Incheon City Expands Family-Oriented Funeral Facilities and Establishes Permanent Online Ancestral Rites

Family Columbarium and Family Garden Cemetery Established... Used for 90 Years
Last Year, Nationwide First Implementation of 'Online Ancestral Memorial System' Enhanced
Public Funeral Support Service for Unclaimed Deceased Implemented

Family Columbarium in Incheon Family Park [Photo by Incheon City]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City is promoting various projects to create a 'family-friendly funeral culture,' including expanding family-oriented funeral facilities and operating an online memorial service system year-round.

According to the city on the 3rd, it will first expand the family funeral facilities at Incheon Family Park, the largest urban funeral facility in the country.

Following an ordinance revision in February, the city plans to establish a family columbarium and a natural burial garden at Incheon Family Park and will recruit users for these facilities within this month.

The family columbarium can accommodate a total of 1,696 urns, with 8 or 12 urns per family, and the family garden can accommodate up to 6 urns per family, totaling 336 urns. The usage period is 90 years, which is three times longer than general columbarium facilities. The family columbarium costs 10.17 million KRW for 8 urns and 15.26 million KRW for 12 urns, including usage and management fees, while the family garden costs 9.36 million KRW.

Incheon Family Park is the only comprehensive funeral facility within the urban area of the region. Since 2005, the city has been promoting phased development projects until 2040 to alleviate the shortage of burial plots and provide a resting space for citizens.

Through the Phase 3-1 project (2016?2021), the construction of the columbarium (Starlight Hall) and the natural burial site was completed. The Phase 3-2 project (2020?2025) is currently underway, including the construction of 20,000 columbarium units, the creation of 10,000 natural burial plots, and forest restoration.

An Incheon city official stated, "Reflecting the funeral culture that values family bonds, we newly established the family columbarium and family garden. We will continue to meet diverse funeral needs of citizens and lead the creation of an eco-friendly funeral culture."

The city will also operate the online memorial service system year-round starting from this year's Chuseok holiday.

The online service allowing memorial visits and ancestral rites was first introduced by Incheon City last year and was well received, with about 45,000 users during each holiday. Previously, applications were accepted only before holidays, but with the 'Online Memorial System Advancement,' it will be operated year-round starting this Chuseok.

The background screen is applied differently according to religion, and more realistic ancestral rite table displays and community programs for bereaved families have been developed for more convenient use.

The system operates by searching for the deceased on the Incheon Family Park website, uploading a photo of the deceased or the urn, selecting either setting up ancestral rite food or a flower offering stand, and then posting a memorial message.

Park officials at Incheon Family Park are demonstrating the 'Online Ancestral Grave Visiting Service.' September 8, 2020.
Photo by Yonhap News

About 150,000 deceased are interred at Incheon Family Park, which attracts approximately 350,000 visitors during holiday periods. Even before COVID-19, an average of 3,000 visitors came daily.

Public funeral services for unclaimed deceased are also being operated. Since last month, the city has installed a ritual room in Starlight Hall within the Family Park to provide funeral services for unclaimed and low-income deceased.

Previously, unclaimed deceased were cremated immediately without any funeral rites, but public funerals have been implemented to preserve the dignity of the deceased and create an environment for mourning.