Almost 80% of applicants with criminal records approved for burial at national cemeteries over past 5 years
Published: 16 Feb. 2026, 17:54
Updated: 16 Feb. 2026, 18:24
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![A woman is seen in front of a tombstone at the Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak District, southern Seoul, on June 22, 2025. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/16/b28e0bdb-3041-4b84-a34e-ba61cbd5373a.jpg)
A woman is seen in front of a tombstone at the Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak District, southern Seoul, on June 22, 2025. [YONHAP]
Nearly eight out of every 10 applicants with criminal records were allowed to be buried at national cemeteries over the past five years, raising concerns that screening standards may be too lenient.
Data from the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, released by Rep. Lee Yang-soo of the National Assembly’s political affairs committee on Monday, shows that 8,039 of 10,079 applicants with prior criminal convictions were cleared for burial between 2021 and 2025 — an approval rate of 79.8 percent.
Those laid to rest at national cemeteries included 1,408 people convicted of violent offenses, including assault, bodily injury and sex-related crimes. Another 2,131 were found guilty of fraud, theft, trespassing, embezzlement, bribery and other financial offenses.
More than 2,400 people buried had been convicted of traffic-related offenses and crimes of negligence resulting in death or injury, and 257 had been convicted of public order offenses, including obstruction of business or official duties and perjury. Violators of drug- and gambling-related laws accounted for 152 approvals.
More than 1,490 people with criminal records were cleared for burial at Daejeon National Cemetery, and 1,271 passed screening for interment at Seoul National Cemetery, the nation’s highest-ranking resting place.
Under the Act on the Establishment and Management of National Cemeteries, the national cemetery burial eligibility review committee decides whether applicants meet the conditions for interment. The committee, which is composed of seven ex officio officials and 13 appointed civilian members, considers whether the burial of an individual convicted of a crime could undermine the dignity and honor of the cemeteries.
The Veterans Ministry said mitigating factors — such as whether a crime was committed out of economic hardship — may be taken into account and emphasized that the committee conducts objective and fair reviews with a focus on preserving the cemeteries’ honor.
However, critics argue that the inclusion of individuals convicted of sex-related crimes and other offenses falls short of public expectations.
Rep. Lee said, “National cemeteries are sacred places that embody the noble spirit of those who devoted themselves to the country. There must be no negligence in selecting those eligible for burial,” adding, “The review system should be reorganized in line with public sentiment and common sense.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)