Tens of thousands of South Koreans commemorated the first anniversary Friday of the deaths of two 14-year old schoolgirls accidentally killed last year by a U.S. armored vehicle.

More than 30,000 citizens, including civic groups, labor activists and students, participated in candlelight ceremonies in downtown Seoul in remembrance of the deaths. Memorial services, featuring a concert and rally in front of City Hall, began at around 5:00 in the evening.

Some participants also burned a large U.S. flag.

The rally's organizing committee projected hundreds of thousands of Koreans to attend similar memorial services and rallies, held in 64 towns across the nation and in 20 cities in 12 other countries.

Some clashes were reported between demonstrators and police in Seoul when some protestors tried to march towards the U.S. Embassy. But previous fears that the rally could spark violent protest proved largely unfounded, as the evening ended with no reports of serious accidents.