S. Korea Students Protesting Plan for Parliament System Battle Police

About 1,500 students chanting “Out with the parliamentary system” battled 4,000 riot police for nearly four hours Friday and burned an effigy of the U.S. ambassador, 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.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or arrests.

The protesters, chanting “Drive out the Americans,” burned an effigy of U.S. Ambassador James Lilley and opposition lawmaker Lee Chul Seung, who supports a ruling party plan to replace the current indirect presidential election by an electoral college with a parliamentary government, witnesses said.

Kim’s House Blocked

Police on Friday prevented visitors from entering the house of dissident Kim Dae Jung, who has been under house arrest since Wednesday, an aide said. On Wednesday, authorities stopped Kim from joining his political ally, Kim Young Sam, at a news conference to announce the breakup of the major opposition New Korea Democratic Party over the proposed parliamentary system.

The two Kims led a walkout of 74 lawmakers from the New Korea Democratic Party to form a new opposition party, dropping 17 members who either support the proposal for a parliamentary system or lack enthusiasm for the direct presidential elections advocated by the two Kims and their supporters. Five others later left the party to become independents.

The Democratic Justice Party of President Chun Doo Hwan has proposed a parliamentary cabinet form of government to replace the current government next February, when Chun’s term ends.

Opposition lawmakers have rejected a parliamentary system, arguing that only direct presidential elections can lead to democracy in South Korea.