The island and its inhabitants are unwilling hosts to a giant, $1-billion naval base currently being built. The construction is wrecking a great deal of Jeju‘s stunning natural environment.

Though the base will technically belong to South Korea, it can be commandeered by the United States under the terms of the country‘s alliance agreement with Washington. The facility is making way for some 20 warships, several submarines, and up to 8,000 marines. It‘s also going to be home to a squadron of U.S.-built Aegis missile interceptors, designed — the Pentagon apparently believes — to take out enemy rockets before they strike a target.