Help Stop Destruction of Jeju Island’s Pristine Volcanic Coastline for South Korean/US Naval Base

By Ann Wright

On November 18, 2011, the South Korean Navy will blast Gureombi, the smooth volcanic rock along the coastline of Gangjeong village of Jeju Island where the local people have been fighting day and night almost for 5 years to stop the naval base that will homeport naval vessels equipped with the American Aegis missile and will be a key link in the United States’ Missile Defense System.

Jeju Island was recently selected among the New Seven Wonders of Nature, which with its UNESCO triple-crowned status makes the island among the world’s most precious cultural and national treasures. In addition, the marine ecosystem that lines Gureombi is an absolute preservation area designated by the South Korean government because of the many endangered species that inhabit Gureombi, including the red-clawed crab and soft coral.

The spring water that bubbles up from Gureombi provides up to 80% of the drinking water for residents of Seogwipo City, the southern half of Jeju Island. The destruction of Gureombi threatens the surrounding marine life and the clean water that farmers and villagers depend upon for their survival.

You can see the beautiful island, the spectacular coast and the dedication of the people of Gangjeong village and Jeju Island against the construction of the naval base in an new Al  Jazeera documentary, “A Call Against Arms-Jeju” http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_aSJgZOkLlU

Gangjeong villagers are pleading for our help to prevent the Gureombi blast.

As a retired U.S. Army Colonel and former U.S. diplomat, I am horrified that one of the new Seven Wonders of Nature will be destroyed for another US military program, the US Missile Defense System. I visited Jeju Island in August, 2011and stayed 4 days on the volcanic rocks with activists from the island and from the mainland of South Korea who had flown into help protect the island.

Your contacting the Governor of Jeju Island NOW will not only encourage the citizen activists but can also help save their village and their lives.

Please take 5 minutes to be part of this global collective effort to stop this destructive blast. 
Send an email to Jeju Island Governor Woo urging him to halt the blast and construction of the naval base.

Please help STOP the BLASTING of the Volcanic Coast!!

Write to Gov. Woo: lmw2828@jeju.go.kr

Dear Governor Woo,

You have the power to stop the blast of Gureombi, a government-designated absolute ecological preservation area. You also have the power to order the Navy to stop construction of the naval base and release innocent citizens.

Will you leave behind a legacy of overseeing the destruction of a UNESCO preserve site and ancient Korean relics, or will you be remembered as a protector of democracy and peace on Jeju Island?

Uphold your promise to those who elected you and stop the blast and construction immediately. We don’t want the ‘New Seven Wonders of Nature’ to be brutally destroyed.

Sincerely,

Your Name

About the Author:  Ann Wright is 29 year veteran of the US Army and a retired Colonel.  She is  a former US diplomat who resigned in 2003 in opposition to the US war on Iraq. She visited Jeju Island in August, 2011 and witnessed the arrests of key citizen activists, including the Mayor of Gangjeong village.