Korea's Constitutional Court Upholds Ban on Columbaria Near Schools

Korea's Constitutional Court on July 30 upheld a law that bans locating a columbarium within 200 meters of a school. Indian Catholic reports the court held that the law can be applied to columbaria owned by religious organizations as well as those owned privately. The court said that a nearby columbarium is likely to have a negative emotional impact on students. The law banning construction near schools was enacted in 2007 after a Catholic Church won its battle in the Supreme Court under prior law to build a columbarium in the basement of its new building next to a school. The Catholic Diocese of Seoul issued a statement criticizing the court's decision, saying it infringes religious freedom.