Pax Christi urges Korean government to save Jeju island

Jeju Island

Pat Gaffney, General Secretary of Pax Christi has written to the President of Korea appealing for him to stop the destruction of Jeju Island, a place of outstanding historic and natural beauty. The eleventh hour appeal comes as workers have begun to dynamite the area in order to build a naval base.

Pax Christi and Columban JPIC will be taking part in a candle-lit vigil at the Korean Embassy in London today, 9 May, in solidarity with people of Gangjeong Village, Jeju Island who face losing their homes and fishing grounds. The event will take place from 2-5pm outside the Republic of Korea Embassy, 60 Buckingham Gate, London SW1.
Jeju is claimed to be of strategic importance to the US, which is considering placing missiles there pointed towards China.

In her letter to the Korean Ambassador for President, Mr Lee Myung-Bak, Pat Gaffney, General Secretary of Pax Christi writes:

Ambassador,
Mr Choo Kyu Ho
Embassy of the Republic of Korea;
60 Buckingham Gate;
London
SW1E 6AJ

9 May 2012

Dear Ambassador Choo Kuy Ho

I write to you as the General Secretary of the British section of Pax Christi, the international Catholic movement for peace. Pax Christi believes that the peace we seek cannot come from weaponry, but from a commitment to justice and nonviolent actions which recognise the dignity of every human person and all creation.

It is because of this belief that we are here today - keeping vigil - in solidarity with the people of Gangjeong village on the island of Jeju and with those groups and religious networks who are supporting them. As a Catholic NGO we are aware that the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea has spoken out strongly against the plans of the Government of the Republic of Korea to continue with the building of a naval base on Jeju. Speaking earlier this year Bishop Peter Kang U-il said, "It is essential that the naval base plan be abandoned, for the sake of Jeju residents and the whole of the Republic of Korea".

We understand that work to blast the sacred Gureombi rocks has begun. We know that the building of the base, as well as its long-term presence, is being strongly resisted on grounds of environmental destruction, damage to the existing community and the likelihood that this base will become a focus for US security operations in the region. We support nonviolent resistance to this work and urge your Government to take a brave stand and cancel this project.

True peace will come through cooperation, the just sharing of the earth's resources, projects that unite people to work against poverty and
injustice - it cannot be found in weapons whether conventional or nuclear.


I ask you to pass this letter on to your own President, Mr Lee Myung-Bak.

Yours in peace

Pat Gaffney
General Secretary
coordinator@paxchristi.org.uk