[E-Daily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] SBS is partnering with the Korea Local Tax Research Institute to overcome the crisis of regional depopulation and revitalize local economies.

SBS and the Korea Local Tax Research Institute held a signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the 7th at the SBS Broadcasting Center in Mok-dong, Seoul, to promote and establish the “Love for My Hometown” Donation Program.
Through this MOU, the Korea Local Tax Research Institute will collaborate with SBS to promote the “Love for Hometown Donation System,” carry out necessary projects, and support promotional activities and campaigns for the program. SBS will actively engage in publicizing, covering, and reporting on the Korea Local Tax Research Institute, and will provide the Institute with priority opportunities to participate in the planning of events and programs related to the “Love for Hometown Donation System.”
Established and operated by 243 local governments nationwide, the Korea Local Tax Research Institute is a specialized organization that conducts research and surveys on the development of local tax systems. Through this MOU, the Institute has agreed to actively cooperate with SBS to revitalize the “Love for Hometown” Donation Program.
SBS President Bang Moon-shin stated, “As population decline accelerates due to low birth rates and an aging population, overcoming the crisis of regional extinction and revitalizing local economies have emerged as urgent tasks,” adding, “We will take the lead in widely publicizing and establishing the ‘Love for Hometown’ Donation Program in cooperation with the Korea Local Tax Research Institute.”
Shin Seung-geun, President of the Korea Local Tax Research Institute, announced that “revitalizing the Hometown Love Donation System” has been designated as one of the institute’s core tasks. He further emphasized, “We plan to continuously expand related research and policy support so that the Hometown Love Donation System can evolve beyond a new means of securing revenue for local governments into a policy platform that revitalizes regional economies and addresses the issue of regional depopulation.”
Last year, SBS signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Korea Tax Accountants Association. Through this agreement, the public and private sectors agreed to cooperate to raise public awareness of the Hometown Love Donation Program and widely publicize its effects on revitalizing local economies.
In conjunction with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, SBS will co-host the 2nd Hometown Love Donation Awards Ceremony at Prism Tower in Sangam-dong, Seoul, on September 4—designated as “Hometown Love Day”—to honor individuals and local governments that have made outstanding contributions. Additionally, on September 19 and 20, SBS will host the first “Hometown Love Festa” in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety at the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, featuring exhibits of thank-you gifts from major local governments, as well as tourism, experiential activities, and promotional content.
SBS plans to hold a separate academic seminar in collaboration with the Korea Local Tax Research Institute to share best practices for “Love for Hometown” donations, and the Korea Tax Accountants Association will also participate to jointly carry out promotional activities encouraging participation in the program.
Meanwhile, SBS is currently generating buzz with its recent Friday-Saturday drama “Manager Kim.” “Manager Kim” achieved a nationwide household viewership rating of 21.6% after just four episodes, ranking third among the highest viewership ratings in the history of SBS Friday-Saturday dramas.