Gwangju Gyelim 1-dong Cares for Elderly Living Alone Without Family or Relatives

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] The Funeral Promotion Committee of Gyerim 1-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City (co-chairmen Kang Hwan-won and Kim Young-soon) announced on the 17th that they held a public funeral for an elderly person living alone without relatives on the 14th.

The funeral was held with the attendance of 40 members of the Gyerim 1-dong Funeral Promotion Committee, composed of the Gyerim 1-dong Community Security Council (Chairman Kim Young-soon) and neighborhood leaders.

Since February, Gyerim 1-dong has been identifying elderly people living alone without relatives in welfare blind spots, who had their resident registration canceled and were living alone in a boarding house, through integrated care case management. They assisted in re-registering their resident registration, obtaining basic living security benefits, and supported them through the final funeral procedures of their lives.

Additionally, for a deceased person who recently passed away from cardiopulmonary failure in a nursing hospital and had no relatives, the funeral ceremony was conducted at Namdo Funeral Hall, which has a business agreement with the Gyerim 1-dong Funeral Promotion Committee for public funerals. After cremation, the remains were enshrined at Gwangju Yeongnak Park.

Chairman Kim said, “Even for those without relatives, it is the community’s natural responsibility to ensure that their final journey is not lonely,” and added, “We will strive to realize village welfare that takes responsibility until the end of life so that no one ends their life alone and lonely.”