“Anti-Chinese Sentiment Looms After Torch Relay” Kim Tae-jong reports in Korea Times:

Violence by Chinese during the Olympic flame relay in Seoul, Sunday, has ignited anti-China sentiment among Koreans.

The Beijing Olympic torch was successfully relayed from the South to North Korea, supported by enthusiastic Chinese supporters. However, the relay was marred by a clash between human rights activists and an overwhelming number of supporters, which left a sour taste in the mouth of many South Korean citizens.

Before the event, the police’s main concern was that rallies by human rights activists to protest China’s crackdown in Tibet might disrupt the relay. However, tens of thousands of nationalistic Chinese supporters flocked to streets in Seoul, resulting in an outbreak of violence against anti-Beijing Olympic protestors.

Read also: S Korea vows ‘diplomatic measures’ over Chinese torch
violence.

Violence by Chinese students at the weekend Beijing Olympic torch relay injured South Korea’s national pride and “legal and diplomatic measures are necessary,” Prime Minister Han Seung-Soo said Tuesday.

“Legal and diplomatic measures are necessary as the incident hurt national pride considerably,” Yonhap news agency quoted Han as telling a cabinet meeting. He did not elaborate.

Public anger is growing over Sunday’s violence, recorded on widely circulated video clips, in which Chinese students attacked Koreans staging protests at Beijing’s rights record.

And from Bloomberg News by Heejin Koo: South Korea to Charge Chinese Students for Torch Relay Violence.

The South Korean government will prosecute Chinese students who attacked anti-China protesters during the Seoul leg of the Beijing Olympic Games torch relay.

It is “deeply regrettable that foreigners held a violent demonstration,” Justice Minister Kim Kyung Han said during a Cabinet meeting today. “Legal and diplomatic measures are necessary to regain the pride of our people.”