Anti-US military base expansion & anti-Korean War march in Pyeongtaek, South Korea

On July 10, 2005 in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, over 12,000 local residents, farmers and peace activists from all parts of the South Korea converged to hold   ‘7.10 Peace March to Stop U.S. Military Base Expansion and to Oppose Korean War’.

After the peace rally protesting against the U.S. military’s plan to expand its base here, thousands formed a human-chain surrounding the Camp Humphrey, the U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek; some demonstrators cut out the wires and pulled down the U.S. military base fences.

South Korean government dispatched over six thousand police including the notorious 1001 Unit from Seoul.

During the ensuing struggle, over 200 people were hospitalized from the brutal attack by the police and hundreds were arrested.

As part of the U.S. military’s strategic global realignment plan, the role of U.S. military in South Korea now encompasses all of East Asia.  To support their new military role, the U.S. military plans to expand their bases in South Korea in addition to building a number of Patriot Missile Bases along the west coast of South Korea, targeting China. 

Since 2003, the residents in Pyeongtaek have struggled against the U.S. military base as well as this unilateral base expansion which covered their farmlands.  For the past 310 days they have been holding candlelight vigils calling for No Base Expansion! U.S. Troops Out of Korea!, and No Korean War!

As part of the agreement signed by South Korea and U.S., purchase of the land has to be concluded by end of the year and the Pyeongtaek residents and people in South Korea are engaged in all out struggle against this plan.

The year 2005 is the 60th Anniversary of Korean Liberation, the 55th Anniversary of Korean War, and the 25th Anniversary of Gwangju Peoples Uprising; it is also designated as ‘Year of U.S. Troop Out of Korea’ by the South Korean movement.  As part of their campaign to end U.S. military occupation, a relay anti-base struggle was organized through out the year. On May 15th, over 15,000 protesters converged in Gwangju, South Korea to oppose the U.S.  Patriot Missile Base; over 50 peoples were served with search warrants; and many required hospital treatment.

The relay anti-U.S. military base mobilization will continue throughout the year!

Photos from the Pyeongtaek struggle