In early April, we uncovered plans by the Korean government to
build a whale meat factory in Ulsan. The discovery added to
growing evidence that Korea wants to reopen commercial whaling.
We established our Whale Embassy to open a dialogue with local
people about the government's plans, to explain just how many
people around the world oppose whaling, to call for a cancellation
of plans to build the factory, along with assurances that Korea
will not bow to pressure from Japan to resume commercial
whaling.
We've had visitors and volunteers from the local community, the
New Zealand Ambassador stopped by, and a great deal of local press
attention.
City officials embarrassed
But City officials are not at all happy with us tarnishing their
reputation as the "City of whales" with our suggestion that Ulsan is
actually heading toward becoming the "City of whaling."
Our eviction notice stated they want us to leave because they claim
we are in the way of the proposed Oceans Day ceremony on May
31st.
They have given us until Monday, May 16th to get off the
site.
Stifling criticism
Whale campaigner Jim Wickens says: "It is quite clear that they
want to stifle any criticism of their plans to build the factory.
Today they showed us plans of the Oceans Day ceremony being
planned, and on the entire 15,000 square-metre site, they don't
have any room for our little embassy. We have told them that any attempts to evict us
forcibly will reflect very badly on their international image."
There have already been several attempts at intimidation,
official and unofficial. According to Wickens: "Last night at four
in the morning four local fishermen turned up looking for trouble,
luckily there were others awake to come and help.
We have been tipped off that in Korea in sensitive political protests,
thugs are often allowed to do the dirty work. There is a
possibility that this may take the form of fake fishermen coming to
beat us up."
The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has sent a
fax to our headquarters in Amsterdam claiming we are distorting the
truth.
"Hygienic" butchering of "accidental" whale meat
They say that the whale meat factory will merely be a sanitary
measure -- a way to hygienically butcher the whales which are
"accidentally" killed by becoming entangled in nets, and those
which might be killed in a possible programme of "scientific
whaling."
Korea allows the commercial sale of whale meat from accidental
kills. The Ministry didn't respond to our observation that Korea and Japan individually in 2003 caught more whales by
accident than all the fishing fleets in the world combined reported.
Nor did they comment on the stories that local people have told
us about some methods fisherman use to "accidentally" catch whales:
ramming them with the ship to cause massive internal injuries.
With our own eyes
We witnessed the butchering of a juvenile minke whale which was
"accidentally" caught. The whale meat was packaged up for sale at
a value of US$30,000.
At prices like that, you can well imagine why a city official
might want to build a whale butchering factory.
The man who can stop the whale meat factory is Ulsan mayor, Mr.
Park Maeng-woo.
Local businessmen, such as the deputy vice president of Hyundai, have been vocal
supporters of the whale meat factory, apparently unaware of the
brand damage which other multinational corporations have suffered
when they've been exposed as having a close association to
whaling.
Korea hosts the International Whaling Commission meeting this
year in June. The meeting that could open the doors to a return to
commercial whaling, which has been banned since 1985.
Tell the mayor to stop the whale factory
We're trying to warn Mr. Park Maeng-woo just how passionate
people around the world are about saving whales -- how much his
town's reputation, the reputation of Hyundai corporation, and the
reputation of his country are at stake.
You
can help us let the Ulsan mayor know just how important it is
to Greenpeace supporters worldwide that he make the right decision
and cancel the whale meat factory.
Stop the whale meat factory!
Tell the mayor of Ulsan, Korea to abandon plans for a whale meat factory.
Give so whales can live
Greenpeace actions have saved whales all over the world, but whaling nations continue to press for a resumption of commercial whaling. Help us keep fighting against whaling.