Sokcho City Surpasses Record Cumulative Hometown Love Donations of 2.4 Billion Won

2025 Fundraising Reaches 1.163 Billion Won
Up 45% Compared to 2024
1,052 Donors Choose Sokcho Love Gift Certificate
Plays a Key Role in Creating a Virtuous Cycle for the Local Economy

In 2025, the hometown love donation fund in Sokcho City recorded a historic high of 1.163 billion won, thanks to significant interest and participation from donors nationwide. Since the implementation of the program, the cumulative amount raised has surpassed 2.4 billion won.

In 2025, the hometown love donation fund in Sokcho City recorded a historic high of 1.163 billion won, attracting significant interest and participation from donors nationwide. Provided by Sokcho City

The amount raised in 2025 increased by 45% compared to 2024. Since the introduction of the hometown love donation program, the fund has continued to grow steadily each year, leading to the assessment that the system has been stably established based on nationwide interest and support for Sokcho City.

Last year, the city conducted a survey on the hometown love donation program among a total of 1,317 participants, including regular donor appreciation event attendees, participants in friendship and sister city events, and those who entered the year-end gift giveaway event. According to the survey, 45% of respondents cited “falling in love with Sokcho after visiting as a tourist” as their main motivation for donating, reaffirming Sokcho’s reputation as a premier tourist destination in Korea. This was followed by “preference for Sokcho’s return gifts” (26%), “participation through SNS event promotions” (20%), and “Sokcho being their hometown” (9%).

These results indicate that positive impressions formed through tourism experiences and competitive return gifts reflecting local characteristics naturally lead to increased participation in the donation program.

Among the return gifts, the Sokcho Love Gift Certificate was selected a total of 1,052 times, confirming its high popularity among donors. This is seen as evidence that participation in the hometown love donation program goes beyond simply receiving a gift, creating a virtuous cycle in the local economy by encouraging repeat visits, longer stays, and increased spending in Sokcho.

Meanwhile, in response to questions about how the donation fund should be used, most donors-who frequently visit Sokcho-suggested expanding tourism infrastructure, developing diverse experiential travel products, enhancing cultural facilities, and improving visitor amenities. There were also ongoing requests for projects closely related to citizens’ daily lives, such as child and youth care and educational support, assistance for vulnerable groups, and the expansion of children’s play facilities that families can enjoy together.

The city plans to actively reflect the results of this survey in discovering new hometown love fund projects this year. By creating infrastructure that benefits both tourists and residents, and by promoting welfare projects that consider the socially disadvantaged, Sokcho will further strengthen its competitiveness as a tourist city and improve the quality of life for its citizens through focused administrative efforts.

In addition, this year the city will offer on-site consumption-type return gifts linked to local commercial districts and provide special benefits for donors. By encouraging donors to visit the region and helping boost sales for small businesses, the city aims to further solidify the virtuous cycle in which donations lead to consumption and, ultimately, regional development.

Lee Byungseon, Mayor of Sokcho City, said, “I sincerely thank all the donors who participated in the hometown love donation program out of their support for Sokcho from across the country. We will do our utmost to ensure that your donations make citizens’ lives warmer and become a driving force for Sokcho’s future by operating the fund transparently and identifying projects that citizens can truly feel.”