By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
``If you play with candlelight too long, you will end up getting burned,'' said renowned novelist Yi Mun-yeol, 60, calling candlelit vigils a ``collective rampage'' on a radio talk show.
Yi, one of Korea's conservative novelists, criticized anti-U.S. beef imports candlelit vigils for being politicized, demanding conservative forces raise their voice against the ongoing protests.
It's a complete about-face from praise Yi gave earlier, calling the candlelit vigil an act of ``great digital populism,'' during a press conference to celebrate the publication of his new book on June 11.
On Tuesday, the best-selling novelist criticized anti-U.S. beef protesters for trying to put pressure on the government to change policies regarding the envisioned cross-country canal project, English immersion programs and privatization of public enterprises.
``Candlelit vigils are apparently getting politicized. Their allegation of opposing U.S. beef imports is no more than just a superficial reason for the protest. Nowadays, they denounce the government, alleging the government is working to control major media outlets by appointing presidential aides to their top posts, which proves the change,'' the novelist said.
Calling street protesters ``rioters,'' he said, ``The protest is a kind of `collective rampage' since protesters oppose government policies that have not even been implemented yet.''