He Is Only 30, but... MPVA Explains Why Faker Could Be Buried in a National Cemetery

[The Financial News] The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (MPVA) has drawn attention after responding that it would be "possible if a review is conducted and burial is approved" for Lee Sang-hyeok (Faker), the League of Legends (LoL) world champion and an esports legend.
On the 22nd, the MPVA posted a card-style news update on its official social media account titled, "Faker, who received the Cheongnyong (Blue Dragon) Medal of Sports—could he also be buried at Seoul National Cemetery?"
According to the MPVA, recipients of the Cheongnyong (Blue Dragon) Medal of Sports are not classified as persons of distinguished service to the state under the Act on the Honorable Treatment and Support of Persons of Distinguished Service to the State. However, in the case of Seoul National Cemetery, Article 5 of the Act on the Establishment and Management of National Cemeteries allows individuals who have made significant contributions to the nation and society to qualify for burial. If they undergo deliberation by the National Cemetery Burial Review Committee, recipients of the Cheongnyong (Blue Dragon) Medal of Sports may also be laid to rest there after death.
The MPVA noted that questions such as "Could Faker also be buried at Seoul National Cemetery?" and "Is Faker a person of distinguished service to the state?" have continued to surface. It explained that this was why it decided to issue an official answer on whether Lee Sang-hyeok (Faker), who is only 30 years old, could potentially be buried in a national cemetery in the future.
This has led to speculation that fans of Lee Sang-hyeok and online users may have directly asked the MPVA whether his status as a recipient of the Cheongnyong (Blue Dragon) Medal of Sports qualifies him as a person of distinguished service to the state and whether he could one day be buried at Seoul National Cemetery.
Earlier, on the 2nd, President Lee Jae Myung presented Lee Sang-hyeok (Faker) with the Cheongnyong (Blue Dragon) Medal of Sports at the 2026 New Year’s Reception held at the State Guest House of Cheong Wa Dae. The award recognized his contribution to the development of Korean esports by setting historic records in League of Legends.

The Cheongnyong (Blue Dragon) Medal of Sports is the highest grade among sports orders of merit. Past recipients include marathoner Sohn Kee-chung, football coach Guus Hiddink, figure skater Yuna Kim, Premier League Golden Boot winner Son Heung-min, and golfer Pak Se-ri. Lee Sang-hyeok (Faker) is the first esports player ever to receive this medal.
Lee Sang-hyeok (Faker) is the captain of the LoL esports team T1. In early November last year, he led his team to an unprecedented third career title at the League of Legends World Championship (LoL Worlds), the first time in LoL esports history that a player has achieved three Worlds championships. The presidential office stated that "Lee Sang-hyeok has consistently delivered world-class results in the LoL esports discipline and has firmly established the global standing of Korean esports," explaining the reason for conferring the medal.
bng@fnnews.com Kim Hee-sun Reporter