Suwon City Becomes First in Nation to Support Funerals for Unclaimed Deaths with Religious Organizations

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jeong Jun-sung] Suwon City has become the first in the nation to support funerals for unclaimed deceased in collaboration with four religious organizations including Protestant, Buddhist, Catholic, and Won Buddhism.

On the 22nd, the city held a 'business agreement for public funerals' at the mayor's office, attended by Mayor Yeom Tae-young, Pastor Lim Young-seop, chairperson of the Suwon Christian Council, Monk Se-young, chairperson of the Suwon Buddhist Council, Rev. Kim Chang-hae, director of the Social Gospel Division at the Catholic Diocese of Suwon, and Kyomu Kim Dong-joo, secretary-general of the Won Buddhism Gyeonggi-Incheon Diocese.

Under the agreement, the city will provide administrative and financial support to facilitate 'public funerals,' while the four religious organizations will conduct solemn and dignified memorial services for unclaimed deceased.

When the deceased's religion is confirmed, the respective religion will conduct the memorial service. For those whose religion is unknown, the designated religion for each quarter will hold the memorial service. The first quarter is handled by Protestantism, the second quarter by Catholicism, the third quarter by Won Buddhism, and the fourth quarter by Buddhism.

The support targets are residents registered in Suwon City who died within the city with no next of kin, or deceased persons whose next of kin refuse or avoid accepting the remains, making funeral arrangements impossible.

The city will cover costs for body processing, including body storage, embalming, shrouds, and coffins, as well as expenses for funeral ceremonies such as the use of a viewing room, memorial altar arrangement, memorial photographs, incense, candles, and chrysanthemums.

'Public funerals' are funeral services supported by Suwon City to enable smooth funeral proceedings when unclaimed deceased pass away. Beyond unclaimed deceased, for those without family or acquaintances, the public provides a viewing area and conducts memorial services so that mourning can be properly observed.

With this business agreement with religious organizations, unclaimed deceased are now guaranteed sufficient time and space for mourning through religious ceremonies. The city plans to encourage families and acquaintances who were unable to hold funerals due to financial hardship to attend public funerals.

In February, the city enacted the 'Suwon City Public Funeral Support Ordinance' and has been supporting funerals for unclaimed deceased and those whose remains are refused or avoided due to family dissolution, collapse, or economic reasons. This agreement is a follow-up measure resulting from the ordinance's enactment.

Mayor Yeom Tae-young said, "We will support memorial services for unclaimed deceased and those who cannot afford funerals to be conducted with dignity and honor. I hope that Suwon City's public funerals in collaboration with the religious community will become established as a funeral culture."

Meanwhile, over the past three years (2018-2020), Suwon City processed 137 cases of unclaimed deceased. Of these, 51 cases were recipients of basic livelihood assistance.