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Mon, April 12, 2021 | 12:48
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’Voices of villagers ignored’
강정마을 해군기지유치 회의록을 보니
Posted : 2011-09-05 15:04
Updated : 2011-09-05 15:04
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Village leader Kang Dong-kyun
By Lee Tae-hoon

GANGJEONG –– The military claims that Gangjeong, a small fishing and farming village on Jeju Island, was designated as the site for a naval base as the majority of the villagers supported the plan in a democratic vote in 2007.

Lt. Col. Song Moo-jin, who oversaw the naval site selection process, and many other defense officials describe Gangjeong’s designation as a naval base was the “most democratic process in the history of the country’s defense projects.”

However, testimonies of Gangjeong residents, including that of village chief Kang Dong-kyun, and transcripts of town meetings reveal that such a claim is false.

The deep roots of the conflict can be traced back to April 26, 2007.

“People claim that the decisive factor for the approval of the base was a Gangjeong general assembly, but that meeting was illegally held,” Kang claimed. “Everything was passed, not by votes, but by clapping.”

Of some 1,900 villagers, only 87 gathered that day to discuss possible benefits of hosting of a naval site, which neighboring candidate towns including Wimi and Hwasun had protested against for several years.

Many of those opposed to the base were unable to attend the meeting as it was held in a stealthy manner with the notice made only for four days instead of the seven mandated in the town regulations.

“That was highway robbery,” a villager said as he recalled that day. “They were no better than communists.”

Even Kang Hee-sang, an ardent advocate of the plan, admits few villagers expected their town to be named as home to a naval base.

“We held a general meeting on April 26 in order to hear views on the hosting of a naval base,” he said. “Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that our village be selected.”

Kang, a secretary general at the Committee for the Gangjeong Naval Base, claims that only he and the military were aware the decision could be nullified if opponents filed an injunction.

“As I told Song, whose rank was major at that time, everything will be in vain if an injunction is filed within 180 days, his face became pale and asked me not to share that information with anyone.”

A transcript of the town’s meeting on April 25, 2007, a day before it passed a resolution supporting the hosting of a naval base, gives a glimpse of what really happened and why many villagers have been fighting against it for four years.

“Why don’t we hold another general meeting tomorrow morning as there are many villagers who do not know about the issue,” Yim Soon-ja asked then village leader Yoon, but her suggestion was disregarded.

Jeong Ok-bae raised a question on whether the village would be able to refuse hosting the naval base if the village’s demands were not met, Yoon replied, “That is possible.”

On Aug. 10, 2007, roughly 100 days after the controversial vote, Gangjeong residents impeached then-village leader Yoon for submitting the village’s bid for a naval base without properly extracting a consensus.

Ten days later, the town officially reversed its position in a referendum where 680 voted against hosting the naval base with only 36 supporting its earlier position.

But Jeju and the Navy refused to acknowledge the outcome of the referendum, nor advised it to submit an injunction.

강정마을 해군기지유치 회의록을 보니
강정마을 해군기지 입지 결정은 정부나 군이 아니라 주민 스스로 요구한 가장 민주적인 방법으로 결정된 사업이라는 정부의 주장이 터무니 없다는 것으로 마을회의록과 해군기지 유지 찬성 측 증언을 통해 밝혀졌다. 주민들 만장일치로 해군기지 유치결의 했다는 2007년 4월 26일 마을 총회 하루 전에 열렸던 강정마을 어촌계 회의 회의록을 살펴보니 당시 중립적 위치에 있어야 할 마을회장이 반대 의견을 묵살하고 잘못 된 정보를 바탕으로 해군기지 졸속 유치하려 했던 것이 들어났기 때문이다. 이날 회의록에 의하면 마을 주민 강정림씨가 당시 윤태정 마을회장에게 해군기지 “유치신청을 했다가 보상이나 그 외 마을의 조건이 맞지 않으면 반대 할 수 있냐” 묻자 윤씨는 가능하다고 답한다. 회의에 참석한 임순자씨 해군기지 유치와 관련된 내용을 모르는 사람이 많음으로 회의를 다음날 아침 다시 열자고 제의를 하지만 그녀의 주장은 묵살된다. 마을 향약에 따르면 총회를 7일 전에 공고하고 수시로 알려야 하는데 마을 주민 1,900여명의 운명을 송두리 채 바꾸어 놓은 26일 마을 총회는 단지 4일 간의 공고 후 열렸다. 이날 회의는 불과 87명이 회의에 참석했고, 의결은 무기명 투표가 아닌 박수로 날치기 된다. (찬성측은 120여명이 참석했으나 나머지 참석인원에 대해 서명을 받지 못했다 주장한다). 이로 인해 윤회장은 같은 해 8월 10일 마을 총회에서 '탄핵'되고 (436명 중 416명 해임 건안안 찬성) 열흘 후인 8월 20일 강정마을은 해군기지 유치 찬반을 묻는 주민투표를 실시 725명 중 680명 반대로 해군기지 유치 반대를 결정을 한다. 하지만 해군은 군사기지 설치는 국가안보 사업이므로 주민투표의 대상이 아니기에 반대의견이 더 많다 하더라도 사업 진행을 멈출 수 있는 사안이 아니라 주장하고 있다. 한편, 해군기지 찬성의 선봉에 선 해군기지건설 강정추진위 강희상 사무국장 역시 해군기지 유치과정에 있어 매끄럽지 않은 면이 있었다는 것을 인정하고 있다. 그는 본지와의 인터뷰에서 4월 26일 마을 총회를 계기로 해군기지 공사부지로 “선정 되는 것을 꿈에도 몰랐다”며 “4월 26일 마을 총회가 의사 타진을 위해 안건을 올린 거지 기지유치를 결정하려 올린 것”이 아니라 밝혔다. 주민들에 의하면 공고한 안건은 “해군기지 관련의 건”이었는데 4월 26일 본회에서는 “강정해군기지 유치의 건”으로 “편법” 상정되었다고 한다. 강 사무국장에 의하면 새로 취임한 마을회장이 주민투표 발의 무효 가처분 소송 법원에 냈으면 사업이 백지화 될 수 있었지만 이러한 내용을 그와 해군밖에 몰랐다고 한다 . “그 당시 그 것을 아는 사람이 저 밖에 없었어요. 행정무효가처분을 내면 강정은 끝이다라고 내가 해군에게 말하니까 송소령이” 반대 측 뿐만 아니라 찬성 측에도 이 같은 사실을 함구해달라 부탁을 했다 말했다 밝혔다. “마을회장이 행정무효가처분신청을 법원에 냈으면 되는 거였어요. 그러면 국방부에도 올라가지 않을 거고...” 당시 그가 가처분에 관해 논의를 한 해군제주기지사업단 총괄담당 송무진 중령은 현재 평택함 송무진 함장으로 일하고 있다. 그는 최근 지난 6월 23일 국회에서 열린 공청회에서 "강정마을 선정 과정은 우리나라 국방사업 역사상 가장 민주적인 절차를 거쳐서 결정된 사업" 이라 밝힌적인 있다.
Emailleeth@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter









 
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