The government on Thursday decided to ban supporters of impeached President Roh Moo-hyun from staging candlelight rallies from April 2 when the official campaigning period for the April 15 general election begins.
The decision was made at a meeting of cabinet ministers of election-related government agencies Acting President Goh Kun chaired, the day after the election watchdog requested the government ban the rallies during the 15-day period.

Tens of thousands took to the streets in Seoul and other cities across the nation on weekends since the March 12 impeachment by the opposition-controlled National Assembly, although the number normally shrank to just a few thousand on weekdays.

Opposition parties, which impeached Roh for alleged illegal campaigning, corruption and incompetence, said the rallies are not spontaneous cultural events but political rallies organized by the pro-Roh Uri Party. Uri Party officials have denied it.

The government will also take punitive measures against members of the teachers’ union who recently issued a statement asking for the nullification of the impeachment, an official of Goh’s office said, noting that they violated the law calling for government officials to remain neutral in politics.