Michuhol-gu District (Mayor Kim Jeong-sik) in Incheon has decided how it will spend money raised through the Hometown Love Donation program next year. The district held a meeting of its Hometown Love Fund Management Deliberation Committee in the mid-sized conference room at the district office on the 14th and finalized three Hometown Love Fund projects for 2027. The decision centers on two areas: better screening conditions at a local art-house cinema and support for young people.
 [The Korean Today] Michuhol-gu Hometown Love Fund Management Deliberation Committee © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
Three projects passed the review. The first is a projection system upgrade at Cinema Space Juan, titled “Lighting Up Tomorrow for Our Neighborhood Cinema.” The second, “A Hopeful Path Away From Loneliness,” will give out-of-school youth a chance to go on a school trip. The third will support the development of a youth shooting team. The lineup combines one investment in cultural infrastructure with two projects for young people.
All three projects rest on the fund purposes set out in the Hometown Love Donation Act. The law requires that Hometown Love Funds be used to improve residents’ welfare, including support for vulnerable groups, the development and protection of youth, and the promotion of culture and the arts for local residents. The three projects were chosen within that scope.
The most notable point is that the Cinema Space Juan project has been classified as a “designated donation project.” Under designated giving, donors pick the specific project their money will fund, which lets them see exactly how it is used. The district made the project eligible for designated donations so that donors who care about independent and art films can directly support the growth of local film culture. Donations designated for the project can be made from 2027.
A projection system is the key equipment that determines the quality of the screen and of the screenings audiences see. Unlike large commercial theaters, venues that mainly show independent and art films bear a heavy burden when replacing equipment. If donor support pays for the upgrade, local residents are expected to get a noticeably better viewing experience close to home.
The two youth projects are also closely tied to residents’ daily lives. As its name suggests, “A Hopeful Path Away From Loneliness” aims to ease the isolation of young people outside the school system by letting them travel with their peers. The youth shooting team project helps local student athletes continue in their sport, so the Hometown Love Fund goes directly to young people in the community.
“We hope these fund projects will bring new hope to Michuhol-gu,” a district official said. “We will continue to find projects that earn the support of both donors and residents and make a real contribution to local development.”
The Hometown Love Donation program lets individuals donate to a local government other than the one where they are registered as residents. Donors receive a full tax credit on donations of up to 100,000 won and can also receive local return gifts worth up to 30 percent of the donation. Donations can be made through the Gohyangsarang e-Eum website or at any NongHyup Bank branch nationwide. Michuhol-gu’s decision is significant in that it widens the channel through which outside donors’ choices can support local cultural facilities and the growth of young people.
[ Reporter Kim Mi-hee: incheonsouth@thekoreantoday.com ]
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