[New Year's Message] Heo In, KB Kookmin Bank President: "Let's Not Let Go of Hope Like BTS Songs"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Sun-mi] On the 4th, KB Kookmin Bank President Hur In delivered a New Year's message expressing hope regarding the difficult daily life halted by COVID-19, saying, "If we run without letting go of the thread of hope toward a better tomorrow than yesterday, like BTS's song, we will surely regain our precious daily lives." He stated that KB Kookmin Bank will boldly break the mold of a traditional bank and bet on transforming into a digital financial platform company.

President Hur first reviewed last year's achievements, saying, "It was a truly intense year preparing for KB Kookmin Bank's 'new decade,' from the completion of The K project, remarkable achievements in global expansion, obtaining preliminary approval as a MyData operator, selection as the only public sector electronic signature pilot operator in the banking sector with 6 million customers using KB Mobile Certificate, efforts to innovate PG 2.0 face-to-face channels, introduction of AI HR processes, to the completion of the new Yeouido headquarters."

He added, "Among these, the most meaningful achievement was achieving appropriate growth balancing soundness and profitability through agile responses by headquarters and field offices amid rapidly changing management environments," and said, "With the determination of ‘Ubo Manri (牛步萬里)’ [meaning 'slow but steady progress'], let us steadily continue the bold challenge toward KB's new decade in 2030."

President Hur emphasized the path for KB Kookmin Bank to maintain its status as a leading bank and continue growing even in 2030, saying, "We must boldly break the mold of a traditional bank and bet on transforming into a digital financial platform company."

He said, "First, KB must become the leader of the financial platform ecosystem."

He stated, "When we stand at the center of the financial platform ecosystem, we can become the ‘first mover’ and lead change," adding, "KB Kookmin Bank's platform organization will not be satisfied with providing better products and services than competing banks. Leveraging the strengths of the platform organization, we will dramatically increase ‘Time to Market,’ that is, the speed of responding to customers and the market, while advancing toward a customer experience that is more innovative, attractive, and convenient than existing digital players."

Second, he said, "We must further strengthen the core business competitiveness, which is the source of growth."

President Hur acknowledged, "It is true that there are concerns about profitability deterioration due to the prolonged zero-level low interest rates and shrinking loan-deposit margins," and said, "To overcome this, the bank plans to improve the quality of loan assets while strengthening profitability management by product and non-price competitiveness." He promised to actively respond to market changes where customer interest shifts from ‘deposits’ to ‘investments,’ thoroughly manage risks on customer assets, and provide ‘comprehensive financial solutions’ that can expect reasonable returns even in a highly volatile financial environment. Additionally, he said that through KB's differentiated ‘MyData’ service, ultra-personalized customized services based on precise customer data analysis will also be provided.

Third, he promised that KB will strive to lead ESG management.

President Hur said, "ESG management has become a core element of sustainable growth and is recognized as an important corporate selection criterion by investors and young consumers who value coexistence with the environment," adding, "This year, we plan to join the ‘Equator Principles’ to prevent environmental destruction from large-scale development projects and actively participate in global climate change response. We will also lead the improvement of ESG awareness in our society through various ESG management activities such as expanding green new deal and ESG investments for low-carbon economic growth, supporting renewable energy projects, launching eco-friendly financial products, and continuing the KB Green Wave campaign."

President Hur also urged employees to prepare for competition with big tech companies, saying, "I repeatedly ask for your awareness and learning efforts to grow as ‘ambidextrous talents’ who understand both ‘Biz and Tech,’" and added, "We will also create an organizational culture of ‘autonomy’ and ‘creativity.’"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.