The cumulative donation amount for the Hometown Love Donation System has surpassed 100 billion KRW in its third year since its introduction. From next year, the tax deduction rate for donations will be further expanded, leading to an increase in participation. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on December 16 that the cumulative donation amount for the Hometown Love Donation as of December 15, 2025, has exceeded 100 billion KRW.
In the first year of the Hometown Love Donation System in 2023, 65.1 billion KRW was raised, and in 2024, 87.9 billion KRW was raised. This year, as of December 9, the amount has already surpassed last year’s performance. The Hometown Love Donation System was introduced to respond to the crisis of local extinction, allowing individuals to donate to local governments outside their residence and receive tax deductions and return gifts. The donations are used for projects to improve the welfare of residents and revitalize the region.
The increase in donations this year is analyzed as a result of the voluntary participation of the public and efforts to activate the system. In particular, donations were concentrated in eight areas designated as special disaster zones due to wildfires in March, significantly increasing the amount raised in March and April. The combined donation amount for March and April this year was 18.4 billion KRW, about 2.3 times higher than the same period last year (7.9 billion KRW).
To promote donations to special disaster areas, the government revised related laws in March this year, expanding the tax deduction rate for donations exceeding 100,000 KRW from 16.5% to 33% within three months of the special disaster area declaration. The increased proportion of donations through private platforms also contributed to the increase in donations. The proportion of donations through private platforms increased significantly from 7.1% last year to 21.9% this year, with the addition of three new platforms: Nonghyup Bank, Wello, and Cherry, improving accessibility to donations.