SEOUL, April 29 - 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.

"It is very regrettable that foreigners staged illegal violent protests at a time when self-restraint against violent protests is taking root under a new government," Justice Minister Kim Kyung-Han told the cabinet.

"The justice ministry will sternly deal with those responsible, regardless of their nationality."

Kim said authorities are analysing video clips from the scene.

"We will go after all those responsible and bring them to account... a meeting of relevant agencies will take place at the Seoul district prosecutor's office."

The government Monday had expressed "strong regret" to China's ambassador at the behaviour of the students.

Newspaper editorials and Internet users slammed the youths and the largest-selling daily questioned whether Beijing is fit to host the Olympics.

"It marked the first time that Chinese have run amok in the capital of a foreign country," Chosun Ilbo said.

"We cannot but doubt whether China has the common sense and standards to host the Olympic Games," the paper said, criticising the government and police for failing to stop the violence.

Clashes erupted when some 300 protesters, including North Koreans, demonstrated against China's forced repatriation of North Korean refugees and its crackdown on Tibetans.

More than 6,000 Chinese demonstrators, mostly college students, had also gathered for the start of the relay in Olympic Park.

In one clash between the two groups, some Chinese threw water bottles, stones, chunks of wood and drink cans at their adversaries.

In another incident Chinese students surrounded and beat up a small group of protesters, according to witnesses. They said a local newspaper photographer suffered a head injury from a stone thrown by the students.

In another encounter, recorded on video, hundreds of agitated Chinese chased a few protesters into a hotel lobby next to City Hall and attacked them.

Two American students wearing T-shirts reading "Free Tibet" were mobbed by the Chinese before they were rescued by police, Chosun and other newspapers said.

The liberal Hankyoreh daily said editorially that the conduct of the protesters had brought disgrace on their country. "It aroused concern that Chinese nationalism is becoming excessive and violent," the paper said.

JoongAng Ilbo said Chinese had not reacted this way in other countries which had seen torch protests. "As such, it appears that they look down on this country," it said.

"Such incidents will occur again if they keep adhering to a distorted patriotism."

AFP[Tuesday, April 29, 2008 10:01]