Woori Financial Group Opens Social Contribution-Type Bank Branch 'Goodwill Branch'

First Branch Opens in Yeoju
Utilizing Unused Branch Space
Creating Jobs for People with Developmental Disabilities

On December 11, Woori Financial Future Foundation, under Woori Financial Group, announced that it held an opening ceremony for the 'Goodwill Branch Yeoju Branch,' a social contribution-type bank branch, in collaboration with Milal Welfare Foundation in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province.

The event was attended by Jang Kwangik, Secretary General of Woori Financial Future Foundation, Lee Jongseong, President of Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities, and Hong Junggil, Chairman of Milal Welfare Foundation, among other key stakeholders, who pledged to engage in mutually beneficial cooperation to create jobs for people with disabilities.

The 'Goodwill Branch' is a social contribution-type branch where a Woori Bank branch, originally slated for closure, continues to operate on a smaller scale while the remaining space is occupied by a Goodwill Store. According to Woori Financial Group, this model allows the coexistence of a bank and a donation-based store, providing essential financial services to local residents while also creating jobs for vulnerable groups and promoting a culture of giving.

Goodwill Branch (Woori Bank X Goodwill Store Milal Yeoju Hongmun Branch) Store No. 1 Exterior. Woori Financial Group

Goodwill Store is a workplace for people with disabilities that employs individuals with developmental disabilities using proceeds from the sale of donated goods. Currently, about 500 people are building a foundation for independence at 46 locations nationwide. In October, Lim Jongryong, Chairman of Woori Financial Group, was invited by Goodwill Industries International in the United States to give a lecture on Woori Financial Group's Goodwill Store model and received a plaque of appreciation.

In response to policies aimed at improving financial accessibility for those at risk of financial exclusion due to the closure of local branches, Woori Financial Group has become the first in the financial sector to introduce a mutually beneficial model that combines unused space with a Goodwill Store. The Goodwill Branch Yeoju Branch is the first of its kind in the financial sector and the first Goodwill Store in the Yeoju area. It is expected to contribute to improving access for financially vulnerable groups and expanding job opportunities for people with disabilities.

Jang Kwangik, Secretary General, emphasized, "As there is a strong social demand for improved financial accessibility, we will actively fulfill the public service function of finance through Woori Financial Group's differentiated branch model." Lee Jongseong, President of the Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities, responded, "We deeply appreciate Woori Financial Group's sincere efforts to build an employment ecosystem for people with disabilities."

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