Busan Yeongnak and Memorial Parks Closed This Lunar New Year... Safe Memorial Services Amid COVID-19

Temporary Full Closure of Public Cemeteries and Memorial Facilities During Lunar New Year Holiday from February 11 to 14

Advance Reservation System for Visitors on Weekends Excluding Lunar New Year Holiday and Weekdays from January 30 to February 2

Status of Public Cemeteries and Columbarium Facilities in Busan.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Yeongnak Park and Memorial Park in Busan city will be closed during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Busan city announced on the 22nd that Yeongnak Park, Memorial Park public cemeteries, and enshrinement facilities (columbarium, enshrinement wall, enshrinement tomb) will be temporarily closed for four days from February 11 to 14 during the Lunar New Year holiday.

This decision was made to prevent the spread of COVID-19, considering that about 290,000 mourners concentrate during the holiday period at Yeongnak Park and Memorial Park, where more than 200,000 deceased are enshrined.

Instead, a temporary "one-day columbarium mourner total volume advance reservation system" will be implemented on six weekends excluding the Lunar New Year holiday and weekdays from January 30 to February 21. Operating hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The number of mourners allowed under the "advance reservation system" is limited to ▲1,300 at Yeongnak Park and ▲2,880 at Memorial Park. During visits to the columbarium, the ritual room and family lounge will be closed. Bringing ritual food and consuming food indoors are also prohibited.

Advance reservations can be made from 10 a.m. on January 25 through the Busan Facilities Corporation Busan Yeongnak Park website and the Busan Memorial Park website, and visits to the columbarium are only possible through online advance reservations.

Busan city has also been operating an online non-face-to-face memorial and grave visit service since January 18. By accessing the Busan Yeongnak Park and Busan Memorial Park websites linked with the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s ‘e-Haneul Funeral Information System’ online memorial and grave visit service, users can perform services such as offering flowers and writing memorial messages online.