By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

Police said they will track down organizers of candlelit vigils held against the American beef imports and punish them as the rallies were unauthorized.

National Police Agency Commissioner General Eo Cheong-soo said Tuesday the vigils were illegal.

``The gatherings were clearly illegal demonstrations rather than cultural events. So we'll definitely punish the organizers,'' Eo told reporters.

Civic groups and online communities have held rallies in downtown Seoul and in major cities nationwide since May 2. They did not report the gatherings to the police, claiming they were cultural events, which can be held at any time without prior reporting or permission according to the law.

However, police have defined the rallies as illegal, recognizing them as political demonstrations, which require prior permission and cannot be held before sunrise or after sunset.

``It is a misconception that holding candles is automatically regarded as a cultural event and thus does not need prior permission. The organizers will have to report the gatherings in advance. Then we may define them as a special occasion and apply an exceptional rule of allowing rallies after sunset,'' the police chief said.

Despite the police warning, civic groups are planning a series of rallies in central Seoul every night until Saturday. The largest number of participants is expected Wednesday, a day before the government applies the new import sanitation rules, subsequently starting local sales of American beef.

A member of the organizers said they were considering changing the venue from Cheonggye Plaza to Seoul Plaza in front of the City Hall for a larger gathering.

In the meantime, police are searching for sources of false rumors spread through cell phone text messages and the Internet about mad cow disease and the government's policies on other issues.

The rumors included a planned closure of schools on May 17 so that middle and high school students across the country can rally against American beef imports; and the government ceding its territorial rights to the Dokdo islets to Japan.

Police asked portal site operators to give them the ID numbers of 21 Internet users who are suspected of having spread the rumors, and recently detained five of them, Eo said.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr