66 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
66 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
The **Gyeyang Mountain Campaign** was a five-year long ([2006 -
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2011](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_Eastern_Asia "wikilink"))
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[environmentalist](Environmentalism "wikilink") action to protect
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Gyeyangsan, [South Korea](South_Korea "wikilink") from damage from [golf
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course](Golf "wikilink") development.
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## Background
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Gyeyangsan is a mountain near the city of Incheon, South Korea that
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attracts around 10,000 tourists a day. Gyeyangsan is largely undeveloped
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and is home to over 600 endangered species. Since 1989, there have been
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four attempts by corporations to develop the slopes of the mountain, but
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all plans have been rejected by the regional government. But in June
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2006, a proposed golf course on the mountain was made by another
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corporation, requiring to removal of many pine trees and leveling a
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significant portion of the mountainside.\[1\]
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## Events
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The local Incheon Green Union was outraged by the proposal, and built a
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coalition with local churches, non-profit groups and city residents
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called the “Citizens’ Committee Against the Planning of Gyeyang Mountain
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Golf Course”. Despite the fact that the land for the golf course was
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privately owned and the Ministry of Environment didn't want to label the
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land as an endangered habitat, despite the many endangered species
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living there. The local government refused to inform the citizens
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committee of the process, in a manner openly violating
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[democratic](Democracy "wikilink") principles.
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In response to this, Shin Jeong Eun, a 28-year old woman in the union
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began to take direct action. She broke into the site and scaled a 10
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meter tall tree and installed a plastic platform for standing and
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sleeping (inspired by [Julia Butterfly
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Hill](Julia_Butterfly_Hill "wikilink")). She lived in the tree for the
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next 56 days as supporters brought her food and supplies. She ended her
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occupation in December and Pastor Yun In Jung replaced her, occupying
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the tree for 154 days, ending the occupation when he had sudden health
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problems. Despite 80% of the city's residents opposing the construction
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of the golf course, the government attempted to build it anyway.
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The Citizens' Committee began to take new actions, sending a new person
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to occupy the tree everyday and hold a [hunger
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strike](Hunger_Strike "wikilink"). To have as candlelight vigil in front
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of the city hall every wednesday and to submit requests with the
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Ministry of Environment to assess the land (which they refused). During
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the 2010 election season, they attempt to play off political parties
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with eachother to get them to oppose the golf course, and the political
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parties saw an opportunity to gain prestige by exploiting this social
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movement.\[2\]
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## Results
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The government of Incheon conceded after elections to the protests, and
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legally blocked the construction of the golf course, leading to a
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three-year long legal battle with the company pushing for its
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construction.\[3\]\[4\]
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## References
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<references />
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1. <https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/south-korean-environmentalists-protect-gyeyang-mountain-against-golf-course-development-inch>
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2.
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3.
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4. [Wikipedia](Wikipedia "wikilink") (Korean) -
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<https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EA%B3%84%EC%96%91%EC%82%B0> |