Goheung County to Open Goheung County Sky Park on the 12th

Goheung County in South Jeolla Province (Governor Gong Youngmin) announced on January 8 that the Goheung County Sky Park, a public funeral facility long awaited by local residents, will officially open on the 12th and begin full-scale operations.

The Goheung County Sky Park is a flagship welfare facility for funerals in the county, established to address the inconvenience of residents who previously had to hold funerals outside the county due to the lack of appropriate memorial facilities, and to substantially reduce the economic and psychological burdens associated with funerals.

A view of Goheung County Sky Park, scheduled to open on the 12th. Provided by Goheung County

Goheung County finalized the project scale and budget in 2023, completed the necessary administrative procedures, and held a groundbreaking ceremony in March 2024 to launch the construction project in earnest. After thorough project management and preparations for the opening, the facility is now ready to welcome the public.

Located at 245 Hocheon-gil, Goheung-eup, the Sky Park was built with a total project cost of 19.8 billion won. It features 16,208 columbarium niches, 2,209 natural burial spaces, a memorial park, parking lot, and rest areas, providing a total of 18,417 memorial and convenience facilities. The park is designed as a calm and dignified space for remembrance and rest, allowing families to spend time reflecting on their loved ones, going beyond the concept of a simple funeral facility.

Usage fees vary by facility. For columbarium niches, the 30-year fee is 1 million won for individuals and 1.8 million won for couples residing in the county, and 1.8 million won for individuals and 3.4 million won for couples from outside the county. For natural burials, the 30-year fee is 800,000 won for county residents and 1.3 million won for non-residents. The cost of purchasing a headstone is separate, and unclaimed remains can only be enshrined for county residents.

During the advance application process for Sky Park, Goheung County confirmed that many bereaved families expressed concerns that it would be unfair to apply out-of-county fees to those who had lived in Goheung their entire lives but, due to the lack of a memorial facility, had to inter their loved ones elsewhere, and now wish to bring them back to Goheung after the park opens.

Based on these practical difficulties and the emotional concerns of residents, the county is actively reviewing the need for institutional improvements to ensure convenience and fairness for families, especially in cases where remains were placed outside the county due to the unavoidable reason of the facility not being open.

Goheung County plans to review and discuss with relevant departments, and to consider reasonable adjustments to the fee criteria for county residents through amendments to related ordinances in the first half of this year.

Gong Youngmin, Governor of Goheung County, stated, "Goheung County Sky Park is not just a funeral facility but a space for both remembrance and rest, and it is the best welfare facility we can offer to our residents. We will pay close attention to institutional details so that those who have lived in Goheung all their lives can be remembered comfortably in their hometown."

Meanwhile, with the opening of Sky Park, Goheung County will also increase the cremation subsidy to 300,000 won starting this year, further alleviating the financial burden of funeral expenses for residents.