President Park Geun-hye said Monday that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has expressed appreciation for her leading a youth employment fund to spread the spirit of donations.

"Thank you for leading the Youth Hope Fund effort to expand the spirit of giving in Korea," Zuckerberg said in an email to Park earlier this month, according to Cheong Wa Dae, South Korea's presidential office.

He also said, "We are focused on doing our part to improve the world for future generations and we are committed to the mission of advancing human potential and promoting equality," in an apparent reference to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

In December, Zuckerberg sent an email to Park and told her he has a newborn baby and explained the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

Park replied that she congratulated Zuckerberg for the birth of his daughter and offered words of encouragement for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

Last year, Park launched the "Youth Hope Fund" to help create jobs for young adults as youth unemployment has become a serious social problem in Asia's fourth-largest economy.

Park became its first donor, contributing 20 million won (US$17,000), and promised to give 3.2 million won, or 20 percent of her monthly pay, each month to the fund.

Park's donation has sparked a series of contributions, with the fund drawing more than 1.92 billion won from about 50,000 people in the first five days after its launch.

In 2013, Park met with Zuckerberg at the presidential office and asked him for advice on encouraging venture firms and helping them succeed. (Yonhap)