Standoff over South Korean naval base
| Jeju, South Korea
Beyond the tall walls protecting the site of a South Korean naval base under construction on this verdant island province, demonstrators protest day and night against what they see as 鈥渄esecration鈥� of the island鈥檚 rich heritage.
鈥淲e are going to do everything we can to stop it,鈥� says Cho Yak-gol, standing in what has become the headquarters tent for protests that ebb and flow depending on the number who show up to protest 鈥� anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred 鈥� and their willingness to confront the police. 鈥淭he villagers have been fighting for four and a half years.鈥�
Several million tourists a year flock to Jeju, warm enough year-round for Korea鈥檚 only palm and tangerine trees but dominated by the country鈥檚 highest peak, Mount Halla, which rises 6,400 feet above the surrounding seas and is snow-covered half the year. Tour guides, however, don鈥檛 bring them to Gangjeong village, population 1,500, where the base is being built on the island鈥檚 rocky southern coast.
鈥淭he villagers have opposed the base,鈥� says Mr. Cho, an activist from near the Korean capital of Seoul. 鈥淛eju is supposed to be an island of peace.鈥�
Protest flags fly from villagers鈥� homes, but they appear vastly outmatched by the determined drive of the government to complete the construction in two or three years as defense against what officials see as a rising North Korean threat.
The defense ministry believes the base is needed in the wake of two bloody episodes last year 200 miles north of here in the Yellow Sea in which a South Korean navy vessel was sunk and an island base shelled with a total loss of 50 lives. South and North Korean nuclear envoys talked Wednesday in Beijing about renewing six-party talks on North Korea鈥檚 nuclear weapons, but tension remains high while US and South Korean officials agree tough sanctions should stay.
The ministry admits 鈥渟ignificant progress has yet to be made due to incessant objections鈥� and blames trouble-makers from elsewhere. 鈥淩allies have been done mostly by groups originating outside Gangjeong,鈥� says the ministry.
The ministry accuses activists of spreading falsehoods, including the claim that US warships will use the base. Both South Korean and American officials say there鈥檚 no such plan. Authorities say the base will be multi-purpose by serving as a port for huge international cruise ships, bringing in still more revenue for an island whose principle business is tourism.
While activists are an embarrassment to the conservative government of President Lee Myung-bak, officials note the original plan for the base was authorized under Mr. Lee鈥檚 left-leaning predecessor, Roh Moo-hyun.
The protest is likely to increase, moreover, while the island prepares to host the World Conservation Congress one year from now. Kim Chong-chun, secretary-general of the Korean organizing committee, exudes national pride as he talks about the congress, a quadrennial event staged by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, a UN observer organization.
鈥淛eju is a beautiful island,鈥� says Mr. Kim. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why Jeju was chosen. All here are working together on the most sensitive environmental issues. Nature is crucial.鈥�
But what about the protesters鈥� claim that the base shows disregard for Jeju鈥檚 natural beauty? 鈥淥ur forum is open to everyone,鈥� he says. 鈥淓veryone can participate.鈥�
Outside the base, Cho Yak-gol says, 鈥淭he base is not going to be helpful for the environment鈥� and plans yet another candlelight vigil. A woman beside him hands out leaflets proclaiming, 鈥淛ustice to Jeju, Peace to Gangjeong,鈥� over the silhouette of a destroyer. Inside, the leaflet shows a species of a rare crab.
"This is a treasure,鈥� says the leaflet. 鈥淏ecause of the base, they will be totally destroyed.鈥�
