[2021 Muyeongo Report] "Bereaved Families Seeking Money, Should Show Respect for Death"

<2>The Unclaimed Near Us

Interview with Lee Chang-ho, CEO of the First-Generation Heirloom Organizer 'Cheongukyanghaeng'

Lee Chang-ho, CEO of Cheongukyanghaeng, a company specializing in estate organization and special cleaning

[Asia Economy Special Reporting Team = Team Leader Ko Hyung-kwang, Reporters Yoo Byung-don, Jung Dong-hoon, Lee Jung-yoon] "Those who were trapped in the thought of 'I am alone in the world' and faded away in a small room... Looking at their traces is heart-wrenching."

This is the story of Lee Chang-ho, CEO of the heirloom organizing and special cleaning company 'Cheonguk Yanghaeng.' The homes of the unclaimed deceased he encountered were somewhat different. They spent their final moments having cut off all ties. Their homes were scattered with antidepressants, dementia-related medications, soju bottles, and spoiled food piled in a corner. CEO Lee explained, "In the homes of unclaimed deceased, there are many traces of giving up on life and neglect. It’s not suicide, but a loss of will to live."

The most memorable case was the home of a person who died alone from depression. CEO Lee said, "She was a woman born in 1964, in her mid-50s, who lived alone after marrying off her two daughters and died alone. Before she passed away, she got into her blanket and drew a large picture on the bedroom wall. It was a painting resembling Van Gogh’s The Scream." She was found inside the blanket after having stopped eating. Mold had grown in her rice cooker.

CEO Lee started the heirloom organizing business in 2011. Until then, there were no specialized heirloom organizing companies. After hearing from an acquaintance about the emotional difficulty of organizing her husband’s belongings, he saw business potential. In early 2011, he went to Japan to learn the work. At that time, the domestic heirloom organizing industry was mostly Japanese companies’ Korean branches. According to CEO Lee, Cheonguk Yanghaeng was the first Korean company to start this business. He said, "We used negative pressure machines (equipment that maintains internal pressure lower than outside to keep air flowing only inside) and protective suits previously used in asbestos removal work. Back then, we couldn’t openly say we were in the heirloom organizing business, but recently perceptions have changed, and now I proudly talk about it," he smiled.

Heirloom organizing is the work of cleaning and removing traces of death. After doing this work for 10 years, he has become rather indifferent to death. Although he faces waste from decomposed bodies in summer, CEO Lee said, "Now, it doesn’t bother me." He finds it rewarding to help organize the end of life. He said, "Since we do things the bereaved cannot, they usually express gratitude to me and my staff. When we return heirlooms containing the connection between the deceased and their family, the bereaved sometimes shed tears of emotion."

On the other hand, he sometimes feels coldness from bereaved family members who rummage through the house looking for remaining cash or jewelry. CEO Lee said, "When relatives who never visited the house during the deceased’s life mess up the place, I shake my head thinking, ‘This shouldn’t be happening.’ Sometimes I wish they would show respect for death before money." CEO Lee considers the heirloom organizing business his final mission in life. He said, "Everyone is alone, and death will eventually be my matter. I want to help prevent unfortunate unclaimed and solitary deaths and help many people have a peaceful end to their lives."

※This article was produced with government advertising fees supported by the Korea Press Foundation.