The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs said on the 20th that it has created a new certificate confirming an application for burial at a national cemetery, which families can now issue online to claim exemptions from public crematorium fees.
Previously, bereaved families had to prove eligibility with documents such as a veteran status certificate. Because veterans affairs offices are closed on weekends and public holidays, families could not obtain the paperwork on those days.
To address the problem, the ministry has made the new certificate printable through its online burial application system.
The document is issued automatically based on identity and veterans benefit eligibility data already verified when a family applies for burial at a national cemetery, so no separate application or approval by an official is required. It can also be issued on weekends and holidays.
"We expect this online issuance to sharply reduce the burden of submitting paperwork for bereaved families," Veterans Affairs Minister Kwon Oh-eul said.