Love Temperature Tower at 62.7 Degrees... Can It Reach 100 Degrees Despite Impeachment Crisis and Economic Cold Wave?

The 'Love Temperature Tower,' symbolizing the year-end and New Year donation culture, is at risk of not reaching 100 degrees. The current temperature is similar to last year's level, but the prolonged economic recession amid the impeachment crisis is causing a decline in donation efforts.

At the launch ceremony of the Fruit of Love 'Hope 2025 Sharing Campaign' held on the 2nd at Gwanghwamun Square, Jongno-gu, Seoul, attendees including Chairman Kim Byung-joon, First Vice Minister of Welfare Lee Gi-il, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, and Chairman Lim Jong-ryong of Woori Financial Group performed the lighting ceremony of the Fruit of Love temperature tower. This year's sharing target amount is 449.7 billion KRW, and the campaign will run for 62 days until January 31 next year. Photo by Jo Yong-jun

On the 24th, Yonhap News, citing the Community Chest of Korea, reported, "As of the 22nd, the fundraising amount for the 'Hope 2025 Sharing Campaign' was recorded at 281.9 billion KRW," adding, "This is 62.7% of this year's target of 449.7 billion KRW, and the mercury level of the Love Temperature Tower at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, which rises by 1 degree for every 1% of the target amount raised, also recorded 62.7 degrees."

According to this, last year's campaign collected 273.5 billion KRW out of the 434.9 billion KRW target during the same period, and the Love Temperature Tower indicated 62.9 degrees. The media analyzed, "Although the difference is only 0.2 degrees numerically, this year, major companies completed their donations by mid-month, making it difficult to achieve the target."

On the 18th, one week before Christmas, at Namsan Ja-i Haneulchae Daycare Center in Jung-gu, Daegu, children are placing pre-prepared donation envelopes into the Salvation Army charity kettles during the "Visiting Charity Kettle, Little Donation Angels" event. Photo by Yonhap News.

The Community Chest of Korea also told Yonhap News that unlike last year, when corporate donations steadily continued until the end of the year and exceeded the target, this year, corporate donations have slowed down since mid-month.

The Community Chest of Korea started fundraising on the 1st and plans to continue until January 31 of next year. The number of new members in the Honor Society, a group of high-value donors who have donated more than 100 million KRW to the organization, was 20 as of the previous day. This is more than a 50% decrease compared to 55 members last year and 42 members in 2022 during the same period.

A representative of the Community Chest of Korea said, "The high inflation and the state of emergency have overlapped, making it difficult to foster a donation atmosphere," and urged, "We hope for much interest so that we can provide planned support to local communities."