This file photo shows people visiting their ancestors’ graves at a memorial park in Gwangju, southwestern South Korea, during the Chuseok holiday in 2020. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — The government plans to institutionalize the scattering of cremated ashes of the deceased at sea or in the mountains as part of efforts to establish an eco-friendly funeral culture.
According to the plan published by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on Wednesday, the number of cremation furnaces will be increased to 430 units from 379 units in 2021.
In addition, the government plans to increase the usage rate of the cremated ash scattering system from the current 8.2 percent to 30 percent by institutionalizing the cremated ash scattering system that currently has no legal basis.
Burials, cremation and natural burials are stipulated in funeral laws, but there is no provision for the scattering of cremated ashes. Accordingly, the practice exists in a legal gray area.
The government also plans to establish a national cremated ash scattering space in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province.
In addition, the government also intends to increase the public funeral support rate for the deceased without families from 42 percent to 70 percent.
According to a survey conducted last year by Statistics Korea, 22.3 percent of Koreans selected the cremated ash scattering system as their preferred funeral type.
This figure is lower than “being placed in a charnel house after being cremated” (34.6 percent), and “being buried after being cremated” (33 percent). However, it is more than two times higher than “being buried at a burial site” (9.4 percent).
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
