South Korea: Cremation rate reaches 94%, highlighting the shortage of facilities

Date: February 2026

According to data from the Bank of Korea and the Ministry of Welfare, the national cremation rate in South Korea will reach 94% in 2024, continuing to rise from 92.9% in 2023. Over the past two decades, the cremation rate in South Korea has steadily increased from 33.5% in 2000 to 67.5% in 2010, and has reached 89.9% in 2020.

However, the supply of cremation facilities has not kept up with the increasing demand, and the shortage of facilities in major cities such as Seoul is particularly severe. South Korea has officially entered the "super elderly society" by 2025, with over 20% of the population aged 65 and above. The government expects the annual death toll to increase from 310000 in 2020 to 700000 in 2070. The Bank of Korea suggests introducing small-scale cremation facilities led by the public and calls for "bold revision of relevant laws and regulations".

With the official entry into the "super elderly society" by 2025, South Korea is facing an unprecedented crisis in funeral services. Although cremation has become the choice of the vast majority of citizens, outdated regulations and lagging infrastructure construction have led to families of the deceased in big cities such as Seoul having to wait in "hearses" for several days, causing widespread social anxiety.

Congestion under high cremation rate: cremation rate drops below 80% within 3 days

According to the latest data from the South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare, the national cremation rate in South Korea will reach 94% in 2024, continuing the steady growth trend since 2000 (33.5%). In metropolitan areas such as Seoul and Busan, due to scarce land resources and a shift in traditional beliefs, the actual demand for cremation is approaching saturation.

However, the reform on the supply side of facilities lags far behind the change in mindset. The data shows that the "3-day cremation rate" (the proportion of cremation completed within 3 days after death) nationwide has decreased from 86.2% in 2019 to 75.5% in 2025. In Seoul, where demand is most concentrated, this proportion has dropped to 69.6%, which means that nearly one-third of households are unable to complete cremation within the traditional funeral cycle.

Supply and demand scissors gap: a 20-year dramatic change from "33.5%" to "94%"

Over the past two decades, the construction of cremation facilities in South Korea has almost come to a standstill. When the cremation rate was only 33.5% in 2000, the number of facilities at that time barely met the demand; When the cremation rate reaches 94% in 2024, the vast majority of facilities will still be operated by the government, constrained by strict site selection restrictions and public resistance (NIMBY), and plans to add large funeral homes or crematoriums often proceed slowly.

As South Korea officially enters the "super elderly society" by 2025 (with over 20% of the population aged 65 and above), the number of deaths is entering a rapid growth channel. According to forecast data cited by the Bank of Korea, the annual death toll in South Korea is expected to surge from 310000 in 2020 to 700000 in 2070. If the facility capacity is not immediately expanded, congestion in the funeral service system will become a norm in the future.