By Kang Seung-woo
Staff reporter
Euh Yoon-dae, chairman of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding, was selected as the final candidate for the chairman of KB Financial Group, Tuesday, after the recommendation committee conducted a 90-minute interview with him and two other candidates ― Lee Hwa-eon, former CEO of Daegu Bank, and Lee Chul-hwi, CEO of KAMCO.
The committee said that his outstanding leadership and driving force were already proved while working at the presidential council.
The selection is subject to approval by a shareholders' meeting next month. If he earns the final nod, he will be inaugurated as the head of the nation's largest financial holding company for a three-year term.
After the selection, Euh expressed his will to take a lead in the reshaping of the local banking industry.
"South Korea needs to nurture competitive financial firms so as to become one of the world's top 50 players," he said.
Market participants see his selection as a positive sign for the firm.
"He is expected to handle the nine-month void well under his strong leadership," said Sung Byung-soo, an analyst of Meritz Securities.
The former Korea University president, who is a close aide to President Lee Myung-bak, has lectured on international finance, and worked as a member of the Bank of Korea Monetary Policy Committee in the late 1980s.
While some suspect that he has little experience in managing financial firms, Euh is confident he can handle the job well.
"I have been involved in the management of three banks as an outside director," he told reporters on Friday.
A native of Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province, Euh, 65, has been involved in the financial sector, including the Korea Center for International Finance.
The nation's largest holding company underwent a turbulent nine-month management vacancy after former Chairman Hwang Young-key quit last September after the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) blamed him for investment losses at Woori Bank, where he had previously worked. Current Kookmin Bank CEO Kang Chung-won withdrew from the candidacy after tough audits conducted by the FSS in December.