Professor Shin Seungkeun, Leader in "Hometown Love Donation System," Appointed President of Korea Institute of Local Taxation

The Korea Institute of Local Taxation announced on May 13 that Professor Shin Seungkeun of Korea Polytechnic University has recently taken office as its 6th president.

President Shin earned his Ph.D. in Taxation from the University of Seoul and has served as a professor in the Department of Welfare Administration at Korea Polytechnic University. He has also served as a member of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Hometown Love Donation System Research Committee. He was the first to introduce the term "Hometown Love" to adapt Japan's hometown tax system to Korea's circumstances and published related academic papers, taking a leading role in promoting the Hometown Love Donation System.

He proposed the introduction of a "corporate-type Hometown Love Donation System," which would allow corporate donations as a policy response to declining population areas. He also took the lead in initiating legislation for the so-called "K-Love Donation System," which would enable overseas Koreans to donate to their homeland in foreign currencies. In addition, he has served as a member of the Special Committee on Fiscal Reform, a policy planning and evaluation expert for the Presidential Committee for Balanced National Development, and a member of the Tax System Development Deliberation Committee at the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

President Shin stated, "As this institute was established with the support of 243 local governments, I will do my utmost to meet expectations by working to expand local tax revenues and strengthen local finances."