Corporate Donations Drive Increase…Up by 6.9% from Last Year
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Joo-hyung: Representatives from the Community Chest of Korea and citizens hold a closing ceremony for the “Hope 2026 Sharing Campaign” in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, on the 2nd, marking the end of the 62-day campaign. The Community Chest of Korea announced that a total of 512.4 billion won was raised. This exceeds the target goal of 450 billion won by approximately 62.4 billion won and is the highest figure in the history of the Community Chest of Korea’s Hope Sharing Campaign, breaking the 500 billion won mark for the first time. 2026.2.2 kjhpress@yna.co.kr
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Yi Yul-rip: The “Thermometer of Love” fundraising reached a record high driven by corporate donations amid the economic downturn.
The Community Chest of Korea announced on the 2nd that through the “Hope 2026 Sharing Campaign,” a fund of 512.4 billion won was raised.
This figure is approximately 62.4 billion won more than the targeted 450 billion won, marking the highest amount in the history of the Community Chest of Korea’s Hope Sharing Campaign and for the first time surpassing the 500 billion won mark.
The campaign, which started on December 1st last year and lasted for 62 days, saw the “Thermometer of Love” temperature rise to 113.9 degrees.
The Community Chest of Korea analyzed that the increase in corporate donations contributed to exceeding the target amount. In this campaign, corporate donations amounted to 392 billion won, an increase of 6.9% compared to the previous year (366.7 billion won).
On the other hand, individual donations were 120.4 billion won, a 3.5% decrease compared to the previous year (124.8 billion won).
Over the past year, the total annual donations to the Community Chest of Korea amounted to 986.4 billion won. This is the highest amount since the establishment of the Community Chest in 1998 and the first time exceeding the 900 billion won mark.
Corporate donations were 681.7 billion won, a 14.8% increase compared to the previous year (593.8 billion won), and individual donations were 304.7 billion won, a 20.0% increase compared to the previous year (253.9 billion won).
The Community Chest of Korea cited special fundraising for disasters and calamities, such as the Jeju Air passenger accident, wildfires in Yeongnam, and damages from heavy rains, as the main reasons for the increase in donations. Last year, 107.3 billion won was raised through special fundraising efforts.
On the afternoon of the same day, the Community Chest of Korea held the closing ceremony for the “Hope 2026 Sharing Campaign” in Gwanghwamun Square, Jongno-gu, Seoul, concluding the “Thermometer of Love” fundraising.
The ceremony was attended by Jeonju University student Park Ye-chan, who designed the “Thermometer of Love,” and Yi Yu-mi, a firefighter from Gangwon Fire Headquarters, representing donors.
Kim Byung-jun, chairman of the Community Chest of Korea, said, “I deeply thank everyone who participated in making the donation that adds to happiness.”