Berkley Center

Background: As part of the Education and Social Justice Project, in May 2015 undergraduate student Dana Drecksel interviewed Rev. Kim, S.J., a Jesuit priest and activist living in Gangjeong village in South Korea. In this interview, he reflects on why activism against a military base in the village has declined in recent years, as well as the reasons he and other Catholics in the area continue to advocate for change. 

How did you become affiliated with the situation in Gangjeong?

I first visited Gangjeong in 2011. I did not have intentions to stay for long, but when I learned what was happening in the village, I never returned back to the mainland to stay.

I’m sure you have seen a lot since you first came here in 2011. What has villager participation been like since you’ve been here? I mean, have you seen a difference in the number of villagers who have been actively protesting against the base?

There were many activists here, but as time passed, the number of activists fell. They left… for the mainland. Only 25, or maybe 30, peace activists remain.

Are those the ones who were at Mass today?

Yes, some of them. Not all of them were here today. You will meet the other peace activists later. Today, it rained, so not many of the people came to the tiny room, the kitchen afterwards.

If we have any special activities, many peace activists and local villagers will come.

But in the beginning, many villagers were very active. But very few remain. But this time…. They were tired of opposing this naval base. They thought they couldn’t succeed, so they stopped. They gave up. They gave up. They don’t attend any more.

Do the faithful ones, or the ones that still protest anymore—

Only Catholics, only Catholics in this area… only Catholics really take action against the naval base. Like the Mass against the naval base. Yeah…

Many organizations and many people from many areas came and were involved in the actions. And they were put in jail, active…. But now, already 60 percent... construction is already completed on about 60 percent, or 70 percent, of the base, and now many people think that you cannot stop the naval base. They think, “There is no meaning for me, for us to be involved with those actions.” They just gave up; they went back.

According to the plan, the naval base is supposed to be finished by the end of this year. But we don’t think they can finish by the end of this year. I don’t think so, no. The Catholics… even though they keep bringing in the construction workers, we will continue to try to kick out the naval base, like Okinawa people.

Can you tell me a little bit about what happened in Okinawa?

The American troops, in 1945, there was a war between Japanese troops and Americans in Okinawa. American troops defeated the Japanese troops, and then they started to stay there after 1945. There is a naval base, and marine base, and air base, but they want to kick out those bases from Okinawa. That is their movement.

So now the mayor of Okinawa, the mayor of the province, the mayor… no, how do you call it… ah, the governor of Okinawa is active in protesting the naval base in Okinawa.

Ahh, thank you.

So why do you think that the Catholics are the only ones here who are active in the protest in Gangjeong?

That is our belief. Our belief. We think that this naval base is evil, actually. This is wrong. This naval base must not be here. We don’t accept this naval base. This is evil. We don’t allow evil to stay here. We don’t allow evil; that’s why we continue. We don’t want the naval base. We want to stop the naval base, even though they almost finished building this naval base. Our action comes from our belief.

Like Okinawa, all the bases are completed, but still… they want to kick the bases out. They want to protest against the bases. They want America to leave. We also have that sort of disposition. We don’t allow this naval base here.