Local Government Events to Allow 'Text' Donation Encouragement... Expansion of Official Fundraising Autonomy

From now on, official fundraising will be possible at events hosted, organized, or sponsored by local governments. In particular, it will also be possible to encourage and solicit donations through text message transmission and private gatherings. Additionally, starting next year, the annual donation limit for the Hometown Love Donation, which was previously capped at 5 million KRW, will be raised to 20 million KRW.

On the 6th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that the amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the "Hometown Love Donation Act," which includes these details, was approved at the Cabinet meeting and will take effect from August 21.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is speaking at the Cabinet meeting held on the 23rd at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

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This amendment stipulates matters delegated by the "Hometown Love Donation Act," which was revised on February 20, and actively reflects the suggestions made by local governments to revitalize the Hometown Love Donation system.

The core is the expansion of local governments' autonomy in fundraising for the Hometown Love Donation. First, fundraising through meetings and events hosted, organized, or sponsored by local governments is permitted, and fundraising using electronic transmission media such as text messages up to twice per quarter is also allowed. Accordingly, local governments can utilize various fundraising methods such as promotions via text messages and inviting expatriates, including alumni associations and hometown clubs, to local events.

Furthermore, while previously thank-you gifts could only be purchased with the local government's general budget, going forward, it will be allowed to purchase thank-you gifts for donors within a limit of 30% of the Hometown Love Donation funds. Through this, the burden on local governments to predict and allocate the general budget for thank-you gifts in the following year is expected to decrease.

In addition, the donation receipt form has been revised following the implementation of designated donations, and contents such as the expansion of the donation limit (from 5 million KRW to 20 million KRW annually), which will be enforced in January 2025, have been preemptively reflected in the enforcement decree. This measure is to ensure that follow-up actions according to the legal amendment can be carried out smoothly. Kim Min-jae, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, stated, "With the opening of the private platform for Hometown Love Donations to be piloted within this year and the amendment of this enforcement decree, fundraising for Hometown Love Donations will be further revitalized. We will continue to improve the system so that donations can be raised through more diverse methods and that the raised funds can provide practical help to areas facing population decline and other difficulties."

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