An International Solidarity Statement against Militarization of JeJu Island (DRAFT)

(Jeju residents and peace activists demonstrated in front of Ministry Of National Defense on 25 July 2007)

The Korean government and the Ministry of National Defense are planning to construct a large-scale naval base in Jeju Island. According to the media reporting, there is a possibility of building an additional air base. However, this agenda is completely opposed to the previous event of the Government appointing the Jeju Island as ’Island of World Peace’ in 2005

Assigning Jeju Island as ‘Island of World Peace’ ushers the island to be the peace core of the Northeast Asia and of the world. A half century ago, Jeju Island experienced a tragic strife called ‘4.3 strife’ which ended up wasting 30,000 innocent lives; this terrible incident is resulted from the division of the Korean peninsula and ideological conflicts as well as imperialism and cold war standoff. Therefore, Jeju island has significant meaning to be the heart of ‘reconciliation and symbiosis’ as the ‘Island of World Peace’

However, constructing large-scale naval and air base degenerates Jeju Island to be a focal point of arms race and dispute rather than the Island of World Peace.

On top of that, it is highly possible that a naval base on Jeju Island could be a backbone of U.S naval forces in Korea. Particularly, according to the plan of ROK navy, the navy will make a huge wharf in the base in order to moor the US AEGIS, submarine, and possibly aircraft carrier. Setting the AEGIS in Jeju Island and operating the ships as an element of constructing Northeast MD system is part of US military program. From the geographical point of view, the naval base in Jeju Island cannot have been anything else but the US MD base on the sea. Jeju Island is at the center of conflict structure of northeast Asia in reference to MD system.

Also, the US can use the land wherever it desires within the bound of the ROK as its base according to the ROK-US mutual defense agreement. Therefore, US naval force is highly likely to use Jeju island which is located at the gateway of East Asia. Recently, the strengthening of US-Japan-ROK military alliance leaded by US is an unstable fact. Under the circumstance, the naval base in Jeju island would become a stepping-stone of US navy. It would also be inevitable that Jeju Island would turn to be a focal point of arms race in Northeast Asia.

Furthermore, the strategic moving fleet such as King Sejong Prize (AEGIS), light aircraft carrier, and submarine will be placed in the island. ROK navy insists that it is to deal with arms race in Northeast Asia, to protect the sea sovereignty, and to make certain of the commercial passages on the sea. We, however, must remember that just building massive naval base and pacing strategic moving fleet accelerate arms race in Northeast Asia. It will threaten local community of Jeju Island and security of Korea.

We urgently demand a withdraw of the naval base construction program to the Korean government and Jeju special self-governing province. We strongly believe what Jeju Island is needed at this moment is not an army base but concrete policy and international cooperation to set the island as a real ‘Island of World Peace’ or ‘Peace Zone’

Lastly, we will collaborate in the process of making peace in the Northeast Asia and the world. We give passionate applause to the NGOs in Korea and local people in Jeju Island who are against militarization of Jeju Island. We promise to continuously work together with them.

June of 2007