Students nationwide issue anti-government statement

SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- Students nationwide accused the government Friday of
conducting a politically motivated probe into former President Roh Moo-hyun, who
recently committed suicide, and criticized it for crackdowns on outdoor rallies.
The National Federation of Students Association, gathered in the plaza in front
of Seoul City Hall, released a statement signed by over 2,000 collegians
nationwide saying the investigation into Roh was "under the control of the Lee
Myung-bak government."
Roh, president from 2003-2008, jumped from a cliff near his retirement home in
the country's southeast May 23 under pressure from a corruption investigation.
His suicide sparked controversy over how the probe was conducted and triggered an
outpouring of public sympathy.
Professors earlier issued statements calling on President Lee to apologize for
Roh's death, while students were expected to issue statements from individual
campuses next week.
"Compared to the probe into former President Roh, the prosecutors were much more
generous in previous corruption scandals tied to the country's leaders and
chaebol," said Choo Seong-ho, a student association president of Hankuk
University of Foreign Studies, referring to family-owned conglomerates.
The students also lashed out at police crackdowns on outdoor rallies after Roh's
funeral.
"The current government threatens the basic principle of democracy ... The square
belongs to citizens, but police closed it down forcibly to stop any voices
critical of the Lee government," the statement said.
The square was closed off by police buses soon after Roh's death. It was opened
temporarily for Roh's public funeral on May 29, which drew the largest crowd
since last summer's protests against U.S. beef imports.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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