Funeral cost support

Support exists precisely so that no one is left unable to hold a funeral.

Types of support

1. Funeral allowance — for basic livelihood recipients and similar. Apply at a community centre or Bokjiro. See basic-livelihood.
2. Emergency welfare funeral costs — for sudden crises. See emergency-welfare.
3. Public funerals — for those without kin or on low incomes; the local authority arranges it. Ask your community centre.
4. Industrial accident funeral costs — for a work-related death. 1588-0075. See workplace-death.
5. Crime victim funeral costs — where death resulted from crime. 1577-1295. See crime-victim-support.
6. Private support — religious bodies and migrant organisations sometimes help. See ngo-support.

How to apply

1. Obtain the death certificate — get several copies. See death-procedure.
2. Register the death at the community centre and ask about funeral cost support at the same time.
3. You can also apply on Bokjiro (bokjiro.go.kr).
4. Check the deadline — many schemes require application within a set period after the funeral.
5. Keep the receipts — they are needed for the claim.

If you want to repatriate the body

• Discuss it with the embassy. The documents and costs are complex. See embassy-contacts.
• It is expensive. Look into industrial accident cover, insurance and private support together.
• Migrant support organisations sometimes help with fundraising or procedures.
• Check whether the employer should bear the cost (industrial accident and similar). See workplace-death.

Where to go

• Community centre (death registration, funeral allowance)
• 129 Health and Welfare Call Centre
• Bokjiro www.bokjiro.go.kr
• 1588-0075 Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service
• Your embassy or consulate

Questions people ask

Can foreign residents receive support? Eligibility differs by scheme. Tell the community centre and 129 your residence status and check.

There are no relatives. Public funeral schemes exist. Ask your community centre or 129.

I don't know the procedures and feel lost. The funeral hall handles most of them. If you need interpretation, ask 1345 or a migrant organisation.

It was a death at work. Industrial accident funeral costs and survivor benefits may apply. Ask 1588-0075 immediately. See workplace-death.

Take care

Don't sign anything in haste. For a work-related death especially, always take advice before any settlement. Get several copies of the death certificate — support applications, insurance claims and home-country documents each need one.

Related

death-procedure · workplace-death · grief-support · emergency-welfare · embassy-contacts

Source

Ministry of Health and Welfare www.mohw.go.kr / As of 2026-08