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A Korean student protects with plastic film messages of support for the Hong Kong movement following their uprooting by Chinese students. RFI / Frédéric Ojardias

Several university campuses in Seoul are the scene of clashes between Chinese exchange students and Korean students who stick posters expressing their solidarity with the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.

With our correspondent in Seoul, Frédéric Ojardias

The pro-Beijing Chinese students responded to pro-democracy posters with insults and intimidation. An attitude defended by the Chinese Embassy in Seoul, who found it " natural " that these students express their anger against what is detrimental to " Chinese sovereignty " .

Torn posters and students attacked

" This poster was torn out ... three times in a row ... in less than an hour ! The students here are so angry "explains" AT 20-year-old Hong Kong student at Koryo University in Seoul. He shows a wall of his college on which Korean students have stuck dozens of posters and colorful post-its supporting democracy in Hong Kong. For her part, 23-year-old Kim Ae-ra is wearing scotch-backed posters:

" I came to protect these posters when Chinese students arrived. They tried to scare me by tearing off the posters and insulting me. I support the movement in Hong Kong because my country too has had similar struggles : in Gwangju in the 1980s , many Koreans sacrificed themselves for democracy. "

Student Han Su-jin was the first to be assaulted in front of this wall: " They were ten people, ten Chinese students. They surrounded me and they insulted me. I told this episode on Facebook and many people responded by expressing their support for the movement in Hong Kong. "

►To read too: Clashes on the campus of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Since, the posters remain in place ... and Chinese students have stuck next to their own pro-Beijing messages. What greets "A", the Hong Kong student, who hopes they will learn the importance of debate and freedom of expression.