Candlelight vigils remembering Kim Sun-il, who was killed by Islamic militants, were held in major cities across the nation Wednesday night.

Holding candles, participants chanted slogans in protest of Seoul's decision to send additional troops to postwar Iraq, holding it responsible for Kim's death. Protesters urged the government to scuttle its deployment plan to avoid the recurrence of terrorist acts aimed at South Korean nationals.

Voices opposing the troop deployment plan are expected to rise further in the coming days as massive rallies organized by civic groups are expected to be held on Saturday across the nation.

Civic groups plan to hold such rallies every night across the nation until Kim's funeral service.

Meanwhile, friends, relatives and citizens from all walks of life lined up to express condolences at a memorial altar in a hospital in Kim's hometown of Pusan.