KR → UA · 24/7
Repatriation of the deceased from South Korea to Ukraine
XREQUIEM repatriates the deceased from South Korea to Ukraine from €7,000: usually by plane from Incheon to an airport near Ukraine, then by our vehicle. We take care of the Korean hospital and police, translations, the Embassy in Seoul, the coffin and the border. No upfront payment required.
Oleg Zdendiak, ownerpersonally responsible for every case “You were always available, whatever the time…” — Віта Х. “Everything was organised with great dignity, professionally and with attention to every detail.” — Тамара Ю. “Every question was resolved promptly, with respect and attention to detail.” — Olha B. “…your support, compassion, sense of responsibility and professionalism meant a great deal to us.” — Ірина Б. “It all went quickly and professionally…” — Оля К. from €7,000 including documents, the coffin and transport to your town. We will give you the exact price within 5 minutes.
The price includes:
- Documents of the country of death and the consulate
- Preparation of the body
- Zinc-lined transport coffin
- Transport to your town
- Coffin of your choice and urn free of charge
- No prepayment
What changes the total: the city and distance, the route (road or air), the country’s documents, preparation of the body. More about prices →
In brief. In Korea, the death of a foreign national is initially investigated by the police, whilst the body is kept at the hospital mortuary. If the cause of death remains undetermined, an autopsy is carried out by the National Forensic Service. At the same time, we gather the relevant Korean documents and translations, prepare the application for submission to the Embassy and book a flight.
- Since 2015 bringing people home
- Ukrainian company Company code (EDRPOU) 46261246
- Contract with a fixed price
- 35 countries with “from” prices
- Own workshop coffins and funeral goods
- 24/7 one number throughout
If it has just happened
- Call or write any time. We explain what to say. We contact hospital and police.
- Mention any insurance policy. We coordinate with the insurer.
- Name two cities. Where it happened. Where to bring the body. Enough for a price. The passport comes later.
What to do if someone has died in South Korea
Hospitals, the police and the district administration in Korea operate in Korean, and the paperwork there is also in Korean. The family do not need to sort this out themselves: XREQUIEM handles everything from the first phone call right through to the handover of the body. Give us a call, and we’ll tell you what to do first.
We listen and give you the price
We will ask which hospital or city in Korea the body is currently in, and whether the certificate has already been issued. We will quote the amount for delivery to your city during that same conversation and include it in the contract.
The death certificate
It is issued by the hospital (사망진단서). If the death happened outside a hospital, a doctor writes a post-mortem examination report (사체검안서). The English version has to be requested separately; we take care of that.
The police check
The death of a foreigner is checked by the local police, and meanwhile the body stays in the hospital morgue. If the death was not natural, the body is released only with the permission of the police and the prosecutor.
Registering the death
The death is registered at the local administrative office within a month of the day it became known. The hospital's certificate is attached to the report.
The Ukrainian side
We submit the documents to the Embassy of Ukraine in Seoul. There the death of a Ukrainian citizen is registered and the papers are certified for the border.
The body and the coffin
Following a police examination and, if necessary, a post-mortem, we prepare the body for the flight. We hermetically seal the coffin and affix a seal. If the airline requires embalming and a certificate for it, we arrange both in advance.
We take the deceased home
In most cases, the coffin is flown from Incheon to an airport near Ukraine, and from there it is transported by our vehicle. We will hand the body over to the family at the location you specify.
We work out your price
Call or leave your number.
Documents needed to bring the deceased home from South Korea
The Korean documents are issued by the hospital, the police and the district administration.
What South Korea issues
- Hospital death certificate (사망진단서) or post-mortem examination report (사체검안서). In Korean; the English version is issued on separate request.
- Report of death (사망신고서): filed at the local administrative office together with the certificate.
- Certificate of completed examination of the body (검시필증), if the death was not natural. The police issue it on the prosecutor's decision.
- Embalming certificate, if the body was embalmed, and a certificate that the coffin meets air transport rules.
- A certificate confirming that the deceased did not have an infectious disease, and authorisation to transport the remains. These are usually required for the flight.
- The carrier's documents: the air waybill for the coffin.
We go through these administrative steps on the family's behalf.
What we take on
- We obtain the certificate, the report of death and the other papers.
- We book the air transport and obtain the air waybill.
- We have the Korean papers translated into Ukrainian and certified, then submit them to the Embassy in Seoul.
- We prepare the coffin as the Ukrainian border requires.
- We prepare a customs declaration for the Ukrainian border.
What we need from you
- The deceased's passport, or a photo of it.
- Your passport and a document showing that you are a relative.
- A power of attorney, so that we can act for the family in Korea. We explain how to prepare it.
While the body is in the hospital morgue, a storage fee is charged. It is paid when the body is collected, so it is best not to delay your call.
List for all countries: Documents. First few hours: What to do if a loved one dies abroad.
The Embassy of Ukraine in South Korea
Ukraine's mission in South Korea is the Embassy in Seoul. Korean death documents are in Korean, so for the consul they are translated into Ukrainian and certified.
- A certificate confirming that there are no items inside the body or the coffin is issued by the relevant Korean authority and certified by the Embassy in Seoul. Without it, the Ukrainian border authorities will not accept the body.
- We check the Embassy fee and the documents for funeral assistance before submitting.
We handle the translations from Korean and the submission to the Embassy, so the family usually doesn’t have to fly to Seoul. The article The Ukrainian consulate when someone dies abroad describes the consul’s other duties.
How we bring the deceased home from South Korea
Korea is on the other side of Asia, so the body cannot be transported from there without a plane. There are currently no flights to Ukraine: the coffin is flown to a neighbouring country, where our vehicle is waiting for it.
Where we collect from
We collect the deceased from Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju, Ulsan and from any other city in South Korea: from a hospital, a morgue or any other place where the deceased is. Most often we fly from Incheon International Airport near Seoul; which airport suits your case depends on the city and the flight. Name the city, and we will give you the route and the amount.
Plane plus vehicle
Most often the plane flies to an airport in Poland. Sometimes a flight to Frankfurt is more convenient, and then the road leg is longer. There the coffin is met by our vehicle, which takes it to your town.
How the coffin travels by air
From Incheon, the coffin is transported in the cargo hold of a passenger flight or on a cargo aircraft. Before booking, we agree with the airline on the certificates confirming embalming and the absence of infectious diseases, to ensure the coffin is not held up at the airport.
How long it takes
The journey from Korea takes at least 72 hours, counting from the moment the body was collected. Other procedures usually take longer: police checks, a possible post-mortem, and finding a flight from Incheon.
We do not promise direct flights to Ukraine. At the border, the coffin must be made of metal, airtight and sealed, so we seal a zinc lining shut. We prepare the customs declaration and accompanying documents ourselves. Regarding the air leg: Air transport.
What to know about South Korea
Factors affecting timeframes and paperwork in South Korea. We have drawn on the UK government’s guidance ‘What to do after a British person dies in South Korea’, the South Korean Family Relations Registration Act (Article 84) and statistics from the British Cremation Society (checked in October 2026). As the guide was written for British nationals, we verify each point on the ground.
- The police check every death of a foreigner. While the check is under way, the body stays in the hospital morgue. We stay in touch with the hospital and the police.
- A death that was not natural. In that case the body is released only with the permission of the police and the prosecutor. The police issue a certificate of completed examination of the body (검시필증), and without it the body cannot be collected. We obtain it.
- Post-mortem examination. For a foreign national, this is mandatory if the cause of death has not been established. It is carried out by the National Forensic Service. The family’s consent is usually sought, but it is not required in cases of suspicious death.
- The morgue fee. A fee is charged for keeping the body in the hospital morgue and is paid when the body is collected. The faster the papers are ready, the smaller the amount.
- Registering the death within a month. Under Korean law the death must be registered within a month of the day it became known. The hospital certificate or the post-mortem examination report is attached to the report.
- The English version of the certificate. The hospital issues it only on separate request. We ask for it at once so as not to lose a day.
- Cremation is very common. According to statistics from the British Cremation Society, more than 90% of the dead in Korea have been cremated in recent years. So arranging a cremation there is straightforward if the family chooses an urn.
How much does it cost to bring the deceased home from South Korea in 2026?
Body from South Korea from €7,000In the contract, we specify the total cost for the entire journey: from the mortuary in Korea, via air transport, to your city. The funeral in Ukraine is not included in this price.
What the price includes
The price includes:
- contact with hospital and morgue
- local, consular, border documents
- preparing the body for travel
- hermetically sealed coffin with a zinc liner for transport
- sealing as the border requires
- a flight from Korea, followed by our vehicle to your city
- handover to the family
Coffin of your choice and urn: free of charge.
What can change the price
The total cost is mainly influenced by the city in Korea, the flight and its fare on the date in question. Other factors include a police investigation or post-mortem examination, embalming, the airport of arrival (Poland or Frankfurt), the city in Ukraine, and whether insurance covers part of the costs. We clarify all of this during the first conversation. Prices for other countries: Prices.
Call us, day or night
Languages: Ukrainian, English, Polish, German. The same number in messengers.
Our work
Questions about repatriation from South Korea
How much does it cost to bring the deceased home from South Korea?
From €7,000 for the entire journey from Korea to your city, and this amount is specified in the contract. What is included in the price is listed above, and the article How much it costs to bring a body home to Ukraine from abroad explains what the price consists of.
How long does repatriation from South Korea take?
The journey itself takes at least 72 hours. The stages in South Korea take up most of the time: the hospital certificate, the police check, sometimes a post-mortem, followed by the Embassy and the flight from Incheon. We handle them all at the same time.
Why does the coffin not fly straight to Ukraine?
There are currently no flights to Ukraine. The coffin from Korea is flown to a neighbouring country, usually Poland, sometimes Frankfurt, where it is collected by our vehicle.
Why is the body not released at once?
In Korea the police check the death of a foreigner. If the death was not natural, the body is released only with the permission of the police and the prosecutor, after the certificate of completed examination of the body is issued. We stay in touch with the authorities and will tell you when the body can be collected.
Who issues the death certificate in South Korea?
The hospital issues the certificate. If the death happened outside a hospital, a doctor writes a post-mortem examination report. With it, the death is registered at the local administrative office. The documents are in Korean, so for Ukraine they are translated and certified.
Is embalming needed?
It depends on the airline and the route: some carriers only accept embalmed bodies on board, in which case a certificate of embalming is required for the flight. Please let us know straight away if the body has already been embalmed. For more details: preparing the body.
Which documents do you need from the family?
From the family: the deceased’s passport or a photograph of it, your passport, proof of kinship and a power of attorney in our favour. We take care of the hospital certificate, police reports, translations and the Embassy in Seoul.
Do I have to fly to Korea?
Generally speaking, no. We take care of the certificate, police reports and the application to the Embassy in Seoul ourselves, and we write to you or ring you at every stage. If your personal signature is required, we will let you know in advance. The article If the family cannot travel abroad explains how to handle the process from home.
What kind of coffin is needed?
At the Ukrainian border, a hermetic metal coffin under official seal is required. It must also meet air transport rules, so we agree everything in advance. Which coffins exist is on the Coffins page.
Will insurance cover the transport?
Yes, provided the policy covers the repatriation of the body. The insurer may appoint a funeral director in Korea itself, so please send us a photo of the policy before making any payments: we will check the terms and contact the insurer. If you pay yourself before the insurer has given its consent, you may not receive any compensation. More: Insurance and bringing a body home.
Can an urn with ashes be brought home from South Korea?
Yes, from €2,500. In Korea, most of the deceased are cremated, so it is not difficult to arrange a cremation there. At the Ukrainian border, the urn needs a death certificate and a certificate confirming that there are no foreign objects inside, certified by the consulate. You will also need a cremation certificate, and it is worth informing the airline about the urn in advance: some allow it to be carried in hand luggage. More: Urn transport.
Tell us what happened
Oleg Zdendiak and the team. We explain the next steps.
Send a request for repatriation from South Korea
Leave your number and we will call you back.
Repatriation from other countries: Japan, Kazakhstan, Australia. All countries are on the countries page.