Anti-U.S. Seoul Youths, Police Clash - South Korea: Hundreds battle riot forces in demonstrations praising students who invaded ambassador’s home.

Hundreds of anti-American student protesters battled riot police, burned U.S. flags and shouted slogans today praising six comrades who hours earlier briefly invaded the U.S. ambassador’s home armed with firebombs, tear gas and iron pipes.

Ambassador Donald Gregg and his wife, in their bedroom when the youths climbed over a wall about 6:30 a.m. and entered the compound, were escorted unharmed by guards to a neighboring house. (Story, A8.) Korean police arrested the students after they staged an hourlong protest, destroying art work and other property.

A police spokesman said about 2,000 students later protested on 11 campuses in Seoul. They battled riot police and burned U.S. flags to demand that the United States stop pressuring South Korea to open its markets to U.S. meat and other products, and that President Roh Tae Woo cancel an upcoming visit to Washington.

Witnesses said about 500 youths of Seoul National University battled riot police with rocks and firebombs. They voiced support for the embassy attack, shouting, “the attack symbolized patriotism.”

About 200 other students of Hanyang University burned a large U.S. flag and an effigy of Roh, while about 200 youths of Sungkyunkwan University also burned an effigy of Roh and about 300 small U.S. flags, witnesses said.

The domestic Yonhap News Agency reported about 600 youths staged a campus rally in Kwangju 170 miles south of Seoul and 200 students clashed with police in Inchon 25 miles west of Seoul.

The National Assembly, meanwhile, adopted a resolution insisting that the opening of the market to U.S. farm products and other goods be gradual and asking the United States to refrain from retaliatory measures over trade issues.

Gregg, accompanied by his wife, held a news conference today and said the incident would not affect relations between the United States and South Korea.

“We consider what happened to be the act of a few individuals. We regret it happened but we are grateful to the Korean authorities for responding rapidly and effectively,” Gregg said.

. . . . W The ruling Democratic Justice Party called the attack “reckless and shameful,” while the main opposition Party for Peace and Democracy led by Kim Dae Jung said, “Students can never expect support from the public that way.”