Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from South Korea
You have ashes in South Korea and need to bring them home. This page covers what South Korea requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What does South Korea require before ashes can leave?
Departure airports: ICN (Incheon International Airport); PUS (Gimhae International Airport, Busan)
Carriers serving the UK: Korean Air; British Airways; Asiana Airlines
Authority that must release the case: National Forensic Service (NFS), National Institute of Scientific Investigation, Seoul
The rules that apply on any route, and what you may do with ashes once home, are covered in bringing ashes into the UK.
What are the airline rules for carrying ashes?
What does South Korea require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in South Korea due to religious or legal reasons. If you are dealing with ashes from a previous cremation held elsewhere, the export rules may differ. Contact us for guidance specific to your situation.
What affects the cost?
Carrying ashes home yourself is the least expensive way to bring someone back from South Korea, and for many families it costs little more than the return flight they are already taking. We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.
| What changes the cost | Why |
|---|---|
| Whether the cremation has already taken place | Arranging it locally adds funeral director and crematorium involvement |
| Where the death happened | Distance to the nearest crematorium changes local transfer |
| Carrying versus shipping | Hand luggage costs nothing extra; a specialist courier is a separate arrangement |
| Documentation South Korea requires | Export permits and translation, where they apply |
Send us the details of your situation and we will give you a figure, with no obligation.
What else is worth knowing about South Korea?
South Korea is not a Strasbourg Convention signatory; full consular processing applies with no simplified European treaty pathway; Korean documentation is unique and requires translators specifically accredited in Korean legal and administrative language; general language translators are not adequate for official documents; British nationals in South Korea include English teachers (EPIK and private academies), finance and technology sector workers in Seoul, and K-pop and cultural tourism visitors; the range of circumstances is broad; Incheon International Airport (ICN) is one of the best-equipped cargo hubs in Asia for human remains transport; Korean Air Cargo and Asiana Cargo both have established repatriation procedures, but human remains capacity on direct London routes must be pre-booked; Deaths in Busan, Jeju Island, or other regional cities require local NFS involvement and transfer to Seoul or Busan for documentation before cargo departure from Incheon
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Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from South Korea
Official support
British Embassy in South Korea: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with National Forensic Service (NFS), National Institute of Scientific Investigation, Seoul and the local crematorium directly.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Official lists for South Korea
Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.
- Lawyers, where an estate or an investigation needs local legal advice
Sources: FCDO: death abroad · FCDO travel advice · Repatriation from South Korea
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from South Korea
Tell us where the ashes are now and where home is. We will explain what is needed and send you a quote. We send ashes home to the UK, Ireland or any other country.