"Revision of the Burial Act Needed... Perceptions of Unclaimed Deaths Must Also Change" [2025 Unclaimed Deaths Report ⑮]

Written Roundtable with Four Experts from Academia and the Field

23,643 people. This is the number of individuals who died without any known relatives over the past five years. Among them, some were not truly without family but were classified as such due to severed relationships or economic reasons that led to the avoidance or refusal of claiming the body. Four years after The Asia Business Daily reported on unclaimed deaths in 2021, the number of such cases has only increased. To identify the causes behind the persistent rise in unclaimed deaths and explore solutions, we gathered insights from academia and field experts.

Experts unanimously agreed that, along with legal and institutional reforms, greater attention must be paid to those without known relatives. They also emphasized that support for volunteer organizations covering areas beyond the reach of the state is essential. This written roundtable included Choi Taehyun, Professor at Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Administration; Jung Soondul, Professor at Ewha Womans University Department of Social Welfare; Lee Youngho, Chairman of the Korea Funeral Culture Promotion Institute; and Park Kyungjo, Head of the Funeral Support Center.

What are the reasons behind the continued increase in 'unclaimed deaths'?

◆Choi Taehyun= Long-standing changes in Korean society are finally manifesting as visible symptoms. The deepening economic poverty since the 1997 financial crisis, the breakdown of families, the rise in single-person households and elderly living alone, and the legal and institutional blind spots that fail to cover these issues are all acting together. Additionally, as Korean society has only recently begun to pay attention to unclaimed deaths, the scale of the problem has become more apparent.

◆Jung Soondul= The increase in single-person households and changes in family structure, along with the weakening of community ties in our society, have led to a rise in loneliness and isolation, which are key causes.

◆Lee Youngho= Economic factors also seem to play a role. For those who are basic livelihood recipients or part of vulnerable housing groups, it is often difficult to identify relatives or for families to handle funeral arrangements alone. On the other hand, even when there are relatives, issues such as debt, inheritance disputes, or long-term estrangement make it difficult for legal next of kin to take charge of the funeral, resulting in more cases where they forfeit their rights.

The 'Public Funeral Support Act,' which allows non-family members to manage the funerals of unclaimed deceased individuals, was passed in 2023. Are there any additional procedures needed?

◆Jung Soondul= It is very encouraging that the legislation now allows acquaintances, beyond just family, to conduct funerals. Rather than further legislation, more resources are needed to ensure acquaintances can smoothly carry out funeral arrangements. Above all, it is crucial to ensure that the person managing the funeral is not held responsible for the deceased's debts or assets.

◆Choi Taehyun= The current Burial Act defines the scope of relatives too narrowly, focusing mainly on blood relations. Even if there are close bonds, such as with common-law spouses, friends, or acquaintances, the lack of legal authority prevents them from claiming the body, which leads to the deceased being classified as unclaimed for administrative purposes. The law passed in February 2023 provides explicit legal grounds for public funeral support and allows individuals or organizations designated by the deceased to manage the funeral, which is a positive step. However, for this law to be effective, amendments to other laws and additional legislation are necessary. Even if the Burial Act is amended to grant non-blood relatives the right to manage funerals, Article 17 of the current Medical Service Act strictly limits the issuance of death certificates to relatives, blocking the process from the outset. Therefore, the Medical Service Act must be revised to include designated funeral managers, even if they are not blood relatives, as eligible applicants for certificates.

◆Lee Youngho= With the amendment and implementation of the Burial Act, a legal foundation has been established for supporting the funerals of unclaimed deceased individuals, and the scope of local governments' authority to conduct funerals has expanded, providing a more stable institutional basis for managing funerals that previously fell through the cracks. However, feedback from the field since implementation points to several areas needing improvement. For example, although local ordinances have been enacted, there is often a lack of sufficient funeral facilities, and the scale of budgets and support standards vary widely by region, leading to confusion in operations. There is also a need for more detailed standards regarding the verification of funeral managers and the level of administrative and financial support. Future legislative and institutional improvements should be made while gathering broader feedback from the field.

◆Park Kyungjo= Local governments must designate the funeral manager, but in reality, it is difficult to obtain such designation. Due to the Personal Information Protection Act, it is sometimes impossible to even obtain a death certificate, and booking a crematorium is not easy. The Ministry of Health and Welfare's manual for handling unclaimed deceased individuals should be enacted as law, and its provisions should be mandatory, not merely advisory.

What are the most notable recent changes in the status, systems, and perceptions regarding unclaimed deaths and public funerals? Among these, what are the positive developments and the most urgent unresolved issues?

◆Jung Soondul= The positive change is the increased public attention and the growing efforts to uphold the dignity of the deceased in their final journey. However, the fact that practices still differ by local government remains a problem.

◆Choi Taehyun= The most notable change is the quantitative expansion of public funeral ordinances. A few years ago, public funerals were rare, but now they are being implemented nationwide, and even the seven basic local governments without their own ordinances can now implement them based on higher-level regional ordinances. The fact that deaths without known relatives are now recognized as a public responsibility is also a positive development.

◆Lee Youngho= While the number of unclaimed deaths continues to rise, the system now allows non-legal family members to manage funerals, which is a major shift in practice. Relationship-centered funeral practices that reflect changes in family structure and the rise of single-person households are beginning to take root institutionally. Areas needing improvement include the handling of personal belongings, which is managed differently by region, disparities in the quality of public funeral services, and the lack of a system for individuals to express their funeral wishes in advance. Addressing these issues would help the system function more stably in practice.

Although there is a consensus on the need for public funerals to guarantee a dignified death, there are still significant disparities in support and infrastructure between the capital region and other areas.

◆Jung Soondul= Since the circumstances of each local government are different, it is difficult to enforce uniform standards. It is also hard to allocate large budgets for this purpose. Therefore, it may be necessary to supplement public efforts with cooperation from private organizations, such as religious foundations.

◆Park Kyungjo= Since 2020, I have conducted public funerals for more than 400 unclaimed deceased individuals. Based on my experience in various local cities, I have found that the funeral process for the deceased varies depending on the awareness of the government official in charge. In particular, I believe local governments should be very careful when designating institutions to perform public funerals.

◆Choi Taehyun= Ultimately, standardizing the relevant laws must come first, and the central and regional governments must play a role in bridging the gaps in support and infrastructure between basic and regional governments. Regional governments should take the lead in operating public funeral support centers by region, or establish cooperative systems for sharing cremation and funeral facilities between neighboring local governments. The central government should address financial disparities.

◆Lee Youngho= Differences in infrastructure and conditions by region inevitably lead to variations in support methods. Therefore, rather than simply expanding physical facilities, it is more important to ensure that basic dignity and respect are guaranteed everywhere. If the minimum procedures and honors are stably provided during the funeral process, public funerals can be established as a more respectful way to honor the deceased, even if there are regional differences.

Unclaimed deaths are not just a matter of funerals, but also involve handling and maintaining the deceased's belongings and resolving legal and administrative matters (such as debts or housing). To what extent should the public sector provide support after death?

◆Choi Taehyun= Support should go beyond mere cremation and enshrinement of the body and extend to the 'right to social mourning.' The system for advance funeral directives should be improved so that the deceased's wishes can be reflected in their funeral arrangements. When legal relatives refuse to claim the body or cannot be contacted, funeral rights should quickly pass to the next eligible person. In some cases, even if the unclaimed deceased had set aside funeral funds in advance, friends or acquaintances cannot act as relatives to manage the funeral, resulting in the funds being returned to the state rather than being used according to the deceased's wishes. The public funeral service in Busan, which began designating advance funeral managers in February this year, can serve as an example.

◆Lee Youngho= Unclaimed deaths often involve not only funeral procedures but also the handling of belongings and legal or administrative matters, making it difficult to determine the appropriate level of public intervention. It seems unrealistic to expect the system to resolve every situation. Therefore, there should be more social discussion about which responsibilities the public sector should assume and which should fall to local communities or surrounding networks.

'To guarantee a dignified death where no one is left behind,' what is the most urgent change needed in our society, including the government, local authorities, and civil society?

◆Jung Soondul= Preparation for death. It is necessary to make arrangements in advance so that one's funeral and the handling of personal belongings can be managed according to their wishes. Methods such as guardianship trusts should also be decided in advance.

◆Choi Taehyun= One of the most urgent changes needed is ensuring the consistency of related laws. As mentioned earlier, it is necessary to address institutional shortcomings and conflicts-such as expanding the definition of relatives, amending the Medical Service Act, revising the purpose clause of the Burial Act, and designing standard ordinances-and to ensure that there are not excessive regional differences in the system.

◆Park Kyungjo= Although integrated care for the elderly is increasing and there is more attention to the elderly, there are still no measures for middle-aged unclaimed deceased individuals. Since this cannot be solved solely through government policy or prevention, the private sector must also take an interest.

What type-specific support is needed to reduce the number of unclaimed deaths?

◆Jung Soondul= First, it is necessary to address loneliness and isolation before death for everyone. There should also be regular check-ins based on assessments of whether someone is at high risk of dying alone. For those without relatives, they should be connected to single-person household support centers or centers for elderly living alone, and receive care from neighbors. For those with relatives but severed relationships, support for improving family relations is needed, and for the last type, funeral cost assistance is necessary.

◆Choi Taehyun= Korean society must restore its communal bonds. Those at risk of becoming unclaimed deceased individuals generally belong to the most vulnerable groups in terms of income, health, housing, and exposure to crime. While individual support is important, there are also numerous civic organizations supporting these individuals. It is necessary to form communities in collaboration with these groups, and for the government to support the maintenance of such communities through political and social processes. In addition, the basic livelihood security system must be reformed to eliminate incentives that make families reluctant to care for each other. Without this, it will be difficult to reduce the number of unclaimed deaths in Korea. Furthermore, policy consideration for the disconnected lives and poor housing conditions of young people is urgently needed. The fact that around 100 young people die unclaimed each year is a shameful reality for Korean society.

◆Lee Youngho= While the forms may differ, the common thread is that these situations arise when individuals are cut off from their surroundings or unable to seek help. Rather than dividing support by type, it may be more important to closely monitor social networks to prevent isolation in daily life. If an environment is created where anyone can check in on others, some of the difficulties surrounding funerals may be alleviated. Ultimately, social attention and connection to ensure no one is alone at the end is the most fundamental starting point.

◆Park Kyungjo= Korea is considered one of the countries with the weakest social networks among OECD members. Family breakdown, aging, and the increase in solitary deaths are all directly linked to the rise in unclaimed deaths. Local and central governments need to go beyond simply providing funeral cost assistance and develop broader policy approaches to prevent isolation among the living and foster a culture that respects death. It is time for society as a whole to recognize that 'dying without family' is no longer someone else's story.