The Hanam Patriotic Volunteer Association, led by Chairman Park Gyu-seop, accompanied an unclaimed deceased resident on his final journey, bringing a message of compassion and solidarity to the local community.
 [The Korean Today] Members of the Hanam Patriotic Volunteer Association accompany the late Koo Tae-gyun, who had no known family or relatives, on his final journey through a memorial service. © Reporter Baek Chang-hee |
On August 29, the Hanam Patriotic Volunteer Association attended the funeral of the late Koo Tae-gyun, born in 1970, at Maru Park in Hanam City. Members paid their respects as a group and participated in the funeral procession. Hanam Urban Innovation Corporation also supported the memorial service, adding significance to the community’s collective effort to accompany the deceased on his final journey.
The event was organized to ensure that an unclaimed deceased person, who passed away without family members or known relatives, would not have to make his final journey alone. It also sought to uphold the dignity and honor of the deceased and affirm that every person’s life deserves respect until the very end.
Members of the Hanam Patriotic Volunteer Association visited the funeral hall and respectfully paid tribute to the deceased. They also participated in the funeral procession, offering their final farewell in place of family members and praying for his peaceful rest.
Although the members had never personally known the deceased during his lifetime, they joined the funeral with the belief that, as a fellow citizen who had lived in the same community, he should not have to face his final moments alone. They viewed accompanying him through the funeral proceedings as an important responsibility of the local community.
The service conveyed a meaningful message: being “unclaimed” should never mean becoming “a death remembered by no one.”
 [The Korean Today] Members of the Hanam Patriotic Volunteer Association attend a group memorial and funeral procession at Maru Park, accompanying the deceased on his final journey with dignity. © Reporter Baek Chang-hee |
As social conditions continue to change, including an increase in single-person households and the weakening or severance of family ties, public attention to unclaimed deaths and the role of local communities has become increasingly important. Even when there are no family members or acquaintances to arrange or attend a funeral, there is a growing need for community involvement to ensure that every deceased person is remembered and treated with dignity.
The Hanam Patriotic Volunteer Association has long carried out volunteer activities for national merit recipients and veterans’ families. In addition, the organization continues to undertake various memorial and community service activities aimed at supporting socially marginalized neighbors and protecting the dignity of people who die without known relatives.
The funeral of the late Koo Tae-gyun went beyond simply paying respects. It was held with the deeper meaning that “the community stands together until the end of a person’s life.” With the support of Hanam Urban Innovation Corporation, the occasion also became a meaningful example of a civic volunteer organization and a local public corporation working together to fulfill social responsibility and promote the value of compassion.
Park Gyu-seop, chairman of the Hanam Patriotic Volunteer Association, said, “Everyone has the right to be respected until the final moment of life. No one should have to face their final journey alone simply because they have no known family or relatives.”
He continued, “Even if we never had the opportunity to meet the deceased during his lifetime, he was still a valued neighbor who lived in our community. When family members cannot be there, I believe it is also our responsibility as members of the community to accompany that person on their final journey with the warmth and care of a family.”
Park added, “We will continue our memorial activities, including paying respects and participating in funeral processions for unclaimed deceased individuals. We hope to contribute to building a compassionate local community where no one has to leave this world alone.”
With the support of Hanam Urban Innovation Corporation and the participation of members of the Hanam Patriotic Volunteer Association, the farewell not only ensured that the deceased was accompanied on his final journey but also provided an opportunity for the community to reflect on how society should respect the life and death of every individual.
The Hanam Patriotic Volunteer Association plans to continue its volunteer activities for national merit recipients and veterans’ families while also caring for marginalized members of the community. In particular, it will continue its commitment to “memorial service that stays together until the very end” by participating in group memorials and funeral processions for people who die without known relatives.
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