S.Koreans Clash with Police on Iraq Troop Dispatch

[cal04]

South Korean police used water cannon in central Seoul Sunday to disperse at least 7,000 protesters urging the government to reverse a controversial decision to send more troops to Iraq. Rock-throwing protesters clashed with riot police as they tried to march on the U.S. embassy near the central government compound and the presidential Blue House, witnesses said.

Police blasted two water cannon and fire extinguishers, they said. Police riot buses ringed the embassy and sealed off main streets in the city center. "We oppose sending troops to Iraq," protesters shouted. "Withdraw U.S. troops from South Korea. President Roh Moo-hyun, Step down."

About a dozen people were injured and several protesters were taken by police into custody, a Reuters photographer said. Police estimated there were about 7,000 protesters and 7,200 police officers at the scene. Other witnesses said the numbers may have been higher. The protest was the latest in a series of rallies organized by an alliance representing hundreds of civic groups which have been trying to persuade the government to scrap its troop deployment plan.

The rallies intensified after the beheading by militants in Iraq of a young South Korean interpreter in June. Earlier this year, parliament approved the deployment of some 3,000 troops to join 670 medics and engineers in Iraq since May of last year. The enlarged contingent's mission is to help rebuild Iraq after the war that brought down Saddam Hussein. South Korea's defense ministry has imposed a blackout on reporting on the additional deployment, citing security concerns.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=5977734

[acmavm]

1. So, the South Koreans don't want the troops to leave? Could it be

because they have a neighbor next door who makes no bones about the fact that they want to reunify the two countries and they just happen to be one of the most repressive, corrupt regimes on the face of the earth? That they're afraid KIJ will stop at nothing to see the fruition of his aims of reunification come to pass? The certain knowledge that he's a homicidal, genocidal maniac who doesn't care how many people have to die in order to get what he wants? And that he does have nuclear weapons? And that the pResident is moving these troops just to further his agenda of domination and control of the Middle East and the oil fields?

Hmmmm. Just wondering.

[Kadie]

2. Thousands in South Korea protest planned deployment of more troops to Iraq

Sunday, August 15, 2004


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(08-15) 18:52 PDT SEOUL, South Korea (AP) --

Hundreds of protesters clashed with police Sunday near the U.S. Embassy in Seoul during a demonstration against the country's plans to send more troops to Iraq.

"We are against war! We are against America!" the demonstrators chanted, ripping up a large replica of a U.S. flag before attempting to charge through police blockades. Officers in riot gear sprayed water at the demonstrators, who jabbed back with flag poles.

Those clashing with police were among about 5,000 demonstrators who converged on a street in the center of the South Korean capital to urge President Roh Moo-hyun to abandon the troop deployment.

"We are not foolish enough to let the government dispatch troops to Iraq. ... We are not that ignorant," they sang during the rally.

Meanwhile, Roh warned Sunday against "blind opposition" to the United States.

more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/08/15/international2152EDT0571.DTL