Just two months after the government began accepting such "advance medical directives" at only five locations across the country, more than 4,000 people signed up to refuse life-sustaining treatments, either all or selected forms of the four treatments.

The high number of refusals reflects how much South Korean society is interested in ending meaningless extension of life.

The number of applicants is expected to spike after the law takes effect next month.

"There has been high demand from citizens for the law," Ban Yoon-joo, a health ministry official in charge of the issue, said of the reason for the legislation, adding that surveys have shown absolute majorities of people -- about 90 percent among the elderly -- supporting ending the meaningless extension of life.

Support among patients was even higher, with 92 percent in favor, according to a 2013 survey, she said.

Earlier this week, one such application center, located at the National Medical Center in central Seoul, was bustling with elderly people visiting to fill out the advance medical directive renouncing life-sustaining treatments.

"I think we have to do this as a matter of course. This is not only for me, but also for family members and children who are left behind," said a 75-year-old woman, who identified herself only by her surname, Chung. "I hope my children won't hesitate or have a hard time (deciding to discontinue life-extension treatments for their mother). I signed up to refuse all four treatments."

Chung said she was happy to learn she can make such decisions before she becomes ill.

"I'm pleased and am feeling like I've put down a heavy burden," she said. "I'm grateful that I've lived a good life so far and I don't see any point in doing (life-sustaining treatments) when there is no chance of survival."

Choi Young-eui, a "well-dying" counselor at the center, said about 30-40 people visit the center every day, and most of them have experiences of witnessing their parents or other relatives suffering while living on life-sustaining treatments.

"What they want is to die without having a hard time," Choi said.

Even before the legislation, it has been possible to discontinue such life-sustaining treatments under a Supreme Court verdict in 2009 that allowed for taking a respirator off a terminally ill patient who was in a persistent vegetative state.

The patient's family filed the suit as doctors rejected the family's request to take the respirator off her so that she could die with dignity. The highest court ruled in favor of the family, saying that life-sustaining treatments when there's no chance of recovery impair a human being's dignity and value.

The patient, identified by her surname Kim, died about eight months later.

Despite the so-called "Grandmother Kim" case, most doctors still refused to discontinue life-support treatments due mainly to fears of punishment stemming from another court ruling that convicted a doctor of being an accessory to homicide for taking a respirator off a patient per a family request. The patient's wife was convicted of homicide.

The 1997 case at Boramae Medical Center in southern Seoul had deep repercussions in the medical community, with doctors refusing to discharge patients or suspend life extension treatments for fear of criminal punishment, even after the 2009 "Grandmother Kim" case.

"Even before the legislation, it was possible to suspend or forego life-sustaining treatments because of the Supreme Court decision," Ban, the health ministry official, said. "Despite the Supreme Court case, however, doctors didn't do that because of the huge trauma from the Boramae hospital case. That's why we enacted the law."

As part of the pilot project since late October, the government not only accepted advance medical directives, but also allowed doctors to withhold life-sustaining treatments for dying patients according to their will, leading to seven deaths.

Once the law takes effect, it will be possible not only to withhold such treatments, but also suspend ongoing treatments, even when a patient's will is difficult to confirm, if all family members -- direct ancestors and descendants -- agree. In addition, consent must be gained from at least two doctors.

If patients are capable of expressing their intent, only consent from their doctors is required to suspend such treatments.

Even if patients are unable to express their will, suspension is possible if they had signed up in advance to forgo such treatments and at least two doctors agree to the suspension.

"What I want is that if I collapse, I hope I would pass away right away," Sun, the 62-year-old, said. "I hate living on a machine. That's a burden not only to myself, but also to my children. I suspect no one would want to live like that." (Yonhap)