Rapid Increase in Usage of Chuncheon Anshikwon by Gapyeong Residents... Priority Reservation System Achieves 'Great Success'

Usage Rate Jumps from 41% to 81% in Just One Month After Launch of 'Priority Reservation System'

Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province (Governor Seo Tae-won) has seen great success with the ‘Gapyeong Residents’ Priority Reservation System for Chuncheon Anshikwon,’ which has been in effect since February 3.

Chuncheon Anshikwon exterior. Provided by Gapyeong-gun

According to Gapyeong-gun on the 20th, the usage rate of Chuncheon Anshikwon has significantly increased from the previous 41.8% to 81.3% in about a month as of March 5.

Until now, Gapyeong residents had to use crematoriums nationwide, causing inconvenience. However, with the priority reservation system for Gapyeong residents at Chuncheon Anshikwon, located about 30 minutes (35 km) by car from Gapyeong, the inconvenience of long-distance cremation trips has been greatly reduced. The county evaluated that this system effectively alleviates the inconvenience of long-distance funerals for residents.

This follows the approval at the Northern Inland Administrative Council held in December last year, allowing residents of Gapyeong-gun, as well as Hwacheon, Inje, Yanggu, and Cheorwon counties, to have priority use of one dedicated cremation furnace at Chuncheon Anshikwon.

In fact, the usage rate of Chuncheon Crematorium by Gapyeong residents was 45.5% in 2023 (189 out of 415 cremations) and 41.8% in 2024 (169 out of 404 cremations). However, after the implementation of the ‘Gapyeong Residents’ Priority Reservation System for Chuncheon Anshikwon’ from February 3 to March 5 this year, the number of users at Chuncheon Anshikwon increased significantly to 81.3%, with 26 out of 32 cremations.

A Gapyeong-gun official stated, “Although the Chuncheon Anshikwon priority reservation system includes several cities and counties, residents of Inje and Yanggu are more likely to use the existing Inje Crematorium, and Cheorwon County is expected to use its own crematorium scheduled for completion in 2027. Practically, the opportunity for Gapyeong residents to use Chuncheon Anshikwon is increasing, and the results are already showing.”

Meanwhile, as Gapyeong-gun enters a super-aged society and funeral demand increases, it provides a cremation subsidy of 700,000 KRW per person to residents using cremation facilities outside the county. Through this, residents can use stable funeral services without economic burden.