[Aircraft Crash] Gwangju City Extends Operating Hours of Yeongnak Park Crematorium

Jeju Air Passenger Plane Crash Funeral Support

Kang Kijeong, mayor of Gwangju, is presiding over the "Jeju Air Passenger Plane Disaster Response Headquarters Meeting" held on the morning of the 31st of last month in the medium conference room on the 3rd floor of the city hall. Provided by Gwangju City

Gwangju City will extend the operating hours of Yeongnak Park Crematorium by two hours to support the funerals of victims of the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster.

According to Gwangju City on the 1st, during the "5th Regional Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Jidaebon) Meeting" presided over by Mayor Kang Gijung at the city hall's main conference room on the 31st of last month, the status of crematoriums in the Honam region, including Gwangju, Jeonnam, and Jeonbuk, was reviewed and shared, and it was decided to expand the operating hours of Yeongnak Park Crematorium. The number of cremation furnaces in operation will be increased from 38, which operated from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., to 55, operating from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. in two additional sessions.

The city will operate a family support team situation room at Muan International Airport, managing situations such as decisions on the transfer of victims and supporting the needs of bereaved families. In particular, before the transfer of the victims, dedicated public officials will be dispatched to funeral homes to promptly provide bereaved families with guidance on funeral procedures and facility use.

The city will also provide integrated care support for the families of the disaster victims. A one-on-one dedicated public official will check if bereaved families have relatives in need of care and provide household and meal support. In addition, a family care area for preschool children and others will be set up inside the airport, and care assistants will be provided.

Support will also be provided for the psychological recovery and urgent livelihood stabilization of bereaved families and victims. Expert counseling will be offered to help alleviate the psychological and emotional shock of bereaved families, companions, and other indirect victims who need psychological stability and social adaptation due to the disaster.

Mayor Kang Gijung said, "We will do our utmost to minimize inconveniences by assigning one-on-one dedicated public officials to bereaved families for funeral support," and urged, "All public officials should do their best with the heart of a family to help overcome this pain."