Chun Refuses Resignations of Top Officials

President Chun Doo Hwan today refused to accept the resignations of his party’s top officials, and anti-government students said they will carry across the nation the body of a comrade who died of injuries received during a demonstration.

Chun’s move surprised political observers, who had expected a shake-up in the governing Democratic Justice Party to remove hard-line officials and Chun loyalists.

The 28 members of the party’s executive council submitted their resignations after party chairman Roh Tae Woo unexpectedly demanded June 29 that Chun agree to opposition calls for sweeping democratic reforms. Roh said the reforms were needed to end 18 days of violent anti-government protests.

Resignations Offered

The party officials had offered their resignations to allow Roh to restructure the party with his own supporters. But a presidential statement said Chun decided the resignations were unnecessary because he had accepted all Roh’s demands.

Opposition leader Kim Young Sam, meanwhile, said in an interview that he has never denied he would be a presidential candidate. It was Kim’s strongest statement yet on running for president.

Kim also said talks with the government on implementing proposed democratic reforms must go ahead. He said the death of student protester Lee Han Yul “is very sad. But we cannot allow it to hold up talks on achieving democracy.”

Despite fear of new unrest, student leaders at Yonsei University said they will hold a “Democratic Peoples’ Funeral” for the student and stage nationwide mourning to honor him.

Lee died Sunday from injuries he sustained June 9, when he was hit by a rifle-fired tear gas canister during a clash with police outside the school.

Yonsei University students battled riot police Sunday and Monday after Lee’s death. Today, about 2,000 students yelling “Down with the military dictatorship” marched near the school after a rally.

The students shook clenched fists at hundreds of riot police in green combat uniforms standing around the school, but no clashes were reported.