SITUATION
A couple and their companion were visiting Korea from Hong Kong when one of them passed away in hospital following an illness. The remaining family came from Hong Kong, and every step was carried out together with them.
THE FAMILY’S CIRCUMSTANCES
The family were deeply anxious about the language and the procedures, and reached out to us not knowing where to begin.
REQUEST
The family wished for the deceased to be cremated in Korea, and for the ashes to be laid to rest in a sea burial in Korean waters.
WHAT WE DID
01 Obtained the death certificate from the hospital, then arranged English translation and notarization.
02 Coordinated with the Chinese Embassy in Korea and completed the consular verification.
03 Applied for cremation and placed the deceased with care in a casket meeting the requirements.
04 Completed the cremation, applied for the sea burial, and carried it out that same afternoon.
05 Handed over the translated and notarized documents to the family the following morning.
CHALLENGES AND HOW WE RESOLVED THEM
We accompanied the family to the Chinese Embassy to obtain the consular verification and the cremation consent. At the family’s request, we prepared every document — translated, notarized, and apostilled — so that it could also be used in Hong Kong, and handed the full set to the family before their departure.
TIMELINE
Document preparation and translation, 2 days; consular verification, 1 day; cremation preparation, 1 day; cremation and sea burial, 1 day — approximately 5 days in total.
CLOSING
The deceased, who had often traveled to Korea, came to rest at last in the Korean sea. The family sent her off as she would have wished, and told us they would return to that sea once every year.
This case has been written without personally identifying information, to protect the privacy of the family.