S. Korea Students Storm Official Center; 18 Held

Radical South Korean students hurling firebombs stormed a major government building Saturday and grappled with riot police after security forces had blocked Friday’s march to the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas for talks with North Koreans on reunification.

Police said 26 students forced their way past guards at the huge Combined Central Government Complex in the center of Seoul, which houses the prime minister’s office, the Foreign Ministry and other major government offices.

Students smashed windows and damaged a police post and a waiting room in the complex with firebombs, police said. The complex is across from the U.S. Embassy.

No injuries were reported. Police said 18 students were arrested.

“Punish the Roh Tae Woo government!” and “Fight for unification!” the attackers screamed.

The students accuse President Roh of repressive and undemocratic tactics aimed at keeping South Korea separate from the Communist north and allied with the United States.

The students launched the raid after the government blocked their planned march Friday to Panmunjom, the Korean War truce village at the DMZ, for talks with northern student delegates on reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency said students rallied Saturday in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, to denounce the suppression of the march. The report, monitored in Tokyo, gave no attendance figures.

Most South Koreans fear the north is determined to conquer the south. North Korea invaded the south in 1950 to start the Korean War, and the two nations remain bitter enemies.