Seoul Facilities Corporation Urges to Refrain from Visiting and Paying Respects at Seoul Municipal Burial Facilities During Lunar New Year Holiday

Closure of 5 Indoor Columbarium Halls at Seoul Municipal Funeral Facilities on Weekend Before Lunar New Year (Feb 6-7) and Lunar New Year Holidays (Feb 11-14)... Special Quarantine Measures Including Ban on Ancestral Visits by 5 or More, Suspension of Free Shuttle Bus, and Closure of Ritual Rooms

Yongmiri 1 Cemetery Grave-Type Memorial House

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seoul Facilities Corporation (Chairman Seongil Jo) announced on the 29th that it is urging people to refrain from visiting Seoul municipal funeral facilities for ancestral rites during the Lunar New Year holiday period to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The corporation currently operates 15 funeral facilities, including the Seoul Municipal Crematorium in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Paju-si Yongmi 1 and 2 Cemeteries, and Goyang-si Byeokje Municipal Cemetery.

During last year’s Lunar New Year holiday, a total of 80,000 visitors gathered at the 15 funeral facilities.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the corporation decided to close five indoor columbariums at Seoul municipal funeral facilities from February 6 to February 14 during holidays (2/6~2/7, 2/11~2/14).

The affected columbariums include the Crematorium Memorial House, the grave-type Memorial Houses A and B at Yongmi 1 Cemetery, the Royal Tomb-style Memorial House, and the building-type Memorial House at Yongmi 2 Cemetery.

Additionally, during the Lunar New Year holiday period, the corporation will implement high-intensity special quarantine measures such as ▲prohibiting ancestral rites gatherings of five or more people ▲suspending free shuttle bus services ▲closing ritual rooms and lounges ▲not installing warming shelters ▲and banning food consumption.

Meanwhile, the corporation also operates the ‘Cyber Memorial House’ service at all times, allowing people to honor and remember the deceased without visiting in person by performing ancestral rites and memorial services online.

This service operates by searching for the deceased on the Seoul Municipal Crematorium website, uploading photos of the deceased or the urn, arranging ritual table foods, selecting flower stands, and posting memorial messages.

Seongil Jo, Chairman of Seoul Facilities Corporation, said, “We have reluctantly requested people to refrain from visiting memorial facilities during this Lunar New Year holiday period to ensure citizens’ safety,” and added, “Seoul Facilities Corporation will continue to do its best to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the local community.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.