The Global Campaign to Save Jeju Island joins forces with Korean-American activists to call attention to failed Lee Myung-Bak policies.

PRLog (Press Release) – Oct 11, 2011 – United States, Washington, DC
U.S.-based peace activists will assemble in front of the White House on October 13 as a signal to visiting South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak that his support for the illegal construction of a naval base on Korea’s Jeju Island is garnering international heat. 

Since 2007, protests have occurred at the site of the proposed base, which would host up to 20 American and South Korean warships, including submarines, aircraft carriers and destroyers, several of which would be fitted with the Aegis ballistic-missile defense system.

South Korea started construction of the base in January but protests halted the work in June. Construction has again resumed despite democratic appeals for its halt, including one from the Jeju Provincial Council on Oct. 4 following a 22-day investigation into the procedures that set the plan into motion.

Just last week nine Catholic priests, a South Korean journalist and 11 college students were arrested as part of the Jeju naval base protests under the banner of violating Article 314 which is the penal code for „obstruction of business“ and is most often used to arrest and imprison trade unionists for exercising their democratic rights. Two hundred others have been called in for questioning by police not because they have committed any crimes, but because they are being targeted for their political beliefs and affiliations and for exercising their democratic rights.