The dictionary definition of " public safety " is " public stability and order : " in other words , the safety of the national community as a whole . In Korean society , however , the term is generally used in a negative way . This is because in the past , the regimes of military dictators often inflated , distorted or fabricated certain national circumstances in order to suppress resistance on the part of opposition forces or students . Such " public safety drives " and " creation of public safety situations " were commanded by " policy committees of related organizations . " Such committees were gatherings of key figures from the intelligence services , the prosecution and the police , where policies were discussed and specific plans made . A " conference on public safety policy , " composed of officials from the prosecution service , the police , the Ministry of National Defense and the Defense Security Command has reportedly decided to clamp down firmly on any action to oppose the construction of a naval base at Gangjeong Village on Jeju Island . The reason we regard this move on the part of the authorities as peculiar is its timing and the nature of the matter . It has given rise to observations that the government may be attempting in earnest to fabricate matters of public safety concern , after feeling the need to prevent governmental power loss and to have a change of situation , as announced by newly appointed Prosecutor General Han Sang - dae , who called in his inaugural speech for " a war against the left - wing powers that serve North Korea . " In the case of Gangjeong Village naval base , we have stated many times that constant dialogue and communication between authorities and local residents are the way to a solution . We also suggested a referendum as a realistic alternative , if both sides are unable to narrow their differences or find another solution . Not only Jeju Islanders , be they Gangjeong residents or members of Jeju Special Self - Governing Provincial Council , want dialogue . In recent days , a conference of city and provincial assembly speakers from across Korea has urged a peaceful resolution , while international intellectuals are also opposing coercive solutions that involve the use of physical force . As we have pointed out several times , despite the fact that the Jeju naval base is a project where those for and against are sharply at odds , and therefore one that demands ample opinion gathering , procedural flaws such as the distortion of public opinion in the process of attracting the base to Gangjeong Village have exacerbated the conflict . Considering historical pain endured by the people of Jeju - do , including the April 3 , 1948 incident , the after - effects of the hard - line measures employed by authorities will be of unspeakable proportions . Nonetheless , police have arrested Gangjeong Village head Kang Dong - kyun and two others , and replaced Seogwipo Police Station head Song Yang - hwa for his lukewarm way of dealing with the matter . Despite the fact that Song , himself from the same region , made sincere efforts in his own way to engage in dialogue with residents , he was criticized for " losing public authority " and ended up with the frustration of having been punitively reshuffled out of his job . Such hard - line measures can never be the right response . This is not all . It is also possible that the authorities ' public order - based response will increase fears and anxiety among local residents that police from the mainland will engage in a bloody suppression , 63 years after that of April 3 , 1948 , causing an unfortunate incident . Consequently , the government must immediately cease with its current means of response , which involves driving local residents all in one direction after labelling them as morally unsound or as threats to the system . Watching discussions among the National Assembly and the Jeju Special Self - Governing Provincial Council , we believe a solution is possible through patience and dialogue with citizens . ( Editorial , The Kyunghyang Daily News . August 26 , 2011 ) 경향신문 ‘ 오늘 의 핫뉴스 ’ ▶ 맞선 - 소개팅 때 ‘ 가장 매력 없 는 상대 ’ 는 … ▶ 진중권 “ 강남 사람 들 , 괜히 잘사 는 게 아니 다 ” ▶ 노무현 “ 日 선박 독 도 오 면 부숴라 ” … 日 놀라 ▶ ‘ 가장 싫 은 이성 스타일 ’… 비 만 , 공주병 아닌 ▶ 이혼 女 가 꼽 은 배우자 ‘ 최악 의 생활 습성 ’ 은 ? 공식 SNS 계정 [ 경향 트위터 ] [ 미 투데이 ] [ 페이스북 ] [ 세상 과 경향 의 소통 Khross ] - ⓒ 경향신문 & 경향닷컴 ( www . khan . co . kr ) , 무단 전재 및 재 배포 금지 〈 경향닷컴 은 한국 온라인 신문협회 ( www . kona . or . kr ) 의 디지털 뉴스 이용 규칙 에 따른 저작 권 을 행사 합니다 . 〉