S. Korea Students Battle Police

About 1,500 students chanting “out with the parliamentary system” battled 4,000 riot police for nearly four hours today and burned an effigy of U.S. Ambassador James Lilly, witnesses said.

The students hurled rocks and firebombs at police at Seoul National University, but dispersed after police sprayed the protesters with pepper gas, witnesses said. Opposition lawmakers oppose a parliamentary system being proposed by the government of President Chun Doo Hwan, arguing that only direct presidential elections can lead to democracy in South Korea.