"No Trace of the Burial Mound Under Tree Roots"... Isolated Graves With No Contact or Care [2025 Unclaimed Deaths Report ⑭]

Difficult to Identify and Manage "Unclaimed Graves"
Graves Become Unrecognizable as Trees Take Root
Months of Waiting for Possible Relatives Before Removal

On the morning of October 24th, at the Seoul Metropolitan Yongmiri No. 1 Public Cemetery in Gwangtan-myeon, Paju, Gyeonggi Province, a yellow sign was placed among the overgrown weeds and bushes, reading, "This is suspected to be an unclaimed grave. If you are a relative, please report it." Behind the sign, a tree had taken root in the grave, making it difficult to recognize its original shape. Only after clearing away the branches did the faint outline of the burial mound become visible. The situation was the same along other paths through the dense undergrowth. The burial mound that should have been behind the sign had almost collapsed, and only an old headstone, indicating the former presence of a grave, remained standing.

On October 24th, a sign indicating a suspected unclaimed grave was placed at the Seoul Metropolitan Yongmiri No. 1 Public Cemetery in Gwangtan-myeon, Paju, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Seungwook Park

These abandoned graves, left without relatives, have fallen into a management blind spot. However, the process of officially designating and clearing them as unclaimed graves is so strict that it takes a considerable amount of time.

An unclaimed grave refers to a grave with no known relatives or one that has not been maintained for a long period. The Seoul Facilities Corporation, which operates the Yongmiri No. 1 Public Cemetery, conducts a comprehensive survey every five years in accordance with the "Act on Funeral Services, etc." to identify suspected unclaimed graves. If it is ultimately confirmed that there are no relatives of the deceased, the grave becomes subject to removal.

On October 24th, a tree grew over a grave located at Seoul Metropolitan Yongmiri No.1 Cemetery in Gwangtan-myeon, Paju, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Seungwook Park

The problem is that the process from identifying a suspected unclaimed grave to actually removing it takes a long time. Most of these neglected graves occur because the relatives have passed away or have given up maintenance due to aging. The corporation first places a notice and attempts to contact relatives by phone, but in many cases, they cannot be reached.

Even if contact cannot be made, the grave cannot be cleared immediately. An official from the corporation explained, "There are many cases where people do not answer the phone," adding, "Most of these are presumed to be unclaimed graves, but we cannot designate them as such right away." The official further stated, "We have no choice but to wait, as there is always a chance that someone might contact us in the future."

Afterward, a review committee for unclaimed graves is convened, and it takes about six months of verification before a grave can be designated for removal. Even after designation, the corporation must issue two public notices over approximately 100 days before the grave can finally be cleared. In total, the process takes at least nine months.

On October 24th, in front of a grave at the Seoul Metropolitan Yongmiri No. 1 Public Cemetery in Gwangtan-myeon, Paju, Gyeonggi Province, there is a headstone. Photo by Seungwook Park

As of September this year, out of approximately 27,000 graves at Yongmiri No. 1 Public Cemetery, about 500 (1.8%) are classified as unclaimed. In last year's comprehensive survey, around 650 graves were identified as suspected unclaimed graves, but only about 30 were officially designated as such. Unclaimed graves are particularly concentrated in the non-designated burial area, where the last burial took place in 1998. The responsibility for maintaining graves in this area lies with the relatives, so if they do not take care of them, the graves are left unattended. As a result, staff members must manually clear the undergrowth to visually confirm the presence of burial mounds or headstones. This suggests that there may be even more unrecorded unclaimed graves that are not reflected in the statistics.

The corporation stated, "There are in fact many graves presumed to be unclaimed, but we are following strict procedures to protect the rights of any possible relatives," adding, "Aside from the approximately 30 graves that have been confirmed, the remaining suspected unclaimed graves will also be carefully reviewed and cleared in sequence through further review and public notice."