174 die 'solitary deaths' in Seoul

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- A total of 174 people died "solitary deaths" in Seoul last year, with no one to take care of their bodies and funerals, the city government said Wednesday.
Among the 25 administrative wards, Joong-gu and Yeongdeungpo-gu -- districts with the highest number of homeless -- had the largest number of such deaths, 43 and 27, respectively, said the city government, citing a 2010 health ministry report.
Affluent districts in the southern parts of Seoul had almost no such cases.
Experts say the homeless are prone to such deaths and the city government should reinforce emergency medical service for people living on the streets.
"Districts that have many unclaimed dead bodies have high populations of the homeless," said Joo Young-soo, president of the non-governmental Experts Association of Physicians for Humanism. "The government should provide around-the-clock service to take care of the homeless so that they don't die lonely on the streets."
When a person is found dead, police keep them for up to one month, searching for relatives or anybody able to provide for a burial or other final dispositions. If nobody takes over the body during the period, local governments burn it at their expense and store the remains for up to 10 years.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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