Anti-Government Demonstration : 16 Protesters Seize Bank in Seoul for Two Hours

Sixteen anti-government demonstrators Friday seized the offices of a Korean-American bank, but police using water hoses and tear gas dispersed them after nearly two hours, authorities said.

Four protesters jumped from second-floor windows onto mattresses and nets police had spread on the ground.

Police did not say whether any of the protesters who jumped were injured. A photograph showed a policeman kicking a demonstrator in the head after he landed on a mattress. Authorities said none of the police officers was injured.

Police said only a janitor was working when the demonstrators charged into the building and seized the second-floor offices of the Youngdungpo branch of the KorAm Bank, a joint venture of a number of major South Korean corporations and the Bank of America.

Burned U.S. Flag

The protesters shouted anti-government and anti-American slogans, burned an American flag and smashed about 10 windows, police said. At one point, they hurled pieces of glass at police below, witnesses said.

The demonstrators were arrested and taken away by police. Authorities said they belonged to a dissident labor group affiliated with Mintongryon, the United Masses Movement for Democracy and Unification, an umbrella organization for several militant groups.

On Tuesday, about 100 people demonstrated in front of another KorAm Bank branch. Police said five gasoline bottles were hurled at the bank, but caused little damage.

Friday’s incident was the latest in an increasing number of demonstrations against the government of President Chun Doo Hwan and the United States. The protesters denounce the Chun government as a military dictatorship and the United States for supporting it.

Demonstrations have taken place almost daily on campuses across the country this spring, with many leading to violence between students and riot police.