Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Canuckophile]

PLEASE HELP!!! An organization called the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement (htttp://kfem.or.kr - there's an English section) has asked westerners to please support the Buddhist nun now protesting the govt's acquiescence in the destruction of Mount Cheonseong to benefit Korea Rail.

I have edited their history of this below. Below that is KFEM's suggested letter to Prez Roh - can be sent by email.

Korea is such a small, overpopulated country that protection of its remaining wildlife and natural ecology is essential. Every loss is a major one! Until recently they didn't have the technology (or money) to destroy the mountains that make this country's few remaining rural areas so beautiful. Now they do - and the destruction of Korea's mountains is accelerating.

PLEASE pass this message along to others in Korea who might be interested. My observation (and Koreans concur) is that Korea's gov't is very sensitive to what foreigners think of their country.

A recent example (2003) is the sudden gov't crackdown on importing Russian/Filipino women who were tricked into prostitution. When the LA TIMES exposed this internationally, the Korean gov't finally acted. There's a chance this will also be true on environmental issues, so I HOPE YOU WILL ACT!

Thanks,
CANUCKOPHILE
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KFEM's explanation of the issue (edited):

Korea's environmental NGOs and citizens urgently call for your support to save the Buddhist nun, Venerable Jiyul, and the rare ecology of Mount Cheonseong.

The Venerable Jiyul is in the 99th day of her most recent hunger strike in opposition to the construction of a 16 km tunnel through Mount Cheonseong for the Seoul-Busan high-speed railway. The hunger strike is so imperiling her life that she is about to enter into Nirvana. She has been asking only that the government conduct a proper Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the tunnel.

There are several fragile highland swamps in the path of the project which are designated as Natural Ecosystem Conservation Areas and Wetland Conservation Areas and which support ecosystems unique in South Korea.

In October 1994, an EIA was undertaken by Korea Rail Network Authority (KRNA). The project was contracted to a research centre at Dong-A University and Yoo-Shin Corp.

There was, however, no mention in the EIA about the geology of the route, the swamps and cultural properties, nor of the protected wildlife, all of which by law must be evaluated in an EIA. There are 22 natural highland swamps designated as protected areas under Korean law. As many as nine National Natural Monuments, protected plants and animals, including the Korean Clawed Salamander Onychodactylus fischer, live in the area. The first judgment in a lawsuit on behalf of the salamander recognized these facts.

Venerable Jiyul, then volunteering for a Mount Cheonseong preservation group, started a movement opposing the tunnel, from press conferences to Samboilbae (three steps and one bow) campaigns throughout the country. As a result, presidential candidate Roh Moo-hyun pledged during his campaign that he would nullify the Won-Hyo tunnel project and insist on an alternative route for the tunnel.

President Roh, however, did not keep his pledge and Venerable Jiyul launched her first hunger strike on February 2, 2003. President Roh sent his secretary to meet her and promised that the administration would consider halting construction and re-evaluating its EIA, but a commission to reexamine the issue failed to agree on recommendations. Its citizen representatives resigned in protest. The remaining commission members made the decision to proceed with the project without further review.

Venerable Jiyul began a second hunger strike and, on October 15, instituted a suit to force a re-examination of the EIA. Nearly 160,000 people were involved in supporting the legal case but on April 8, 2004 the judge dismissed the suit. At that moment the Korea Rail Network Authority launched construction of the tunnel project. In a non-violent action, Venerable Jiyul attempted to block the work and was arrested and taken into custody for one day.

In response to Venerable Jiyul's hunger strike and citizen pressure, Korea's Environment Ministry made an oral promise to allow experts designated by the Environment Department, Korea Rail Network Authority, and citizen groups supporting the cause of the salamander to reexamine the EIA, with both sides -- the Korea Rail Network Authority and Venerable Jiyul's supporters -- agreeing to follow the final judgment of the court.

However, the Korea Rail Network Authority abrogated the agreement on September 2, 2004.

On September 13, 2004, an appeals court ruled that the EIA of 1994 was not adequate and that more field research was required.

Most recently, and in a blatant reversal of its earlier promise to involve citizens in the process, the Environment Ministry designated a panel of 3 analysts to examine the 1994 EIA superficially for only 3 days. The government panel concluded that the tunnel construction near Mount Cheonseong did not have any impact on the swamps or the wildlife.

Denouncing the betrayal by the Environment Ministry, which did not keep its previous promise, Venerable Jiyul launched her fourth hunger strike, which is now (as of February 2) in its 99th day and threatening the life of this committed activist.

KFEM urgently requests your support for this extremely important issue.

Please send a letter to Mr. Roh Moo-Hyun, President of Korea, asking him to stop the tunnel construction work for three months and order a proper EIA.

Here is a sample letter to President Roh. His e-mail address is [email protected] and please also send a CC to [email protected]
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Of course, you may compose your own letter to President Roh, but please feel free to use the letter below. KFEM thanks you for your support both in saving the life of Venerable Jiyul and in protecting the fragile ecology of Mount Cheonseong!
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Dear Honorable President Roh Moo-Hyun,

I am writing you to express my surprise and concern about the hunger strike of Venerable Jiyul and the fate of Mt. Cheonseong and its precious highland swamps.

Because the biodiversity of the area is unique and fragile, it is important to be certain that the high-speed rail tunnel project is designed and executed in a way that minimizes its impact on this important site. It is clear that what is needed is a fair and thorough evaluation of the environmental impact of the project.

It is my understanding that Venerable Jiyul asks for nothing more than an honest evaluation of the impact of the tunnel, as required by Korean law. Such an approach is the least that an open and transparent society can expect of its leaders. Please honor this courageous citizen activist by taking courageous action yourself.

I ask you to immediately halt the tunnel construction work for three months and conduct a proper EIA.


Yours sincerely,

Your name
Your organization

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Please spread this message to as many as you can and send me your messages of support which will encourage Venerable Jiyul and many others deeply concerned about her and Mount Cheonseong.

Thank you very much in advance for your cooperation.

All the best,

Ma Yong-Un




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Ma Yong-Un
International Campaigner
Korean Federation for Environmental Movement(KFEM) /
Friends of the Earth Korea(FoE Korea)
251 Nuha-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea 110-806
Tel : +82-(0)2-735-7000
Fax : +82-(0)2-730-1240
e-mail: [email protected]
http://kfem.or.kr

[Canuckophile]

Apparently the Blue House has blocked the website address given to me earlier.

You should be able to email Pres. Roh about the mountain/the nun/anything else you want to email about - at this address

[email protected]

[gmat]

I don't want to get into a long argument with you Canphile, but shouldn't you let KOREAN CITIZENS handle this. I would think foreigners demonstrating/protesting would be detrimental to the cause, IMHO. No?

[Confused Canadian]

Moot point.

[Canuckophile]

Thank you very much for your concern and support for Venerable Jiyul and Mount Cheonseong.

Fortunately, Ven. Jiyul who was in the 100th of day of her hunger strike as of yesterday, Feb. 3rd, stopped her hunger strike late last night, accepting government's proposals.

After meeting Ven. Jiyul, Prime Minister and Miniter of Environment, government proposed to resume the Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA), especially on the impact of the tunnel construction on the highlands swamps, for three months.

During the process all the activities which will affect the reassessment will be prohibited. Government and environmental and civil society groups will compose a commission composed of 14 people(7 from each side) which will reexamine it.

Environmental groups of Korea welcomed the government's decision to have another assessment on the tunnel project.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to those who supported the campaign from the inside and outside of the country. We will keep trying to solve the issue to make a more peaceful world living in harmony with nature.

Thank you again for your support on behalf of Ven. Jiyul and Mount Cheonseong.

[Sage Monkey]