Kim Chung-young's Suwon Microscope (132) Suwon Yeonhwa Jang Construction - Reborn as a "Sanctuary for Souls" Through a Difficult and Arduous Journey

The construction of the crematorium in Hadong, Suwon City, was a difficult and perilous journey from the very site selection stage. Residents of Uiui-dong (legal Uiui-dong and Hadong) immediately formed a countermeasure committee to oppose the crematorium relocation and launched organized opposition movements.

When the relocation site was announced on February 10, 1995, five days later on the 15th, some 400 people held a protest rally at Olympic Park in front of City Hall. The residents argued that it was unjust to finalize the relocation site before the crematorium was designated as an urban planning facility according to urban planning law procedures.

On the 14th, one day earlier, 37 heads of communities and sections in Uiui-dong submitted resignation letters protesting the determination of the relocation site. They argued that the planned area had been designated as Woncheon Recreation Area since 1972, causing residents disadvantage, and that having a garbage transshipment facility followed by a crematorium was a disregard for residents, making them unable to accept the city's unilateral decision.

On February 17, some 200 residents held a protest in front of Uiui-dong Sanitation Garage, demanding the withdrawal of the crematorium relocation. In the heated demonstration, two people were injured and required medical treatment after being evacuated.

On March 2, a third protest was held at Olympic Park in front of City Hall. Some 200 participants demanded the cancellation of the crematorium relocation to Uiui-dong, while also requesting that the Uiui-dong residential areas be developed as 'natural settlement zones' and that the 'Woncheon Recreation Area Development Plan' be established and developed promptly.

On March 15, residents from neighboring Sanghyeon-ri in Yongin County also joined the protest. About 130 people demonstrated absolute opposition to the construction of a crematorium in Uiui-dong. By this time, over 940 people had participated in four rounds of mass protests actively opposing the crematorium relocation.

While staging opposition protests, 632 people submitted petitions and appeals against the crematorium relocation to Suwon City, Gyeonggi Province, and the Board of Audit and Inspection on February 23, 1995. On March 2, 1,320 residents, including representatives from Sanghyeon-ri in Yongin County, submitted a petition opposing the crematorium relocation. Suwon City held multiple sincere discussions with resident representatives and saw convergence of opinions.

On May 20, eight resident representatives submitted a 'petition to withdraw the crematorium relocation plan,' requesting detailed information on normalization of existing houses within Woncheon Recreation Area and permission for new construction, establishment of a comprehensive development plan for Uiui-dong, and pollutant emission data if the crematorium were relocated.

Suwon City compiled the residents' requests and announced a comprehensive development plan for Uiui-dong. ▷Designation and development of 11 natural villages in Uiui-dong as 'natural settlement areas' ▷Securing 100 million won for a consulting fee to establish a Woncheon Recreation Area development plan ▷Promotion of water and sewage facility construction in natural villages ▷Opening of six routes totaling 6,400 meters for village access roads, etc.

Furthermore, regarding the request to allow village operation of the funeral hall within the crematorium, Suwon City announced that if requested under the 'joint name of the local resident representatives' meeting' according to legal procedures, it would entrust the operation to the village with approval from the Suwon City Council.

On March 27, 1995, Suwon City conducted a 'design competition for crematorium facility construction' to promote swift progress in the crematorium relocation project. The funeral hall, crematorium, and ossuary were to follow design guidelines stating they must 'not detract from urban aesthetics, not cause aversion, symbolize filial piety, possess grand and solemn aesthetic forms, be convenient without causing rejection, and serve as an exemplary ultra-modern building with long-term vision.'

The submission period was from March 28 to April 6, 1995, and a 'winning entry' would be selected as the basic plan and design consulting contracts would be signed. By the April 6, 1995 deadline, 17 architecture firms submitted entries, showing strong interest.

To facilitate smooth administrative proceedings, 16 design review committee members were appointed on May 19, 1995. The committee members included four from Suwon City including the Suwon Mayor, the Suwon City Council Speaker, the Chair of the City Council's Health, Social Affairs, and Economic Committee, professors, and Uiui-dong resident representatives.

During the design competition review process for the Suwon Crematorium, the first directly elected mayoral election was held, causing the work selection procedure to be postponed. When Shim Jae-deok won the first democratically elected Suwon Mayor position starting July 1, 1995, it became an opportunity to begin the previously halted crematorium project in earnest.

The design competition review for the Suwon Crematorium was conducted confidentially on September 26, 1995, and the work by Kim Dong-hun, architect at Jinwoo General Architecture Firm, was selected as the 'winning entry.'

CEO Kim Dong-hun stated: "The spirit of Suwon Yeonhwa Jang was people. We tried to create architecture that honors both the deceased and the living. Suwon Yeonhwa Jang was designed based on 'the human form,'" he revealed.

The work was evaluated as achieving familiarity and openness with surrounding areas and serving as a comprehensive funeral facility that is environmentally friendly as a central urban facility.

Full-scale design began in January 1996. After basic and detailed design for the funeral hall, crematorium, and ossuary were completed, the work underwent review by the Gyeonggi Province Local Design Review Committee. Subsequently, in February 1996, Daewoo Construction was selected as the construction contractor.

Design work for construction commenced, completing the detailed design and traffic impact assessment for Suwon Yeonhwa Jang, and the facility finally broke ground on December 31, 1997. After the access road for construction was completed in April 1998, Suwon Yeonhwa Jang was completed on August 8, 2000, after three years of construction with a budget of 35.5 billion won.

Suwon Yeonhwa Jang is a state-of-the-art cremation facility, and by adopting smokeless and odorless technology with a constant air pollution gas monitoring system, it subsequently presented a new paradigm for comprehensive funeral facilities throughout the nation, making Suwon City a city leading funeral culture.

Suwon Yeonhwa Jang features ▷Memorial Hall (ossuary) ▷Seunghwa-won (crematorium) ▷Funeral hall ▷Scattering garden ▷Memorial tower. It is equipped with 9 cremation furnaces, family waiting rooms, bone separation room, temporary storage room, and incense offering room.

Suwon Yeonhwa Jang was the first to receive the designation 'comprehensive funeral facility.'

On December 13, 2000, it received the 'Republic of Korea Environmental Culture Award,' and on November 22, 2002, it received the '2002 Korean Architectural Culture Award.'

On May 29, 2009, the state funeral of former President Roh Moo-hyun was held, and on May 27, 2012, marking the third anniversary of former President Roh Moo-hyun's passing, a memorial monument was erected within Suwon Yeonhwa Jang.

On April 24, 2010, cremation services for six Cheonan ship casualties were held at Suwon Yeonhwa Jang.

Following the Sewol ferry disaster on April 16, 2014, cremation services for 208 victims from the Ansan area were conducted. Mayor Shim Jae-deok, who built this facility, was also cremated and had his funeral held here after his death.

Suwon Yeonhwa Jang was built through the wise vision of Mayor Lee Sang-ryong, the 20th mayor of Suwon, and the firm determination of Mayor Shim Jae-deok of the first democratically elected administration.

In particular, it is evaluated as a representative case of exemplarily resolving the 'NIMBY' trend.