CINA

Anyway, let's see what will be happen tomorrow! The "event", according to the organizers, starts at 7 p.m. on City Hall Plaza (oops~ although the "authorities" banned any gathering there!!??) and will last until the next morning: "7/13(일) 0~4시: 시민참여 프로그램"!

.."anti2mb" (7.05).

* Are the candles being blown out? (K.Herald, 7.09)

 
Weekday candlelight vigils against American beef imports are expected to be scaled back as the main organizers focus on the rallies set for this weekend and next Thursday, July 17 - Constitution Day.

The organizers' decision came amid growing criticism about the increasingly violent and political nature of the protests, and rising concern over the economic and social ramifications of the demonstrations...

 
The coalition of about 1,700 civic groups, which has organized the vigils since late April, said on Monday that rallies on weekdays will be organized voluntarily by other various civic groups.

"This measure is to make the vigils more persistent and stronger in due consideration of the new circumstances," said a senior coalition member. "There needs to be some coordination among civic groups to organize weekday vigils, which will be voluntarily staged."

The coalition said it will continue to protest the resumption of U.S. beef imports by launching a campaign soon to stop the sale and distribution of the beef.

The coalition has been pondering how to keep the candle flames alive. Observers believe the rainy and hot weather coupled with fatigue over the protests could erode the will of the people taking part in the vigils.

Some argue that protests would not be effective as both Seoul and Washington consider their demand - a complete renegotiation of the import deal - unacceptable. Shop owners near the vigils also have denounced protesters as threatening their livelihood with street demonstrations every night.

The religious groups, which served to restore peace in the vigils since late last month, also stepped back. Buddhist and Christian groups, which were scheduled to hold prayer vigils yesterday, put off their plans, citing restoration of peace in the vigils. They, however, vowed to rejoin the demonstrations if violence erupts again.

Observers say Christian and Buddhist groups backed away as they fear their participation in the vigils - which could be viewed as political rather than representing their religious values - could prompt divisions in their organizations.

On Monday, some Catholic church members reproached the "political action" of the progressive priests' group as being "absolutely wrong and what the church disapproves of."

Although the coalition has taken a backseat during weekday vigils, small groups of vigil participants are likely to lead the protests, taking the place of the coalition.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the nation's second largest umbrella labor group, said it will continue to protest should the anti-U.S. beef coalition fail to lead them.

"The KCTU will definitely play the part which the coalition cannot do," KCTU Chairman Lee Seok-hang told reporters.

"We will struggle and protest (the beef imports) until the end. Some may think the candle lights are gone, but we will continue to keep them alive."