The Gwangju Metropolitan City has expanded its support for temporary burial sites for national veterans to include residents of Gwangju, enhancing equity in veterans' services across regions.
On August 4, Gwangju announced that it will extend the eligibility for the temporary burial site at the Haenam Namdo Memorial Park, which will operate until the National Jangheung National Cemetery opens in 2029, to cover all of Gwangju.
Previously, only national veterans and their spouses residing in Jeollanam-do could use the temporary burial site, excluding veterans from Gwangju. This measure was implemented to provide equitable veterans' services and honor national veterans in line with the establishment of the Gwangju Metropolitan City.
The National Jangheung National Cemetery is scheduled to open in 2029. However, if a burial candidate passes away before its opening, current laws regarding the installation and operation of national cemeteries prevent them from being reinterred at Jangheung if they are buried in another national cemetery.
To alleviate the inconvenience for national veterans and their families, Gwangju has been operating the temporary burial site at Haenam Namdo Memorial Park since last year. With this expansion, veterans from Gwangju will now have access to the same benefits.
Eligible individuals include national veterans and their spouses who have been deemed suitable for burial by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and reside in Gwangju. They will receive support for the use of the columbarium until the opening of the Jangheung National Cemetery, after which they can choose to be reinterred there if desired.
Gwangju expects that this expansion of support will help reduce administrative service disparities between regions and further honor the contributions of veterans and their families.
Jung Kwang-seon, head of the Health and Welfare Bureau of Gwangju, stated, "With the launch of the metropolitan city, we have expanded the support to ensure that all veterans receive the same benefits, regardless of their location. We will do our utmost to ensure that national veterans and their families can use the temporary burial site without inconvenience until the Jangheung National Cemetery opens."
For more information regarding the use of the temporary burial site, inquiries can be directed to the Social Welfare Department of Gwangju or the Haenam Namdo Memorial Park.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.