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10th Time’s the Charm: Lunar New Year “Busan Hometown Love Donation” Event Launched

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will promote the “10th Time’s the Charm: Lunar New Year Busan Hometown Love Donation Event” to encourage participation in the Hometown Love Donation program and to share abundant good fortune with donors during the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday.

This event will run for 30 days, from today (the 28th) through February 26. Anyone who makes a single donation of at least 100,000 won to Busan Metropolitan City (City Hall) during this period will be automatically entered without the need for a separate application.

Starting this year, expanded tax deductions following revisions to relevant laws allow donors to receive benefits exceeding the amount donated, making participation more advantageous.

For a donation of 100,000 won, donors receive a full 100,000 won tax deduction along with a gift worth approximately 30,000 won, totaling benefits of 130,000 won.

For a donation of 200,000 won, donors receive a tax deduction of 144,000 won (a full deduction for the first 100,000 won and 44 percent of the additional 100,000 won), plus gifts worth approximately 60,000 won, for total benefits of 204,000 won. This expands the range in which donors receive value exceeding their donation amount up to 200,000 won.

In conjunction with the event, Busan Metropolitan City has also prepared a “Lucky Fortune Pouch” bonus that offers special gifts to donors. The “10th Time’s the Charm” benefit is awarded to donors whose donation order corresponds to a multiple of ten (10, 20, 30 … up to 5,000). Winners (up to 500 people) may choose one item from among Busan’s representative seasonal specialties: Daejeo salty tomatoes (2.5 kg), Daejeo glutinous tomatoes (5 kg), an International Food Korean pork set (2 kg), or Garak Nonghyup premium golden rice (10 kg).

Meanwhile, Busan Metropolitan City will continue this year its “designated donation” fundraising, which allows donors to choose specific projects to support. Following strong public response last year, two projects are included: the installation of community fire safety equipment in fire-vulnerable areas, and the “Restarting Stopped Hearts” project.

The installation of community fire safety equipment in fire-vulnerable areas involves replacing separated fire extinguishing devices installed in hillside neighborhoods and traditional markets where fire trucks have difficulty accessing, with integrated emergency fire extinguishing systems. These integrated systems are easy for anyone to use and reduce initial fire response time, the golden time, to around one minute.

The “Restarting Stopped Hearts” project replaces outdated equipment in 119 ambulances with the latest mechanical chest compression devices and defibrillators to improve survival rates for emergency patients.

The fundraising targets for 2026 are 470 million won for the installation of community fire safety equipment in fire-vulnerable areas and 547 million won for the “Restarting Stopped Hearts” project. Funds raised will be used to carry out the projects in the following year, 2027.

Hometown Love Donation funds are also used for a variety of initiatives that enhance the welfare of Busan citizens, including support for vulnerable groups and revitalization of local communities. Donors wishing to participate in the event or make a designated donation can easily do so through the Hometown Love e-Eum website (ilovegohyang.go.kr).

Mayor Park Heong-joon said, “We prepared this event to express our gratitude to donors who are sharing their love with Busan during the Lunar New Year holiday,” adding, “With the expanded tax deductions now in effect, I hope many more people will take part in the Hometown Love Donation program, and I ask for continued interest and participation in the designated donation projects that help protect the safety and precious lives of Busan citizens.”