By Kim Tae-jong
The government used police to disperse and round up protesters at Gangjeong on Jeju Island, Friday, clearing the way for the Navy to resume controversial construction of a base there.
During the crackdown, police apprehended 35 villagers and activists occupying the construction site. They also detained three other key figures who have organized the “illegal rallies” against the project.
The Seogwipo Police Station sent 600 riot police to the site at around 5 a.m. who forcibly dispersed about 100 protestors, officers said.
While riot police were blocking protesters, construction workers erected a 200-meter-long fence to link the already existing steel wall along the 1.6-kilometer perimeter of the site to block protesters from entering and preventing construction.
The move came several days after a regional court granted the government an injunction to prevent activists from obstructing construction work. The intervention also came a day before a large-scale peace rally for which hundreds of religious and civic group members will fly to the island aboard a chartered plane.
The Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Council strongly denounced the use of police force. “We have demanded that the government resolve the conflict peacefully. The use of police force will only accelerate conflict without solving the issue. We strongly oppose the construction of the naval base without reaching an agreement with the residents.”
During the violent confrontation, protesters resisted riot police and attempted to block the passage of excavators.
Although the erection of the steel fence makes access to the construction site impossible, they vowed to continue fighting until their demands are met.
“In the early morning, the area was completely cordoned off as riot police blocked major roads before using force to disperse protestors from the construction site,” activist Kim Duk-jin said. “But we need to show them that they can’t stop us. We will still hold a rally Saturday.”
Kim and other activists said the peaceful rally will include various cultural events such as musical performances and traditional games.
The rally is expected to attract hundreds of Jeju residents as well as people from other parts of the country. The police have said they will allow protestors to hold the rally as long as it is peaceful.
The longstanding dispute at the small fishing village began in 2007 when the government designated it as the site for a new naval base.
Residents and civic groups oppose the construction, arguing it will cause environmental problems on the island. They also argue the government and Navy have pushed ahead with the plan without reaching a consensus with them.
Strongly refuting such claims, the Navy said that the naval base will be built in an eco-friendly manner and help boost the local economy as well as bolster coastal defense.
A total of 977 billion won will be spent to construct the 480,000-square-meter base by 2014 with over 130 billion won spent already, according to the Navy.