Nation's First Pediatric Clinic Recognized
for Innovative Use of Hometown Love Donations
and Community-Driven Achievements
Gokseong County won the 'Grand Prize' at the Hometown Love Donation Program Best Practices Competition held on the 4th at the Osong Convention Center in Cheongju, Chungbuk. Photo by Gokseong County
Gokseong County in South Jeolla Province, led by Governor Cho Sangrae, won the 'Grand Prize' at the Hometown Love Donation Program Best Practices Competition held on September 4 at the Osong Convention Center (OSCO) in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.
This competition, hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to commemorate 'Hometown Love Day,' provided a platform for local governments nationwide to share and compete with their fundraising achievements and innovative cases through the Hometown Love Donation Program. Winners were selected by combining expert evaluations and votes from an audience panel.
During its presentation, the county introduced its 'Gift Pediatrics to Gokseong' initiative, which received an enthusiastic response. Despite being a high-risk depopulation area with a population of about 26,000, Gokseong County utilized hometown love donations to launch the nation's first traveling pediatric clinic (Season 1). Following a county satisfaction survey in which over 60% of residents expressed a desire for regular pediatric services, the program was expanded to provide permanent pediatric care (Season 2) at the Gokseong County Public Health Center.
Although the project faced legal and institutional challenges such as recruiting doctors, obtaining legal interpretations, and developing a system with the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, these obstacles were overcome through ongoing communication with relevant institutions, laying the groundwork for successful implementation.
Subsequently, the county implemented a policy feedback-based fund program in seasonal phases, fully reflecting residents' opinions and achieving a 100% satisfaction rate among residents. Notably, over 90% of residents recognized that the establishment of the pediatric clinic was made possible through donations and voluntarily promoted the initiative.
In addition, Gokseong County introduced differentiated promotional strategies, including the activities of the 'Gokseong Love Supporters' group with more than 9,000 members, the development of the unique donation-based reward 'Gokseong Love Flex Voucher,' and the delivery of handwritten letters from beneficiaries. These efforts encouraged both initial and repeat donations, contributing to the spread of a donation culture in Gokseong County and improving its performance in the Hometown Love Donation Program.
On September 5, Governor Cho Sangrae stated, "This award is an achievement made possible by both the residents of Gokseong County and our donors. We will continue to discover projects through the Hometown Love Donation Program that bring tangible benefits to residents and help overcome the crisis of regional depopulation."
Building on this success, the county plans to utilize the Hometown Love Donation Program to expand essential medical infrastructure, strengthen welfare services for vulnerable groups, and improve settlement conditions for youth and families.
Additionally, Gokseong County will work to stabilize permanent pediatric care and expand designated donation projects to areas with high resident demand. The county also plans to develop donation programs linked to tourism resources, aiming to establish a virtuous cycle of donation, tourism, and regional economic revitalization.
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