By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
Tens of thousands of citizens on Monday held rallies at the square in front of Seoul City Hall and several other locations in Seoul to protest the government’s move to abolish the National Security Law, a symbol of anti-communism at the center of an escalating ideological conflict.

Police estimated some 100,000 people attended a rally in the city hall square, which was organized by an alliance of civic and religious groups opposing North Korea and its leader Kim Jong-il.

``We are standing at a time when the country’s identity is put in a serious danger,’’ the activists said in a statement. ``We are committed to opposing the abolition of the security law and thus safeguarding democracy and freedom, for which millions of people shed blood.’’

After burning a mock of Kim and a North Korean flag, the protesters designated October as the month of prayer to rally support for defense of the Republic of Korea. They chanted slogans to demand President Roh Moo-hyun step down, vowing to stage rallies throughout October.

Cars were backed up on many roads as police struggled to stop some protesters from approaching the presidential office of Chong Wa Dae, which is only several kilometers away from Seoul City Hall. The protesters clashed with police who sprayed water on them to block their march.

The rallies came as political parties are debating whether to abolish or revise the security law, whose phrases are so vague that governments misused them to gag political opponents and student activists. Last month, the ruling Uri Party, which was founded by Roh, and two minor oppositions agreed to jointly submit a bill this year to abolish the law, while the conservative Grand National Party vowed to block its passage in the National Assembly.

In early September, Roh called the security law an ``old relic’’ and called for the law be scrapped, sparking huge backlash from conservatives.

jj@koreatimes.co.kr