Funeral for five people killed during a police raid of a building designated for redevelopment last January was held on Saturday in Seoul, 355 days after the incident.
Some 2,000 people from civic groups, religious community, and politicians attended the ceremony that was held at noon at the Seoul Railway Station, Hankyoreh said Saturday.
The funeral preparation committee prepared 1,200 seats for the funeral, which had been fully occupied before the ceremony started, it said.
Chung Sey-kyun, head of the opposition Democratic Party, Kang Ki-kap of the minor opposition Democratic Labor Party, political activist Paik Ki-wan, and other civic group leaders attended the ceremony.
Families of the five victims have put off funerals demanding full-state compensation and an apology. One police officer was also killed during the operation.
The incident took place on Jan. 20 last year when some 40 tenants protested the redevelopment. On the rooftop of a four-story building, they clashed with riot police in a pre-dawn raid. A fire broke out during the clash and five evictees and a police officer were killed in the blaze.
The families of the deceased occupied the burnt building, demanding compensation and an apology from the state.
A settlement was reached in December with development companies over a compensation package.
Civic groups claim that this disaster represents the Lee Myung-bak government's policy of promoting the interest of the affluent at the expense of the underprivileged.