The Committee for Justice & Peace in the Diocese of Cheju (chairman: the Rev. John the Apostle Go Byeong-su) has issued a statement against the construction of Jeju Naval Base. 

Opening the press conference, at Catholic Center of Jeju on December 11, 2006, the Committee expressed, “Declaration of ‘Island the World Peace, which declared to make peaceful island as a move to construct the Jeju military base heals the wound of the Jeju 4.3 Incident (civilian massacre), is fading away.” and asserted boldly “Peace should not be judged nor be damaged for the sake of economical profit and power dynamics”. 

With the statement, entitled “Let’s make Jeju Island a truly peaceful island”, the Diocesan Committee for Justice & Peace insisted on as follows: to make concrete plans for realization of the importance of true peace; to reconsider the attempt of military authorities against the current desire of the local community of Jeju Island; local government should pool the wisdom with the local community of Jeju Island for construction of the peaceful island and preservation of treasure of the nature rather than seeking visible development and benefits.

Following this press conference, the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (Minister: Rev.Cha Jeong-whan) also held a press conference with other 88 university professors to declare their protest against the construction of Jeju Naval Base on December 18 and 20, respectively.

The Ministry of National Defense asks the local community of Jeju Island to consent to the plan, saying “Construction of Jeju Naval Base is very important and essential project for the national security.”

The government had officially declared the Jeju Island is ‘island of peace of the world’ on January 27, 2005, and asked the citizen to take the lead in promoting peace of the world.

Appointment of the New President of 
Catholic University of Pusan

The Rev. Paul Yun Kyeong-cheol was appointed the 4th President of the Catholic University of Pusan in succession to the Rev. Joseph Son Sam-seok. A board of directors of School Corporation of Educational Institute of Sungmo (the Chairman of the board of directors: the Most Rev. Augustine Cheong Myeng-cho) announced that they appointed the Rev. Paul Yun Kyeong-cheol as the 4th President of Catholic University of Pusan for four years , on December 19, 2006.

  The Rev. Yun, who was ordained to the priesthood in 1977, started his pastoral ministry as an assistant pastor at Donghang-dong parish, and studied at Tokyo Catholic Seminary in Japan. The Rev. Yun has many experiences; diocesan procurator, director of Maryknoll Hospital, director of Busan St. Mary’s Medical Center, an executive director of educational institute of Sungmo, pastor in many parishes.

He will serve his term in office from the first of January, 2007, and his inauguration mass will be celebrated in early March, 2007.