[Koh Young-Dae, Oct. 4] Why the Jeju navy base is the US base? (Translated)

[아름드리 나무]

Jang Hana, a National Assembly woman has stated on Sept. 7 that “The Jeju naval base layout has been based on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that the South Korean military does not retain and the layout application has been planned with the water depth that satisfies the demand by the CNFK (Commander, U. S. Naval Forces, Korea).” See here.   

Mr. Koh Yound-Dae, Executive research member of the Research Institute for Peace And Reunification of Korea, has written an article on Oct. 4 that is translated as the below (translator’s arbitrary translation) . He says, ‘it is righteous to consider that the [projected] Jeju naval base is a US base in the sense that its main facilities of the water depth inside the breakwater where US aircraft carrier or cruise would moor, the water depth of mooring dock for submarine, and turning basin are designed and being constructed following the demands by the US military and fit to the vessels that the US military retains.

His writing is helpful as he explains in detail that the matter is not only for the US nuclear aircraft carrier but for the US submarines, too.  

On Oct. 10, Jang (Chang) Hana, and her office has exposed a very important proof of the technical committee’s meeting note that the committee members have known that the port design is never for 150,000 ton cruises, which makes clear that the central and Jeju Island government have falsely asserted as if the port is a complex civilian-military harbor primarily for the 150,00 ton cruises. See here.  

Original Korean script: See  http://cafe.daum.net/peacekj/5htg/79

Why the Jeju navy base is the US base?

[Opinion] The base layout, including the water depth in the inner side of breakwater, is designed to fit the US warships

By Koh Young-Dae, Executive research member of the Research Institute for Peace And Reunification of Korea

The ROK (Republic of Korea) Ministry of National Defense has been consistent to deny people’s claims that the Jeju naval base enforced in the Gangjeong village is, in fact, a US base. However, clear proofs that support the fact that the Jeju naval base is ultimately the US base is being exposed one after another.

One of the critical strongholds is the fact that the Jeju naval base has been designed according to the standard demanded by the Commander of the US Navy Forces, Korea (CNFK). For example, the water depth of the inner side of its breakwater is designed as 17.40m, which is to follow the standard demanded by the CNFK (15.20m) and to secure the safe mooring of the US nuclear aircraft carrier ( P. 180, 1 Water depth of dock plan, 1-7-3: Plan on mooring facility.  chapter 1 of Part 3: Basic layout, 07 Report on investigation and test, 08-301-1 Facility construction, ROK Navy)

▲ The planned water depth of the south break water: The standard of the south breakwater is designed on the premise of coming alongside/ exiting of the pier by nuclear aircraft carrier. According to the layout of the facility construction 08-301-1, published by the navy headquarter in 2010, the planned water depth of the south breakwater is read as ‘a plan of DL(-) 17.40 m that satisfies the demand by the CNFK (Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea)

Another strongholds that the Jeju naval base is a US base is that the ROK navy has conducted simulation on the coming & exiting alongside the pier and entry & exit of port, in which the  USS Enterprise (CVN-65 level), a US nuclear aircraft carrier, was an object ship. It also directs that mooring barge is to be equipped so that the coming & exiting alongside the pier is easy for aircraft carrier of which flight deck is projected. It even directs a blueprint on it in details.(P. 52, 2. Method for aircraft carrier to come alongside the pier, 5-1-2 mooring barge, Chapter 5. Accessory facilities, 09 Summary report on the execution design, Facility construction, 08-301-1, ROK navy)

▲    Another proof that the port design is centered on aircraft carrier: Mooring barge

According to the chapter 5 on Accessory Facility, Specifications on the Facility Construction 08-301-1, published by the navy headquarter, it is stipulated that “The aircraft carrier needs mooring barge to safely coming alongside/ exiting out of the pier because its flight deck is very largely projected out. The aircraft carrier does a flat coming alongside the pier using [tugs] and it is general that it comes alongside the pier through mooring barge.”

The ROK navy currently does not retain any aircraft carrier and it has no plan to do it in the future, as well. Despite that fact, it has secured water depth for the US nuclear aircraft carrier following the demand by the CNFK. It is nothing but a clear proof that the Jeju naval base is for the benefit of the US navy that the navy has conducted even the simulation on coming & exiting alongside the pier following the demand by the CNFK.

Another stronghold that one cannot but suspect the Jeju naval base as the US navy base is the water depth of the mooring dock for submarine.

Unusually, in the Jeju naval base project, while the water depth of the dock for large ship is 11.5m, the water depth of small/middle ship and submarine dock is 12m, deeper than former. In case of draft for submarine that the ROK navy retains, it is 5.5 m for the 209 class (1,200 ton) and 6m for the 214 class(1,800 ton). Even with the introduction of 3,000 ton class mid-size submarine, the draft is 7m therefore it can be safely moored in the water depth of 9m when the minimum spare water depth (1.2m) and spare safety water depth are put together, according to the ‘layout standard for defense facility.’ Despite that, the ROK navy is to secure the water depth of as much as 12m, which is considered for the large US nuclear aircraft carrier (of which the draft is more or less 9.5 m) to safely moor. In the sense that the ‘Report on the basic plan’ (2009. 1) of the Jeju naval base reads that securing of 12m water depth is by the demand of ordering subject (navy)’, it is inferred that the water depth of the mooring dock for submarine has been directed to design company by the ROK navy, following the demand by the CNFK, as well as in case of aircraft carrier.

Otherwise, the size (diameter) of the turning basin (turning water area for the ships in the inner port) of the Jeju naval base project has been designed with 1.5 times of the length of the US CVN-65 class (342.3m), which is 520m, in case tugging boat is forced to be used due to topographical limitation (‘Standard for the defense/ military facility, Ministry of National Defense and P. 41, layout directive on the harbor & bay facility). The Dokdo, the largest vessel the ROK navy retains is of 200 meter length, for which the turning basin diameter is 300 m when 1.5 times of length is applied as in case of aircraft carrier and merely 400 meter even when twice of its length is applied (turning head by tugging boat).

 

▲    Turning basin layout: The size of the turning basin of the Jeju naval base project is fit to the size of aircraft carrier (CVA) turning basin. ('Standard of defense/ military facility')

Otherwise, for the 150,000 ton cruise ( about 345 m length)  to safely enter in and exit out, following the demand by the self-governing institute of the Jeju Island, the size of turning basin should satisfy 1,035 m(three times of ship length, when it is turned by its own exertion) or 690 m (twice of ship length, in case of using tug boat or thrust). ( ‘Standard for harbor & bay layout’ Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs, P. 696 in part 6 on ‘Water area facility and dredging/ reclamation)

The current size of turning basin in the Jeju naval base project does not fit for the 150,000 cruise to safely passing by inside the port and coming alongside/ exiting the pier. Even though the navy asserts that it has applied 1.5 times even to the 150,000 ton cruise, the regulation of 1.5 times is not stipulated in the ‘Standard on the Layout for port & bay/ Fishing port,’ different from the ‘Standard for the defense/ military facility.’

Likewise, it is righteous to consider that the [projected] Jeju naval base is a US base in the sense that its main facilities of the water depth inside the breakwater where US aircraft carrier or cruise would moor, the water depth of mooring dock for submarine, and turning basin is designed and being constructed following the demands by the US military and fitting to the vessels that the US military retains.  

Currently, territorial conflicts are daily being intensified among China, Japan, Philippine and Vietnam in the East South Sea surface. Riding on it, the United States is stepping forward to strengthen her maritime domination in the East Asia. To secure additional bases for it, the United States is returning to the naval bases such as in Subic Bay, Philippine, Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam, and U-Tapao, Thailand where she has stationed in the past. For the US navy to station in those bases again, it should pay rental fee for them in applicable nations.

The Jeju naval base that could be the best outpost against China is being constructed wholly by our budget (including additional costs that are being increased as the base is constructed as the US base) and shall be provided free to the US military. Whereas the only price for us is that the Jeju Island and Republic of Korea would be the target for the mid/long range missile attacks by China.