Students nabbed while trying to raid U.S. Embassy

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Police on Thursday arrested a group of progressive college students who tried to rush through the front gate of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul in protest of Washington's demand for a sharp increase in Seoul's share of the upkeep costs for U.S. troops stationed in the country.

"Five members from the Progressive Union of University Students were taken (by the police) at around 1:20 p.m. as they attempted to run in through the embassy's front gate," an officer at Jongno Police Station said.

Earlier, the students held a news conference near the embassy, denouncing the U.S. call for a hike in South Korea's financial burden for the U.S. troop presence.

They also unsuccessfully tried to hand over a letter of protest to the mission.

Police plan to book them for violating the assembly and demonstration law.

Since March last year, Seoul and Washington have held a series of talks over how much financial cost South Korea should bear for 28,500 U.S. soldiers. The U.S. calls for an increase in Seoul's share to up to US$1.2 billion this year, up 41 percent from last year's contribution of $850 million.

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