Park Han-sol reports on Korea's financial regulators, along with fintech and insurance. She previously wrote about the art world, from biennales and exhibitions to fairs and auctions, with a focus on Seoul and the figures shaping the scene. Before joining The Korea Times, she spent a year at ABC News' Seoul bureau, contributing to coverage of major Asia-Pacific events.
Hana Financial Group steps up financial inclusion push for 2nd half of year
Hana Financial Group headquarters in Seoul / Courtesy of Hana Financial Group
By Park Han-sol
Hana Financial Group is stepping up its financial inclusion efforts after already deploying 60 percent of its 3.1 trillion won ($2.18 billion) budget for 2026 in the first half of the year, the group said Wednesday.
To spearhead the effort, it appointed Vice Chairman Lee Seung-lyul as its first chief inclusive finance officer, responsible for coordinating relevant strategies across the organization.
The group’s second-half road map focuses on four pillars: broadening support for young people and small business owners, embedding financial inclusion more deeply into the group’s operations, strengthening protections for borrowers and combating financial crime, and expanding financing for the social economy.
One of the flagship initiatives targets young adults struggling with housing.
The group plans to introduce a support program built around rental fraud insurance to help protect tenants from losses linked to the country’s recurring “jeonse” deposit scams. Hana Bank has also stationed dedicated advisers at branches near universities and other locations popular with younger customers to improve access to financial guidance.
Small local businesses are also set to receive additional support through 84 billion won in guarantee-backed loans, timed to coincide with the planned relocation of the group’s headquarters from Seoul to Cheongna International City in Incheon this September.
Beyond new lending programs, Hana Financial is reviewing a groupwide set of key performance indicators to better measure its financial inclusion efforts while revamping its credit assessment model for customers with limited credit histories, a move intended to broaden access to financing.
The group also plans to expand its participation in social investment funds and diversify financing options for social economy organizations that often struggle to secure funding through conventional institutions.
“Financial inclusion is no longer a choice but a fundamental responsibility for financial groups. What matters most is delivering tangible changes that customers can experience in their daily lives,” Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo said.