Ten injured in protest near U.S. military base

Ten people were injured yesterday when demonstrators clashed with riot police outside Camp Humphreys, the U.S. Army base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi province.
An estimated 1,100 residents and student activists joined the protest, which was in opposition to the planned expansion of the base.
U.S. Forces Korea plans to consolidate and relocate military forces now in Seoul and north of the city to Pyeongtaek by 2008. U.S. military headquarters will be moved from Yongsan Garrison in Seoul to the Pyeongtaek area as part of the already approved realignment.
Demonstrators gathered at Daechu Elementary School near Camp Humphreys yesterday morning, then marched to the base, where they clashed with police. Nine student activists and a riot policeman were injured.
Police also took action yesterday against suspected organizers of a large protest last month near the base, in which 100 people were injured. Arrest warrants were issued for four high-profile activists, including Father Mun Jeong-hyeon, a Catholic priest at the forefront of the anti-U.S. military movement.

by Chung Young-jin, Ser Myo-ja