Korea: priest released from Jeju Island prison on Boxing Day

Fr Lee Young-chan

Fr Lee Young-chan, a Jesuit priest jailed before Christmas for giving pastoral support to campaigners protesting against the construction of a huge military base on Jeju Island off the coast of Korea, was released on bail yesterday, 26 December.

The island is home to a small fishing community and set in a very ecologically sensitive area which will be destroyed if the base is established.

It also has great historical significance as a Buddhist shrine and one of the first centres visited by Catholic missionaries.

Fr Lee was met outside Jeju prison yesterday by activists and other Jesuit priests including the head of Jesuits Korea prefecture Fr John Shin Won-shik.

Photo by Jang Hyon-woo 장현우 http://cafe.daum.net/peacekj/496a/747 — with 이영찬 and Kim Sung-hwan.

(The site has pictures and more information. It is written in Korean but can be translated)