Clashes in Seoul

Press, 13 March 1986, Page 10

Clashes in Seoul

NZPA-Reuter Seoul South Korea’s main opposition party said yesterday it was sending a delegation to a United States Democratic Party meeting next month to discuss the political position in South Korea.

‘A spokesman for the New Korea Democratic Party said the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs had invited the delegation to attend a seminar on political development and the role of political parties in

developing countries. “We hope to discuss the political and human rights situation, as well as the signature campaign for democracy in Korea,” said the spokesman. The police fired teargas to break up demonstrations on Tuesday by hundreds of anti-Govern-ment students voicing their support for a banned campaign to collect 10 million signatures on a petition calling for direct Presidential elections. Students retaliated with

Molotov cocktails, stones, and other missiles. A five-member United States delegation left yesterday after observing the signature campaign for five days and meeting leading dissidents and religious and Government leaders.

The Reagan Administration has criticised a Government crack-down on the campaign, which it described as a basic democratic right of citizens to petition their Government.