▲ Korea Funeral Welfare Association / President Jeong Mi-sook

(PowerKorea) Aged over 64 has reached to 14% of the whole population in South Korea. Experts predict that the percentage will go up to 20% by 2026. As the aged population increases, so does the number of elderlies living alone; and they are much concerned about how to prepare for the time coming. In Japan, known as a super high aged society, people are already familiar with the word well-dying while Koreans are now accustomed to the term.

National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee member lawmaker Lee Jong-bae reported that elderlies living alone have increased by 30% for the last 5 years and the number of dying alone also increased by double; the number of the living alone is estimated 167,416 as of 2020. 

Establishment of the Korea Funeral Welfare Association is but an action of this awareness. The association president Jeong Mi-sook says “Well-dying is as importance as well-living. At the end of the day, we all are on the same boat to sail towards the last phase of our lives. It is our job to make this journey smooth and nice beforehand and all profits generated during the course will return back to the society.”

The association is running various well-dying programs: free funeral services for the needy, prevention of dying alone, cost-effective funeral campaign and arousing people’s awareness on the need of well-dying. The flagship well-dying course includes plant growing, singing class, fitness class, writing a will and well-dying note and watching a movie. Well-dying note specially is made with memories, photos and the valuables. The programs are designed for group activities of around 20 individuals per group so that they can build friendship also.

Plant growing, however, is the most popular activity. A plant is given out and a reward is given when they bring it back with well care and shape. A total of around 500 elderlies have gone through the programs and they are in contact on a regular basis as a way to prevent dying alone in case. The classes are currently organized in 5 districts including Dongdaemun, Gangnam and Jungnang. Though the pandemic has turned the programs online, many of them prefer face to face which is more natural and effective. 

“Apart from well-drying programs, the association is providing cost-effective funeral services by emptying formalities and vanity. A funeral in South Korea costs the bereaved around 8 million won ($7,145) when provided by large funeral companies. And I broke it down and it turned out the production cost is around 1.6 million won. A funeral service provided by the association costs the bereaved less than 3 million won including the food. This is because we have volunteers. I think a funeral does not need to be grand and show off but simple and respective” says Jeong.

There are two things we cannot choose in our life: birth and death. We all are born and we all die. How to die is as important as how to live. In this respect, the Korea Funeral Welfare Association is worth paying attention to.

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