Funeral homes barred from disposing of floral tributes without family consent

Funeral homes will no longer be allowed to dispose of floral tributes sent by mourners without the consent of the bereaved family. Uncooked outside food — including fruit, beverages and alcohol — will be permitted on funeral home premises, and facilities will be required to explain available services and costs to consumers before a contract is signed.

The Korea Fair Trade Commission announced Tuesday that it had revised the standard terms and conditions for funeral homes to reflect these changes. The revision was prompted by a request from the Korea Funeral Association for a review of its standard terms, incorporating recommendations for systemic reform from the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission.

The revised terms clarify that ownership of floral tributes sent by mourners belongs to the funeral home user. Funeral homes must now consult with users in advance before disposing of any flowers.

Previously, the absence of clear rules on ownership and disposal had led to disputes, with some funeral homes restricting families from handling their own flowers or pressuring them to sell the arrangements at low prices to affiliated vendors. Complaints filed through the government's public grievance portal included cases in which funeral homes demanded that flowers be sold for 1,000 won, or threatened to penalize families who tried to dispose of the arrangements themselves.

Rules on bringing outside food onto funeral home premises have also been clarified. To prevent food poisoning and other hygiene incidents, outside cooked food will in principle be prohibited, while uncooked items — including fruit, beverages and alcohol — are explicitly excluded from the restriction.

Cooked dishes brought from outside — including rice, soup, pan-fried foods, banchan (side dishes), meat and rice cakes — will generally be barred. However, such items may still be brought in if the funeral home and the user reach a prior agreement. If food poisoning or another hygiene incident results from outside cooked food brought in without prior arrangement, the user will bear responsibility.

Uncooked items that may be brought in include whole, uncut fruit; packaged beverages and alcohol displaying an expiration or production date; and snacks such as confectionery, nuts and dried foods. Leftover ritual offerings and food remaining after the funeral may also be taken home by users.

A new pre-contract disclosure requirement has been introduced to make funeral costs more predictable. Funeral homes must explain to consumers the facilities available, the fees charged and the content of funeral services before a contract is signed. The breakdown of fees has also been made more specific, covering facility rental, funeral-related service charges, funeral goods, and cleaning and maintenance fees.

The measure reflects the reality that funerals are often arranged suddenly, leaving consumers little time to compare prices and services across multiple venues. Unexpected charges are also difficult to dispute or renegotiate once funeral proceedings are underway. One complaint submitted to the public grievance portal described being quoted a maximum of 10 million won ($7,230) during an initial consultation, only to receive a final bill of 16 million won.

The Fair Trade Commission plans to post the revised standard terms on its website and notify industry associations, encouraging businesses to adopt them proactively.