"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 relations over the past five years. Among them, some were not truly without family, but due to severed relationships or economic reasons, their bodies were refused or avoided by relatives. Four years after The Asia Business Daily reported on unclaimed deaths in 2021, the number of such cases has only increased. To identify the reasons why unclaimed deaths are not decreasing and to explore solutions, we listened to voices from academia and the field.

Experts unanimously emphasized the need for legal and institutional improvements, as well as increased attention to unclaimed individuals. They also stressed the importance of supporting volunteer organizations that care for those beyond the reach of the state. This written roundtable included Choi Taehyun, Professor at the Graduate School of Public Administration at Seoul National University; Jung Soondul, Professor of Social Welfare at Ewha Womans University; Lee Youngho, Chairman of the Korea Funeral Culture Promotion Institute; and Park Kyungjo, Head of the Funeral Support Center.

What are the reasons for the continued increase in unclaimed deaths?

◆Choi Taehyun= The long-standing changes in Korean society are now 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 people living alone, and the legal and institutional blind spots that fail to cover these issues are all acting in combination. Additionally, the fact that Korean society has only recently begun to pay attention to unclaimed deaths means their scale has become more visible.

◆Jung Soondul= Changes in family structure, such as the increase in single-person households, and the weakening of community spirit in our society, which has led to increased loneliness and isolation, are major causes.

◆Lee Youngho= Economic factors also seem to play a role. For people who are basic livelihood security recipients or belong to vulnerable housing groups, it is often difficult to verify relatives or for families to bear the funeral costs alone, leading to repeated situations of unclaimed deaths. On the other hand, even when there are relatives, issues such as debt, inheritance disputes, or long-term estrangement make it difficult for them to take charge of funerals, resulting in many cases where legal relatives give up their rights to the funeral.

The “Public Funeral Support Act,” which allows non-family members to conduct funerals for unclaimed deceased, was passed in 2023. What additional procedures are needed?

◆Jung Soondul= First, it is very encouraging that the law now allows acquaintances, beyond family members, to conduct funerals. Rather than further legislation, more resources are needed to ensure acquaintances can smoothly carry out funerals. Above all, it is crucial to ensure that the responsibility for posthumous assets or debts does not fall on the person organizing the funeral.

◆Choi Taehyun= The current Burial Act defines the scope of relatives too narrowly, focusing only on blood relations. Even if there are close relationships with a common-law spouse, friends, or acquaintances, the lack of legal authority prevents them from claiming the body, resulting in the deceased being classified as unclaimed in administrative terms. The law passed in February 2023 provides explicit legal grounds for public funeral support and allows a person or organization designated by the unclaimed deceased to conduct the funeral, which is a positive development. However, for this law to be effective, amendments to other laws and additional legislation are necessary. Even if the Burial Act is revised to grant funeral rights to non-blood relatives, the current Medical Service Act, Article 17, strictly limits the issuance of death certificates to family members, blocking the funeral process from the very first step. This is why an amendment is needed to include designated funeral organizers, even if they are not blood relatives, as eligible applicants for medical certificates.

◆Lee Youngho= With the revision and implementation of the Burial Act, legal grounds for supporting funerals of unclaimed deceased have been established, and the scope of funeral organizers for local governments has been expanded, providing a system that can stably support funerals for those previously left in the blind spot. However, feedback from the field since implementation indicates that some improvements are still needed. For example, although ordinances have been established in each local government, there is often a lack of funeral homes or facilities to actually conduct the funeral, and there are significant disparities in budget and support criteria between regions, which can cause confusion in operation. There are also opinions that more specific standards are needed regarding the verification process for funeral organizers and the level of administrative and financial support. Future legislative or institutional improvements should be made by more broadly collecting field experiences and opinions.

◆Park Kyungjo= Local governments must designate funeral organizers, but in reality, it is difficult to obtain such designation. Due to the Personal Information Protection Act, it is often impossible to even obtain a death certificate, and making crematorium reservations is also not easy. The Ministry of Health and Welfare's manual for unclaimed deceased funeral work should be established as law and defined as mandatory, not just as a recommendation.

What are the most notable recent changes in the status, system, and public awareness regarding unclaimed deaths and public funerals? Among them, what are the positive changes and what urgent issues remain unresolved?

◆Jung Soondul= The positive change is the increased attention from society, and the growing efforts to protect the dignity of the deceased’s final journey. However, I believe the problem is that there are still differences in the way local governments handle these matters.

◆Choi Taehyun= The most prominent change is the “quantitative expansion of public funeral ordinances.” A few years ago, there were very few public funerals, but now they are being implemented nationwide, and the remaining seven basic local governments without public funerals can now implement them based on higher-level regional ordinances. It is also positive that deaths without relations are now being recognized as a “public responsibility.”

◆Lee Youngho= While the number of unclaimed deaths continues to rise, the fact that the system now allows non-legal family members to conduct funerals is seen as a major shift in practice. I believe this reflects an institutional trend toward relationship-based funerals in line with the increase in single-person households and changes in family structure. Issues that need to be addressed include the different ways personal belongings are handled in each region, disparities in the quality of public funeral services, and the lack of systems for expressing funeral preferences during life. If these areas are improved, the system could be applied more stably in practice.

While there is consensus on the need for public funerals to guarantee a dignified death, there are still significant disparities in support and infrastructure between metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas.

◆Jung Soondul= Since the circumstances of each local government are different, it is difficult to make this mandatory. It is also hard to allocate a large budget for this. Therefore, it may be necessary to supplement this by cooperating with private organizations such as religious foundations.

◆Park Kyungjo= Since 2020, I have conducted public funerals for more than 400 unclaimed deceased. Based on my experience in various local cities, I felt that the funeral process for the deceased varies depending on the awareness of the responsible official (public servant) regarding unclaimed deaths. I especially believe that local governments need to be very careful in designating institutions to conduct public funerals.

◆Choi Taehyun= Ultimately, standardizing the laws mentioned earlier must come first, and the central government and regional governments must play a role in bridging the gap in support and infrastructure between basic and regional local governments. Regional governments should operate regional public funeral support centers or establish cooperative systems for sharing cremation facilities and funeral homes among neighboring local governments. Financial disparities should be addressed by the central government.

◆Lee Youngho= Differences in infrastructure and circumstances between regions inevitably lead to differences in support methods. Therefore, rather than focusing solely on expanding physical facilities, it is more important to ensure basic dignity and respect are maintained everywhere. If the minimum procedures and respect are stably managed during the funeral process, public funerals can be established in a way that respects the deceased’s final moments, even if there are regional differences.

Unclaimed deaths are not just a matter of funerals, but also involve the handling and maintenance of the deceased’s belongings, as well as legal and administrative issues (debts, housing, etc.). To what extent should the public sector support post-mortem arrangements?

◆Choi Taehyun= Support should go beyond simply cremating and enshrining the body, and expand to the “right to social mourning.” The “advance funeral directive” system should be improved so that the deceased’s preferred funeral method can be honored, and if legal relatives refuse or cannot be contacted, funeral rights should be promptly transferred to the next eligible person. In dealing with the belongings of unclaimed deceased, even if they had set aside funeral funds in advance, friends or acquaintances often cannot act as funeral organizers, resulting in the funds being reclaimed by the state rather than used according to the deceased’s wishes. The public funeral service in Busan, which has implemented an advance funeral organizer designation program since February this year, could 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 how far the public sector should intervene. There are practical limits to solving all situations through institutional means alone. Therefore, further social discussion is needed on what level of involvement the public sector should have, and what roles should be played by the local community or surrounding networks.

'To guarantee a dignified death without anyone being left behind,' what is the most urgent change needed in our society, including the government, local governments, and civil society?

◆Jung Soondul= Preparation for death. It is necessary to ensure that posthumous arrangements, such as funerals and the handling of belongings, are carried out according to standards set in advance by the individual. Methods such as guardianship trusts should also be decided in advance.

◆Choi Taehyun= One of the most urgently needed changes is ensuring the consistency of relevant laws. As mentioned earlier, expanding the scope of relatives, revising the Medical Service Act, amending the purpose clause of the Burial Act, and designing standard ordinances are necessary to resolve institutional shortcomings and conflicts, and to prevent excessive regional disparities.

◆Park Kyungjo= Although there is growing interest in the elderly, such as the emergence of integrated care for seniors, there are still no measures for middle-aged unclaimed deceased. Since this cannot be solved by government policy or prevention alone, the private sector must also pay attention.

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

◆Jung Soondul= First, the common issue of loneliness and isolation before death must be addressed. There should also be regular welfare checks for those classified as high-risk for solitary death. If there are no relatives, individuals should be connected to single-person household support centers or centers for the elderly living alone, and receive attention from neighbors. If there are relatives but relationships are severed, support for improving family relationships is needed, and for the last type, financial assistance for funeral expenses is necessary.

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

◆Lee Youngho= Although the forms may differ, the common factor is that these deaths occur when people are cut off from those around them or unable to ask for help. Rather than dividing support by type, it is more important to closely monitor the networks surrounding daily life to prevent social isolation. If an environment is created where anyone nearby can check in, some of the difficulties surrounding funerals could be alleviated. Ultimately, social concern and connection to prevent people from being alone at the end is the most fundamental starting point.

◆Park Kyungjo= Korea is evaluated as one of the countries with the weakest social networks among OECD countries. Family breakdown, aging, and the increase in solitary deaths are all directly linked to the rise in unclaimed deaths. Local governments and the central government need to go beyond simply supporting funeral expenses and adopt broader policy approaches, such as preventing social isolation among the living and fostering a culture that respects death. It is now time for society as a whole to recognize that “dying without family” is no longer someone else’s problem.