Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun: "Hometown Love Donation System Empowers Local Governments in Decline"

[Suwon Ilbo = Reporter Jung Jun-sung] Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun emphasized that "the purpose of implementing the Hometown Love Donation System is to empower local governments facing population decline."

The mayor said at the "Hometown Love Donation System Return Gift Selection Committee Member Appointment Ceremony" held at the city government office situation room on the 26th, "While it is important for Suwon City to receive donations from citizens of other local governments through the Hometown Love Donation System, it is equally important to promote our citizens to donate to local governments in decline."

He continued, "The purpose of the Hometown Love Donation System can only be realized when people donate more to local governments facing decline," and added, "Since the donation limit for the Hometown Love Donation System is 5 million won per year, rather than donors giving 5 million won to a single local government, I hope they will donate 100,000 won each to 50 local governments facing population decline."

Furthermore, he stated, "Not only for those whose hometown is Suwon City, but so that citizens from other regions who love Suwon can donate to Suwon City, I hope Suwon City approaches this not as 'Hometown Love Donation System' but as the concept of 'Suwon Love Donation System.'"

Suwon City appointed seven private experts, including Kim Woo-young, editorial board member of this newspaper, as private committee members of the Return Gift Selection Committee on this day. The Return Gift Selection Committee consists of nine members: private committee members, one ex-officio member (Director of Suwon City's Autonomy and Decentralization Division), and one member of the Suwon City Council.

The "Hometown Love Donation System" to be implemented from January 1 next year is a system where people living in other regions who donate to their hometown or other local governments receive a tax deduction benefit at a certain rate, and the local government receiving the donation can provide return gifts within 30% of the donation amount.

All citizens of local governments except Suwon residents can donate to Suwon City, and Suwon residents can donate to all basic and metropolitan local governments nationwide except Suwon City and Gyeonggi Province. Donations can be made through online (Hometown Love E-um System) and NH Nonghyup Bank reception counters.

A 100% tax deduction is provided for donations of 100,000 won or less, and 16.5% for amounts exceeding 100,000 won. When donating 100,000 won, donors can receive benefits equivalent to 130,000 won (100,000 won tax deduction + 30,000 won return gift). Only individuals can donate, and the per-person annual donation limit is 5 million won. Local governments can use donations for supporting socially vulnerable populations, revitalizing local communities, and resident welfare projects.

The Return Gift Selection Committee held a meeting after the appointment ceremony and selected return gift items. Evaluation criteria for supplier assessment were also discussed.

The return gifts selected at the meeting include ▲Suwon Pay (regional currency) ▲tourism service coupons ▲Suwon Hostel accommodation vouchers ▲city tourism souvenirs (Neunghang-cha business card holder, pewter soju glasses, Neunghang-do mini folding screen, etc.) and a total of 10 types.

The city plans to recruit private supply companies in early January next year. The application period is from January 16 to 18. The city is recruiting participating businesses in six sectors: ▲agricultural and livestock products ▲processed foods ▲city character products ▲picnic sets ▲one-day classes ▲and craft products.

The city plans to complete the schedule for proposal evaluation, supplier agreements, and system registration by the end of January next year. Once suppliers are selected through committee review, products from those suppliers will be operated as return gifts for the Hometown Love Donation System starting in February.