S. Koreans Rally Against Iraq Role

Protesters scuffled with police Saturday as about 3,000 students and workers opposing South Korea’s plans to send troops to Iraq marched on the presidential palace, chanting, “Let’s end the South Korea-U.S. alliance!”

Students exchanged kicks and punches with riot police on downtown Seoul’s main boulevard when police formed blockades with shields and police buses to stop the marchers a few blocks from the presidential compound.

No serious injuries were reported.

South Korea plans to start deploying 3,000 soldiers to the northern Iraqi city of Irbil in August. They will be joined by 600 military medics and engineers already operating in southern Iraq. The deployment will make South Korea the biggest coalition partner after the United States and Britain.

After their march was blocked, the protesters broke up into groups and marched through the center of Seoul until late Saturday, shouting, “We oppose the United States!” and “We condemn [President] Roh Moo Hyun, who pushes for the troop dispatch!”

Students and workers, who were among Roh’s biggest political supporters, have begun criticizing the leader over the troop deployment, which the government says will strengthen ties with the U.S.

During the rally, students wearing masks of Roh and President Bush enacted a scene of the U.S. leader giving their president a pat on the back. Roh had endeared himself to young South Koreans during his election campaign in 2002 by declaring that he would not “kowtow to the Americans.”

Many South Koreans oppose the Iraq mission, which has been repeatedly delayed amid fears that it could involve combat operations in violation of a parliamentary mandate limiting troops to peacekeeping duties.