Jeonnam-Gwangju hometown donations top 97 bln won; 61.5% left in funds
In short
Jeonnam-Gwangju collected 97.118 billion won in hometown donations from the programme’s launch in 2023 through August, and 59.727 billion won — 61.5% — was still held as a fund balance, according to data released by Rep. Park Jung-hyun of the Democratic Party. The region’s balance ratio was below the 69.7% national average, but its balance was the largest in the country and its five lower-level governments filled the top five in national donation totals. Rep. Park called for a system to disclose how the money is used.
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Cumulative hometown donations in Jeonnam-Gwangju reached 97.118 billion won between the programme’s launch in 2023 and August this year, and 59.727 billion won of that — 61.5% — was still held in a fund, according to data released on Oct. 4 by Rep. Park Jung-hyun of the Democratic Party. Newsis reported the same 61.5% balance figure and a 597 billion won fund in its headline. [ 1 , 2 ]
The balance ratio was 8.2 percentage points below the national average of 69.7%, but the balance itself was the largest in the country, Yonhap reported, citing data from the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee. The five lower-level governments with the largest donation totals nationwide were all in the region: Dong-gu with 11.125 billion won, Nam-gu with 11.07 billion won, Yeongam-gun with 7.152 billion won, Goheung-gun with 7.018 billion won and Damyang-gun with 6.456 billion won. [ 1 ]
Donations designated for a specific use came to 14.789 billion won, the most in the country and 15.2% of the region’s total, compared with a national average of 9.8%. Of those designated projects, 48 have been completed and 57 are under way. [ 1 ]
Nationwide, 243 local governments have raised 345.743 billion won, with 241.009 billion won left in funds. Rep. Park said donors must be able to know where their money goes and how it is spent for that to lead to further donations, and called for a disclosure system for fund use and support for finding projects. [ 1 ]
Newsis reported the 61.5% balance and the 597 billion won fund in its headline and summary on the same day, but published no further figures on the event. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
The figures concern a national hometown donation programme that depends on people choosing to give, and Rep. Park argued that donors need to see where their money goes for giving to continue. The region has both the country’s largest donation total and its largest unspent balance, so how that money is managed may affect how the programme is regarded locally. The documents record no response yet from the city or the 27 lower-level governments involved.
Key facts
- Jeonnam-Gwangju’s cumulative hometown donations from the programme’s 2023 launch through August totaled 97.118 billion won, according to data disclosed by Rep. Park Jung-hyun. [ 1 ]
- The fund balance was 59.727 billion won, or 61.5% of the amount raised. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The balance ratio was 8.2 percentage points below the 69.7% national average, but the balance amount was the largest in the country. [ 1 ]
- The five lower-level governments with the largest nationwide donation totals were all in the region: Dong-gu 11.125 billion won, Nam-gu 11.07 billion won, Yeongam-gun 7.152 billion won, Goheung-gun 7.018 billion won and Damyang-gun 6.456 billion won. [ 1 ]
- Designated donations, in which the donor chooses the use, came to 14.789 billion won — the most in the country — or 15.2% of the region’s total against a national average of 9.8%; 48 designated projects have ended and 57 are under way. [ 1 ]
- Nationwide, 243 local governments have raised 345.743 billion won, with 241.009 billion won remaining in funds. [ 1 ]
- Rep. Park said donors must be able to know where their money goes and how it is spent, and called for a disclosure system for fund use and support for finding projects. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Jeonnam-Gwangju raised 97.118 billion won in hometown donations from 2023 through August, of which 59.727 billion won, or 61.5%, remained as a fund balance. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The figures come from data compiled by Rep. Park Jung-hyun of the Democratic Party, a member of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee. [ 1 ]
Still unclear
- Why 61.5% of the donations raised in the region has been left unspent. The documents give the balance figures but do not explain the reasons for them or set out any plans for spending the money.
- Whether the city or the lower-level governments have responded to Rep. Park’s call for a disclosure system for fund use. Only the lawmaker’s comments are reported; no response from the city or the 27 lower-level governments appears in the documents.