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In S. Korea, Hong Kong's Pro-Democracy Protests Find Support

Lee Juhyun

   SEOUL - Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement is gaining support among
   South Korean college students, who see some overlap with their
   country's own struggle for democracy in the 1980s.

   In recent months, Seoul has seen regular rallies with hundreds of
   students, many wearing black in solidarity with the Hong Kong
   protesters and carrying signs reading "Stand for Freedom, Stand with
   Hong Kong" and "Stop Police Brutality."

   "South Korea experienced political oppression in the 1980s and so does
   Hong Kong in recent years," says Ahn Ji-sun, a junior political science
   major at Sogang University in Seoul, who organized a group to support
   Hong Kong's democratization.

   The protests have led to conflicts between South Korean students and
   those from mainland China, who view the Hong Kong pro-democracy
   protesters as violent radicals.

   At many universities in Seoul, mainland Chinese students have
   vandalized "Lennon Walls," which contain messages of support for the
   Hong Kong protesters.

   In some cases, Chinese students have attacked their South Korean
   classmates and accused them of interfering in China's internal affairs.

   "Many posters got damaged, and we also discovered that the personal
   profiles of protesters are spread over the private chat rooms of
   Chinese students," Ahn said.

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