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Latest news/developments from the "frontline" in and around Gangjeong village on S. Korea's Jeju Island:

1.) Expanding repression against foreign activists.
 
Three Okinawan activists were denied the entry to Jeju on April 2 and last Friday. Yutaka Umisedo, Okinawan singer in people's movement, was denied the entry to Jeju on April 2. Masahiro Tomiyama and another women was also denied the entry to Jeju and deported Friday, April 6.
 

2.) Also last Friday Fr. Moon has fallen from a tetrapod after a scuffle with police at Gangjeong port. He sustained serious injuries...

Yesterday's Hankyoreh had the following report about the tragic occurrence:

Catholic priest seriously injured at Gureombi protest

Scuffle led to priest’s fall and damage to multiple vertebrae

       Priest Moon Jung-hyun is taken to the hospital by an emergency rescue team after falling from a 7m high tetrapod at the construction site of a naval base in Jeju, April 6.      

Catholic priest Moon Jeong-hyeon was severely injured in a fall on April 6 from a seven-meter-tall tetrapod near a Gangjeong Harbor breakwater. He had been protesting the construction of a naval base in Seogwipo’s Gangjeong Village.

According to accounts April 6 from Gangjeong residents and peace activists, Moon suddenly fell while standing on a tetrapod in Gangjeong harbor at around 1:30 pm, arguing with a member of the Coast Guard who was attempting to stop activists from using the breakwater to jump into the ocean.

About thirty minutes after falling, Moon, 72, was taken by ambulance to the Seogwipo Medical Center, where it was confirmed that he suffered a fracture to his lumbar vertebrae.

The medical center announced that Moon had suffered fractures to his third, fourth, and fifth lumbar vertebrae and serious bruising of his arms and legs.

An employee of the medical center said, “The fractures were confirmed by close examination after [Moon] complained of serious pain in his back, arms, and legs.”

“I expect it to be more than three months before a full recovery,” he added.

At the request of activists, Moon is to be taken to Jeju National University Hospital in Jeju City for treatment.

Oh Young-deok, head of the Jeju chapter of the Korea Foundation for Environmental Movements, said that Moon’s head and neck appeared to be unharmed, judging from Moon’s conversations with others.

“It looks like we’ll have to wait and see how it goes,” the committee member said.

At the time of the accident Friday, Moon was holding a mass with around thirty other Catholics and peace activists ahead of the Easter holiday. The group departed from the mountain peak coastal area east of the Navy’s Jeju base project office at around 11am on a march to Gangjeong Harbor, which is located about two kilometers away.

Go Gwon-il, the head of the Gangjeong village committee against the base construction, said an argument broke out after the group arrived at the breakwater and began to pray. An activist attempted to dive into the ocean, announcing plans to pray on Gureombi Rock, which prompted a member of the Coast Guard to rush over.

“Father Moon blocked the Coast Guard at the top of the tetrapod, saying ‘Why are you getting in the way? Don’t come in here,‘” an activist recalled. “They got into a scuffle. Moon grabbed the arm of the Coast Guard member, who then jumped to another tetrapod. That was when Moon fell.”

A Seogwipo Coast Guard official said, “Today is a blasting day at Gureombi Rock, and when activists were about to jump into the sea, a [Coast Guard] member told them, ’You can‘t go in there right now. It’s dangerous.‘”

“Up on the tetrapod, Father Moon shoved the employee’s chest and said, ‘Who are you to prevent them from going in?’ and it looks like he lost his balance in the process,” the official added.

“The Coast Guard member did not shake off Father Moon or push him in any way,” the official said.

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/527213.html

More detailed info you'll get here!

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