Hapcheon-gun, a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, is actively promoting its Hometown Love Donation Program with a special Lunar New Year event, running from February 9th to March 13th, 2026. The initiative aims to encourage participation in the program throughout the holiday period and foster a stronger culture of giving back to local communities.
The “Hapcheon-gun Hometown Love Donation Program Lunar New Year is Open for Business” event automatically enters donors who contribute 100,000 KRW or more to Hapcheon-gun and order a thank-you gift. A total of 50 winners will be randomly selected to receive a prize package including merchandise featuring ‘Byeolkung,’ the county’s mascot, as well as a randomly selected item from the available Hapcheon-gun thank-you gifts. Winners will be notified individually on March 17th, 2026.
According to Hwang Ga, a spokesperson for Hapcheon-gun, the event was designed to provide a way for people to express their support for their hometown during the Lunar New Year. “We will continue to work to revitalize the Hometown Love Donation Program through various participatory promotions and tangible benefit-driven projects,” Hwang Ga stated.
The Hometown Love Donation Program, launched in 2023, allows individuals to donate up to 20 million KRW annually to local governments other than their place of residence. Donors receive tax deductions based on the amount donated – full deduction for donations up to 100,000 KRW, 44% for donations up to 200,000 KRW, and 16.5% for amounts exceeding 200,000 KRW. Donors receive gifts worth approximately 30% of their donation amount, typically consisting of local specialties.
Hapcheon-gun further incentivizes donations by issuing “Hapcheon Aehyang Certification” to donors, granting them discounts or free access to county-operated facilities. This provides a tangible benefit beyond the tax deduction and gift, effectively extending the value of their contribution.
Donations to Hapcheon-gun can be made online through the ‘Hometown Love e-eum’ website and various mobile banking applications (including 국민, 기업, 신한, 하나, and 농협). Offline donations are accepted at all branches of the NongHyup bank nationwide.
The program’s success is evident in Hapcheon-gun’s early achievement of its fundraising goal of 350 million KRW as of November 27, 2024. This demonstrates a growing interest in supporting local communities through the Hometown Love Donation Program.
The initiative comes as local governments across South Korea increasingly rely on such programs to bolster their economies and fund local projects. The Ministry of Public Administration and Security has actively promoted the program, particularly in areas affected by recent natural disasters, recognizing its potential as a crucial source of funding for recovery efforts. The system allows for both general donations, designated by local governments, and designated donations, allowing donors to specify the projects they wish to support, including disaster relief and recovery initiatives.
In December 2025, the Hometown Love Donation System surpassed 10 billion KRW in total donations since its inception, marking a significant milestone for the program and highlighting its growing popularity among citizens seeking to support their local communities. The program’s combination of tax benefits, thank-you gifts, and community engagement opportunities has proven to be a successful model for local fundraising and regional development.
