Construction on the Jeju Island naval base continued through its first weekend alongside protests from activists and local residents.
Contractors blasted more natural rock until Saturday, following through on demolition to clear the way for the construction.
Officials ceased blasting on Sunday, citing poor weather conditions, but continued other construction.
“We will start again next week,” said a Navy public affairs official.
Saturday’s blasting was met by some 300 protestors from Gangjeong Village, where the base is being built, and environmental activists who are seeking to preserve the area.
The protestors marched toward the harbor Saturday calling for construction to cease and clashing with police. A small group of protestors broke off with diving suits and life vests and attempted to swim into the construction site, but were blocked by Coast Guard officers.
Construction saw other setbacks Sunday when a pontoon was swept away in strong winds and crashed into three docked boats, sinking two of them.
The 3.29-ton and 5.24-ton vessels were completely sunk by the collision, while another 4.69-ton ship took damage to the side when the pontoon drifted off course.
Construction companies have been clearing away “Gureombi Rocks” four to five times a day in order to place the water-retaining structures to allow foundation construction.
On Saturday and Sunday, demonstrators in Seoul also held protests against both Korea’s free trade agreement with the U.S. and the construction of the Jeju naval base.
The Navy is taking a politician to court over a tweet that offended it. The Navy filed a complaint with the prosecutors’ office, prompting reactions from both sides of the political spectrum.
Unified Progressive Party’s proportional representative candidate Kim Ji-yoon, 28, posted a photograph of herself holding up a slogan reading “oppose Jeju pirate base.”
The Navy said that Kim’s tweet grievously damaged the honor of all Navy troops,” and that the post was “written with the malicious intent to slander the plaintiff (Chief of Naval Operations) and the entire Navy.”
This prompted more protest from netizens for both sides, with some showing support for Kim by posting similar photos using the word “pirate.”
The plan for the naval base, which was first designed as a military facility, were changed in 2008 to accommodate both military and civilian needs, and will be able to harbor 150,000-ton cruise ships.
But opponents argue that the planned installation could lead to the militarization of the island, which the government designated an “Island of World Peace” in 2005. They also claim that the base would cause environmental degradation to the island famous for its tourist attractions.
