Protesters invade US base in South Korea

[Yoshie Furuhashi <furuhashi.1@xxxxxxx>]

Agence France Presse
June 17, 2000, Saturday 6:17 AM, Eastern Time
SECTION: International news
HEADLINE: Protesters invade US base in South Korea
BYLINE: Kim Jae-Hwan

MAEHYANGRI, South Korea, June 17 (AFP) - Hundreds of protesters
opposed to a US bombing range in South Korea clashed with riot police
on Saturday leaving dozens of people hurt, witnesses said.

Protesters, who included local inhabitants, radical students and
union members, tore down fencing around the Koon-Ni range, near
Mauhyangri, which is used by the US air force for bombing and target
practice.

About 500 protesters then breached police cordons inside Koon-Ni to
get onto the facility and started shouting: "Destroy the base."

It was the second violent protest in 11 days at Koon-Ni, on the
western coast about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Seoul.

The demonstrations have come at a bad time for the South Korean
authorities, with the American military presence increasingly
controversial as ties with North Korea improve.

President Kim Dae-Jung defended the presence of 37,000 US troops in
South Korea during his historic summit this week with North Korean
supreme leader Kim Jong-Il.

Most of those injured Saturday received blows from riot police
wielding batons and shields. Several were seen being led away with
bleeding head wounds.

Anger built up during the day as police put up blockades to stop
about 3,000 demonstrators getting near to the range to stage a rally.

Students and other radical demonstrators then climbed over nearby
hills to get to the perimeter fence. About 1,000 police were deployed
inside the perimeter in the failed attempt to keep out demonstrators.

Opponents chanted "Yankee Go Home" and "We don't need US troops
here." Some banners highlighted the success of the inter-Korean
summit as a new reason for the US forces to go home.

Local villagers are demanding the relocation of the 5,000 acre (2,000
hectare) range, which opened during the 1950-53 Korean War. They have
rejected government offers to be relocated.

They say that at least nine people have died in accidents linked to
the facility, including four children who were playing with an
unexploded bomb in 1968.

Exploding bombs and noise from US warplanes have caused roofs to cave
in, cracked walls and left many residents with hearing problems, they
say.

Protestors also tried to tear down fences around Koon-Ni during the
last demonstration on June 6.

"We have been plagued by noise for 50 years. We cannot endure it any
longer," Oh Moyong-Hwang, a 44-year-old farmer who lived near the
range, told AFP in a recent interview.

The US military has about 37,000 troops in 20 bases in South Korea
and operates several ranges provided under a mutual defense pact.

Even before Kim Dae-Jung's three day visit to Pyongyang, which
produced a landmark accord to take measures to improve relations, the
US military had faced mounting public criticism over the social
impact of their presence.

On Friday, a South Korean court sentenced a 22-year-old US soldier to
eight years in prison for the murder of a bar hostess. He remains in
US military custody until the sentence is confirmed by a higher court.

Political pressure is now expected to mount, however, after the
summit as the South Korean public are given greater freedom to show
friendship toward the North.

North Korea has been demanding the withdrawal of US forces ever since
the Korean War was halted with an armistice, but never formally ended.

But Washington and Seoul have insisted there was no question of an
immediate withdrawal. The South Korean president said he told the
North's leader this week the US presence was crucial for security
throughout Northeast Asia.