Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon asked President Lee Myung-bak to pardon residents arrested for violently defying eviction in Yongsan in 2009, city officials said Tuesday.

Park sent an official letter to President Lee, asking for the pardon of all eight people arrested amid a deadly standoff between then-tenants and police over the forced eviction from Yongsan District 4 three years ago. The conforontation led to a fire that killed five evictees and one police officer.

Park, who took office last year, has long opposed forced eviction of poor tenants in the city’s redevelopment zones.

“Those arrested are the ones who lost their livelihoods and homes due to the evacuation order of the city. They are the underprivileged people who couldn’t help but resist forced eviction by police. It’s harsh to hold them responsibile for the accident,” wrote Park in the letter.

Park announced on Jan. 30 he will reorient the city’s redevelopment project toward the prevention of forced eviction of tenants. He also expressed his apologies to the Yongsan evictees on the third anniversary of the accident on Jan. 18.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)