SEOUL, March 20: More than 100,000 South Koreans held a peaceful candlelight rally in the capital on Saturday to protest against the impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun last week by the opposition-controlled parliament.

Thousands of South Koreans have thronged central Seoul for peaceful rallies since parliament stunned many and thrust the country into uncharted territory on March 12 by ousting Mr Roh for breaking an election law.

The Constitutional Court has six months to decide whether to uphold the vote, during which time Prime Minister Goh Kun is acting president.

"The ground for impeachment is too weak and there's nothing people can do other than this to show how we think," said Suh Hee, a 43-year-old office worker.

In the biggest rally in the capital since the crisis unfolded last week, some 120,000 protesters, estimated by police, packed a main street in central Seoul. Smaller rallies were also held in dozens of local cities.

Many of the protesters held candles and waved red and purple cards reading 'Annul Impeachment' and 'Protect Democracy' and sang solidarity songs to express dismay at the political upheaval. They were shadowed by some 10,000 riot police.

"It is a coup and goes against our history of democracy. We want to show the power of people," said school teacher Ko Kyung-hyun.-Reuters