By Kang Seung-woo
Cremation is fast replacing traditional burial customs in Korea with nearly seven out of 10 corpses cremated last year, almost double from 10 years ago, a government report showed Friday.
The government plans to increase the number of crematoriums as the practice is expected grow.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 172,276 out of 255,403 Koreans who died in 2010 were cremated, accounting for 67.5 percent. The figure is more than double the 33.7 percent registered in 2000.
The average number of people who were cremated daily rose from 440 in 2009 to 472 in 2010, the ministry said.
Cremation outnumbered burials for the first time in 2005, and continues to increase by over 3 percentage points annually. It is expected to reach nearly 80 percent in 2020.
The ministry attributed the rise of cremation to its cleanness, convenience and easy management.
“Cremation has become the most popular option as it is easier, more hygienic and costs less (than burials),” the ministry said.
In tandem with the report, a survey conducted earlier this year also showed that currently Koreans prefer cremation to centuries-old burials.
A 3,000-people poll by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs in April, 79.3 percent of respondents chose cremation, while only 15.1 percent preferred burial.
The former practice was more popular in larger cities, as seven metropolitan cities _ Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju, Ulsan and Incheon _ posted 75.5 percent, while others sat at 61.8 percent.
Among the seven major cities, the nation’s second-largest Busan ranked the highest frequency at 83.5 percent, followed by Incheon at 81.1 percent and Ulsan at 77.7 percent. Seoul saw 75.9 percent of those who died last year cremated.
Of note is that Jeju posted the lowest rate of 48.3 percent. South Chungcheong Province and South Jeolla Province also remained below the 50 percent.
By gender, the rate of males being cremated amounted to 70.6 percent, far higher than that of females, 63.1 percent.
The government plans to support more crematoriums being built as the lack of sites is the biggest obstacle.
At present, 51 cremation sites with 277 cremators operate nationwide, with eight more cremation sites with 57 cremators under construction. They are set to be completed by the end of this year.