S. Korea Police Quash Violent Street Protests

More than 30,000 riot police broke up violent street protests Saturday by students and workers demanding the ouster of South Korean President Roh Tae Woo.

Meanwhile, two workers set themselves on fire in labor disputes, news reports said. The incidents apparently were not related to similar self-immolations that have accompanied the violence rocking the country since the April 26 fatal police beating of a student.

More than 10,000 riot police, backed by dozens of armored vehicles, guarded streets in downtown Seoul and moved quickly to disperse about 4,000 protesters.

Police fired volleys of tear gas as protesters fled through busy shopping districts and regrouped at several points. Students fought back with firebombs and rocks.

Several protesters were seen bleeding, but it was not known immediately how many were injured or arrested.

The protesters called for a march to the heavily guarded presidential mansion about 1 1/4 miles from the city center, demanding Roh’s resignation.

Students urged citizens to join their protests, but most pedestrians ignored the call or ran for cover. The protesters used cans of spray paint to write on the streets, “Overthrow the Murderous Regime.”

News reports said police also crushed violent protests by fewer than 5,000 demonstrators in scattered incidents in six other cities. In Kwangju, 160 miles southwest of Seoul, 2,000 students and dissidents hurled firebombs and rocks after police fired tear gas to block a street rally.

National police headquarters said 30,000 police were mobilized nationwide to block protests by an outlawed alliance of 50 militant student and dissident groups.

In six weeks of nationwide protests, eight people have died of self-immolation.