Published : Dec. 8, 2017 - 15:51
More than 8 out of 10 people who died last year were cremated, government data showed Friday.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 82.7 percent of the deceased in 2016 were cremated, surging fourfold compared to 1994. This is a 1.9 percentage point rise over last year.
(Yonhap)
The percentage of cremation after funeral has consecutively increased over the past few years. The figure surpassed 70 and 80 percent, respectively, in 2010 and 2015.
By age group, 95.3 percent of those below the age of 60 were cremated, with 97.7 percent of those in their 20s being cremated. For those above the age of 60, around 79.8 percent went through cremation.
(Yonhap)
As of last October, a total of 59 cremation facilities were being operated across the country, with 346 cremators.
Ministry’s official Cho Shin-hang said that “on a national base, the number of crematoriums is enough, but lacks in heavily populated areas. Therefore, more should be built near metropolises.”
By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)