Student Sets Self on Fire in South Korean Protests

A radical student set herself on fire Monday, and tens of thousands of others fought riot police in nationwide rallies protesting the fatal beating of a student by police.

Riot police fired repeated volleys of tear gas at a Seoul university on Monday night to block about 30,000 students from marching downtown to protest Friday’s beating death of 20-year-old Kang Kyung Dae.

The nighttime rally at Yonsei University was the largest student protest this year. The protesters--among an estimated 60,000 in scores of rallies nationwide--demanded the ouster of President Roh Tae Woo and his Cabinet.

Police said at least 120 students were arrested in the protests. At least five students were reported seriously injured.

In the southern city of Kwangju, a student shouting “Overthrow Roh Tae Woo!” poured paint thinner over herself and set herself on fire during a rally by 1,000 students at Chosun University, news reports said. She was rushed to a hospital, and doctors said she was in serious condition.

Protesters demanded that Roh fire the Cabinet, jail the outgoing interior minister, make a full investigation of the student’s death and apologize to the people.

“My son is not dead!” Kang’s mother told the cheering crowd. “My son Kyung Dae is now the son of 40 million people.”

About 30,000 demonstrators with a large portrait of Kang later tried to march out of Yonsei University after an evening rally, but riot police fired a barrage of tear gas to stop them.

Hundreds of tear gas tracers filled the air of western Seoul, looking like fireworks in the night sky. In a barrage lasting two hours, the tear gas was sometimes so thick one could not see more than four or five feet.

Kang, a college freshman, died after being beaten by police in a clash outside Myungji University in Seoul.

In the last three days, the government has fired the interior minister over the death and arrested the police officers involved in the case. Five police officers have been charged with manslaughter.