Hundreds of South Koreans Demand U.S. Military’s Withdrawal
SEOUL — Hundreds of students and civic activists ripped a large American flag to pieces in front of a U.S. military base here Thursday, demanding that the United States withdraw its troops from South Korea.
About 1,000 protesters held hands to form a human chain along a wall of the Yongsan base, headquarters of the 37,000 U.S. troops stationed in this country as a deterrent against Communist North Korea.
Sitting on the pavement, hundreds of protesters later unfurled the flag over their heads and tore it to shreds, some of them shouting, “Yankee go home!” and “Murderers go home!”
For weeks, South Korean activists have staged rallies and marches to protest the deaths of two teenage girls fatally struck by an armored U.S. military vehicle in June.
The military has apologized and promised financial compensation to the families of the girls.
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