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21
Korean leftist students arrested for anti-U.S. protests |
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June 9, 2000 SEOUL, JUNE 8 (AP) - Police on Thursday arrested 21 leftist students who staged an illegal anti-American street demonstration in Seoul. Chanting "Yankee go home," the students tried to march to the U.S. Embassy in central Seoul. They were stopped by police about 50 meters (yards) from the embassy compound.
South Korean law bans protest rallies or demonstrations within 100 meters (yards) from foreign diplomatic missions.
The students demanded the withdrawal of 37,000 American troops stationed in South Korea under a defense treaty.
Anti-U.S. protests have increased since early May when a U.S. Air Force fighter jet dropped six bombs on the Koon-Ni Range near the west coast village of Mae Hyang, 50 miles southwest of Seoul.
Villagers claimed that six people were slightly injured and walls were cracked and windows shattered by the impact. They demanded relocation of the range which has been a constant source of friction.
But last week, the U.S. and South Korean militaries said the impact from the bombing was limited and did not cause any injuries or property damage and reconfirmed their plans to maintain the range.
Leftists
seized on the case to mount anti-U.S. protests. More than 100 students
were detained last month for trying to march to the U.S. Embassy and 22 of
them were arrested, including three who jumped over the embassy wall. |