Nearly 90 percent of those who died last year were cremated, but crematorium services in South Korea are falling short of the growing demand, government data showed.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare data submitted to Rep. Nam In-soon of the ruling Democratic Party, the bodies of 260,920, or 88.4 percent, of the 295,107 people who reportedly died last year were cremated.

The rate of cremation has steadily increased over the years, rising from 79.2 percent in 2014 to hit the 80 percent mark the next year. It has since posted further growth every year to 82.7 percent in 2016 and to 86.8 percent in 2018, according to the data. (Yonhap)