[Jeon Du-hwan Death] Burial in Cemetery Same as Former President Roh Tae-woo

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] With the death of former President Jeon Du-hwan on the 23rd, attention is focused on whether he will be buried at the National Cemetery. Like former President Roh Tae-woo, a comrade in the December 12 military coup who passed away on the 26th of last month, former President Jeon Du-hwan's burial will be decided by the 'State Funeral Committee' under the 'State Funeral Act.'

On this day, a government official stated, "By law, former and incumbent presidents are, in principle, eligible for burial at the National Cemetery, but according to the current 'Act on the Establishment and Operation of National Cemeteries,' if a prison sentence is confirmed, burial is not possible even after a pardon if the crime remains."

However, it is not entirely impossible for him to be buried at the National Cemetery. The burial of former presidents at the National Cemetery has so far been decided by the 'State Funeral Committee' under the 'State Funeral Act.' A government official said, "The burial site and funeral method for former presidents are decided by the State Council according to the State Funeral Act."

The National Cemetery for Heads of State in Daejeon was established in June 2004 at a cost of 619 million won, covering a total area of 2,925 pyeong, including stairs and planting spaces.

Meanwhile, it has been four weeks since the death of former President Roh Tae-woo, but the final burial site has not been decided. The bereaved family requested a site near the Unification Hill in Paju, a national forest owned by the Korea Forest Service, to the State Funeral Committee for Roh Tae-woo's burial site.

Accordingly, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Korea Forest Service, and Paju City discussed the possibility of selling the national forest, but since the Korea Forest Service holds the position that it is difficult to sell by changing the use of the protected forest area, no decision has been made.