Gyeongbuk Provincial Assembly Member Park Young-seo Proposes Public Funeral Ordinance to Support Funerals for Unclaimed Deaths

Park Young-seo, Vice Chairman of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Council (People Power Party, Mungyeong), proposed the "Gyeongbuk Province Public Funeral Support Ordinance" on the 6th, which supports dignified deaths for unclaimed persons and low-income individuals who cannot hold funerals due to family breakdown and poverty.

Vice Chairman Park Young-seo of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Council explained the reason for proposing the ordinance, saying, "As family and social relationships weaken due to family breakdown, poverty, aging, and the increase of single-person households, the number of unclaimed deaths who face death alone in social isolation is increasing every year. Until now, unclaimed deceased persons were cremated immediately without any funeral or memorial procedures and their ashes were scattered in remote mountains."

Park Young-seo, Vice Chairman of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Council

The proposed ordinance includes the governor's duties for supporting public funerals, basic and implementation plans, eligibility and support details, delegation of authority, application and decision for support, and supervision and guidance.

Vice Chairman Park emphasized, "Every human being deserves a dignified end to life as a human, and even unclaimed deceased persons and low-income individuals who lack funeral capabilities should be able to have a dignified death. We must support simple yet dignified funeral ceremonies by providing spaces and time to mourn and commemorate the deceased."

He also stated, "Gyeongbuk Province should pay attention to the increasing issue of unclaimed deaths every year, and I hope that this ordinance will create a social atmosphere that guarantees dignified deaths and that public funeral support will be firmly established."

This ordinance is scheduled to be reviewed by the Gyeongbuk Provincial Council's Administrative, Health, and Welfare Committee on the 12th and finally approved at the 343rd regular session plenary meeting of the Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Council on the 20th.