Credit Union Announces Achievements in Supporting Social Economy Enterprises... 216.7 Billion Won Supplied

Hanbit Credit Union and Gwangju Culture Credit Union
Selected as Outstanding Cooperatives in Social Finance

The National Credit Union Federation of Korea announced on November 20 that it co-hosted the "2025 Credit Union Social Finance Performance Sharing Meeting" and the "Cooperative Mutual Growth and Development 'Obuba' Project Awards Ceremony" with the Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency at the National Credit Union Training Center.

Since 2016, the Credit Union has steadily expanded the Credit Union Social Deposit, which supports social economy enterprises by providing long-term, low-interest mutual growth cooperation loans exclusively for social economy enterprises, as well as allocating a portion of deposit interest and the Credit Union Social Economy Fund as resources.

The mutual growth cooperation loan is offered for up to 20 years at an interest rate in the 3% range, and as of the end of October 2025, a total of 216.7 billion won has been supplied to 1,115 social economy enterprises. Through the Credit Union Social Deposit, a total of 110 million won has been provided to support operating expenses, event costs, and market development, thereby helping to ensure the stable management of social economy enterprises.

At the performance sharing meeting, Hanbit Credit Union and Gwangju Culture Credit Union were selected as outstanding cooperatives for the activation of social finance in 2025. Hanbit Credit Union has actively handled social deposits since 2022, achieving a cumulative total of 216 cases and 1.6 billion won, and has promoted solidarity and cooperation projects with various local organizations, including the Dandelion Medical Welfare Social Cooperative. Gwangju Culture Credit Union was recognized for supplying a total of 6.9 billion won to 16 social economy enterprises through mutual growth cooperation loans and for its active participation in network activities, such as participating in the local social economy expo.

Representatives from the National Credit Union Federation of Korea and the Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency, along with cooperatives participating in the public offering project, are taking a commemorative photo after the performance sharing meeting. National Credit Union Federation of Korea

The "Cooperative Obuba Public Project," organized by the Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency and sponsored by the Credit Union and the Credit Union Social Contribution Foundation with a total of 80 million won, saw the participation of 102 cooperatives this year. Ten projects were selected through a professional review process and operated for about four months, with the main results announced at the performance sharing meeting.

Notably, the "Climate Crisis Obuba Carbon Neutral Outing Program" by Energy Transition Haeyu Social Cooperative in collaboration with Shintanjin Credit Union, and the "Establishing a Shared Care System in Hongdong by Members" by Hongseong Medical Welfare Social Cooperative in collaboration with Pulmu Credit Union, were selected as exemplary cases and received commendations from the president of the National Credit Union Federation of Korea and the head of the Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency.

The performance sharing meeting was attended by Woo Ukhyun, Director of Credit Union Management, Ahn Sujin, Head of the Cooperative Support Office at the Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency, Kim Daehun, Secretary General of the National Cooperative Federation, as well as representatives from participating cooperatives and Credit Union executives and staff, totaling 82 participants. The cases presented included building mutual care communities in local areas, revitalizing village management social cooperatives, supporting energy welfare and carbon neutrality care for vulnerable groups, activating youth communities in youth housing, building cooperative data infrastructure, and providing holiday support for self-reliant youth.

Director Woo Ukhyun stated, "Based on the values of self-help and cooperation, the Credit Union continues to support social economy organizations in building self-sufficiency," adding, "In line with the government's social solidarity finance policy, we will continue to improve systems and strengthen cooperative networks to help solve local community issues and promote mutual growth."

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