By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
Another massive rally is scheduled for downtown Seoul this evening to protest the nation's full market opening to American beef.
A coalition of 1,500 civic groups and online communities against the beef imports said Thursday that they would hold a candlelight vigil at Cheonggye Plaza at 7 p.m. Friday.
It is the first time for the candlelight rally to be organized by the coalition, with previous gatherings since last Friday led by two Internet communities. ``The main theme will be the same as the previous rallies, but we'll make the gathering more organized, preparing performers in advance. But it will still be a citizens' voluntary movement,'' a member of the coalition said.
Rep. Kang Ki-kap of the Democratic Labor Party, who actively opposes the imports, and some entertainers will take part in the rally.
Tens of thousands of citizens are expected to gather, including many middle and high school students. Police earlier said they would crack down on demonstrators if the rallies, which organizers claim to be cultural events, become politicized.
In the meantime, conservative civic groups claimed in a press briefing in central Seoul that groundless rumors about American beef and mad cow disease are spreading, urging the authorities to punish individuals, organizations and media that spread such false information.