As the 'hometown love donation system' enters its third year in South Korea, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety will discuss the development plans for the system with the Japanese government.
Japan is the country that has implemented the 'hometown tax system,' which served as the basis for the hometown love donation system, for about 18 years. The system has been revitalized to the extent that, 15 years after the introduction of the hometown tax system, the annual fundraising performance surpassed 1 trillion yen (approximately 10 trillion won) in 2023.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 23rd that a Korea-Japan joint seminar to seek ways to advance the hometown love donation system will be held in Japan.
On the same day, the ministry will first visit the Miyazaki Prefectural Office to hold a policy seminar. From the following day until the 25th, they plan to visit the fund project sites in Miyakonojō City in Miyazaki Prefecture and Osaki Town in Kagoshima Prefecture.
They will examine how the funds are being used, how donations are utilized in disaster situations, and whether the introduction of corporate donations and gift incentives are effectively revitalizing the local economy. Currently, corporate donations are not permitted in South Korea.
Deputy Minister Kim Min-jae noted, "I will make efforts to ensure that the hometown love donation system can play a larger role as a strategy to respond to regional extinction by referencing Japan's experience."