The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) and SBS announced that they will host the "2026 Hometown Love Festa" at the aT Center in Yangjae, Seoul, from the 19th to the 20th.

This event is designed to share the achievements of the hometown love donation program, which marks its fourth year of implementation this year, with the public and to showcase a variety of regional return gifts and local charms in one place.

The venue will introduce region-specific return gifts as well as designated donation projects carried out using hometown love donations.

Visitors who donate 100,000 won or more on-site will be given the opportunity to participate in a lucky pouch drawing event.

Those who complete a stamp tour connecting the booths of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and local governments can also receive prizes such as hometown love donation keychains and mats on a first-come, first-served basis every day.

During the event, a South Korea-Japan international seminar will also be held to discuss directions for the sustainable development of the hometown love donation program.

On the first day, under the theme of "Expansion of the Hometown Love Donation Program," operational cases of Japan's hometown tax system and directions for institutional development will be examined. On the second day, under the theme of "Regional Contents and Regional Finance," ways to revitalize local areas using regional resources will be discussed.

Professor Ohira Shuji of Musashino University in Japan and Mayor Hashimoto Masahiro of Sakai town will deliver keynote speeches, respectively.

(Photo: Provided by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Yonhap News)