincial council disapprove of building a naval base on Jeju island, a priest says.

A Cheju diocesan committee, together with other groups, had asked the newly elected Jeju provincial council members whether they supported the government’s decision, said Father John Ko Byeong-soo.

The 41 councilors were elected on June 2.

As of June 29, 24 councilors had given their replies. None of them felt that the government’s decision to use the southern Gangjeong area was sound, said the priest, who is vice president of Cheju diocese’s Special Committee for the Island of Peace.

Twenty councilors had said it was "wrong" for previous councilors to approve military use of an area which was previously earmarked for environmental conservation, said Father Ko.

Construction of the base started earlier this year.

The councilors’ stance is giving hope to the Church’s protest movement against the naval base, which began a few years ago when the plan was announced.

Church people say such a facility would damage the island’s natural environment as well as its peacefulness.

Father Ko said the diocese will ask its parishes to join a month-long signature campaign, launched on June 25 by the diocese and other religious and civic groups.

The 400,000-square-meter naval base is to be home to a new fleet of destroyers that would patrol the East China Sea between China and Japan.

Ironically, the Korean government had in 2005 designated Jeju as an “Island of Peace” to boost tourism and heal the wounds from the April 3 Incident of 1948. This was when police and military killed about 30,000 civilians after communists on the island started a riot.

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