The World - News from Dec. 24, 1987

Christmas shoppers fled tear gas and gasoline bombs when students and dissidents protesting the alleged rigging of South Korea’s presidential election clashed with riot police in central Seoul. Hundreds of protesters threw more than 100 gasoline bombs and police responded with a barrage of tear gas in the crowded streets of the Myongdong district, where several thousand protesters had rallied earlier to hear allegations of widespread fraud in the Dec. 16 election won by Roh Tae Woo, the ruling party’s candidate. A split in the opposition enabled Roh to win with 36.6% of the vote.