Cremation to be allowed at funeral halls

The government plans to allow funeral halls to operate cremation facilities from as early as July, hoping the measure will relieve an increasing lack of crematoriums here.

The Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs yesterday issued a legislative notice for a revised bill on funeral services.

The revision allows, among other things, a total of 264 funeral halls nationwide to cremate bodies within their facilities. Then, the ministry expects, bereaved families will not need to move the remains of loved ones to distant crematoriums, which would save costs for transport and facility use.



An exception to the new plan takes into consideration people`s sentiments who near funeral halls affiliated with medical institutions. In this case, the areas were excluded from the new measure as most of them were located in downtown areas of municipalities.

Under the current law, cremation is allowed only at public crematoriums across the nation, traditional crematories within Buddhist temples and some isolated regions without facilities.

"Due to a recent surge in the nation`s cremation rate, a growing number of people experience difficulties in finding crematoriums. With the accessibility to the facilities increasing, people`s costs for funeral services as well as their inconveniences could be relieved," said a ministry official.

As part of the revision, the government will also oblige funeral hall owners to report their businesses to local offices. The measure is aimed at monitoring their services and preventing over-competition among the increased facilities.

Based on new standards for funeral management, local governments will educate related industry personnel every year as well.

According to the Health Ministry, the nation`s cremation rate for 2008 marked 61.9 percent, up from 27.5 percent 10 years ago.

As more Koreans are choosing cremation over burial, the lack of cremation facilities has become a nationwide problem. And the shortage in the capital areas is most serious.

While half the population is residing there, only four crematoriums -- out of the total 50 -- are covering the capital areas.

Influenced by a long Confucian tradition, a three-day funeral service is considered most common here. However, a recent lack of facilities is forcing some families to opt for four-day funerals or to seek other distant regions to keep the tradition.

Apart from the revision, the Health Ministry also plans to launch an online reservation system for gravesites and crematoriums within the first half of this year. The system would offer detailed information on related facilities such as locations and charges for service use as well as preventing some agencies from sweeping reservations.



(jylee@heraldm.com)







By Lee Ji-yoon