Hundreds of South Koreans gathered in front of Seoul City Hall, central Seoul, Saturday in the continuation of candlelight vigils that lasted for more than 40 days.

The rally coincides with the funeral of a South Korean man who set himself ablaze in protest against the resumption of U.S. beef imports.

Lee Byong-ryol 40, died at a Seoul hospital Monday, two weeks after he doused himself with paint thinner and set himself on fire while taking part in a street rally in the southwestern city of Jeonju.

Witnesses said Lee shouted slogans denouncing the government before taking his life.

An agreement signed between South Korea and the United States in mid-April sparked massive street protests by South Koreans in Seoul and other major cities, who accuse the government of abandoning "quarantine sovereignty" for the sake of improving trade relations with Washington. Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans staged protests across the country Tuesday, with some of them calling for the ouster of President Lee Myung-bak.