S. Korea Builds Memorial Park for Children Who Succumb to Cancer

Designed for children, the park will install tombstones designed after a bear with children’s songs including the tunes from the popular TV animation series “Pororo the Little Penguin” filling the air. (image: HiFamily)

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — A Children’s Memorial Park, where children who pass away after suffering from cancer and leukemia can rest in peace, will be built in South Korea for the very first time.

HiFamily, a South Korean protestant organization, will be opening the Andersen Memorial Park inside ‘W-Story’, a family theme park in Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi Province in commemoration of International Childhood Cancer Day on February 15.

The park is 1,155㎡ in size, where cremated bodies can lie among flowers, free of charge.

Designed for children, the park will install tombstones designed after a bear with children’s songs including the tunes from the popular TV animation series “Pororo the Little Penguin” filling the air.

The project was led by HiFamily, with support from the Korean Association for Children with Leukemia and Cancer, and Loving Concern International.

“So many parents suffer from so much pain because extreme economic situations don’t even allow them to properly bury their child,” said Pastor Song Kil-won, head of HiFamily.

“We have to take care of the parents as well, when the children have passed away.”

Andersen Memorial Park will offer recovery programs for families, where parents can overcome the pain of sending away their children.

“I am grateful for taking part in this project,” said singer Yoon Hyung-joo, director of the Korean Association for Children with Leukemia and Cancer. “We hope the memorial park can help those in need.”

Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)