Gwangju Bank Empowers Students and Supports Small Businesses: A Path to Centennial Success

광주은행 Successfully Holds 13th Generation University Student Ambassador Inauguration Ceremony

In a successful event, Gwangju Bank held the inauguration ceremony for the 13th generation of university student ambassadors. The group consists of 30 talented students who will engage in new social contribution activities.

Highlights:

• Gwangju Bank organized the inauguration ceremony for the 13th generation of university student ambassadors.

• The group is composed of 30 university students who officially started their activities after the inauguration ceremony in April last year.

• The 13th generation of university student ambassadors represents universities located in Gwangju and Jeonnam region, comprising both enrolled and temporarily withdrawn students.

• Their role as brand ambassadors includes various social contribution activities, brand promotion planning, and collaboration projects involving new media content creation.

• The 13th generation university student ambassadors focused on engaging activities for the MZ generation, spreading Gwangju Bank’s ESG management philosophy throughout the local community.

• Their activities included providing consumption tips for YOUTH customers, financial education for vulnerable groups, volunteering for the Gwangju Cheon marathon, and revitalizing traditional markets.

• Gwangju Bank has produced a total of 430 university student ambassador graduates and will begin recruiting for the 14th generation in March.

Gwangju Bank’s CEO, Goh Byung-il, Holds Meeting with Local Small Business Owners

Goh Byung-il, the CEO of Gwangju Bank, started the new year by hosting a meeting with local small business owners.

Highlights:

• The meeting aimed to assess the current situation of small business owners and self-employed individuals and discuss collaborative management practices.

• Attendees included representatives from alleyway businesses, local franchise owners, and young entrepreneurs from the MZ generation.

• Kim, who operates a restaurant in Gwangju’s Gwangsan-gu Techno District, expressed the need for plans and interest rate reduction programs for low-credit small business owners.

• Another Kim, who runs a barbecue restaurant affiliated with Gwangju Bank, requested various benefits and promotions for Gwangju Card due to the budget reduction for local currency.

• Goh Byung-il, the CEO of Gwangju Bank, announced plans to extend the operation of financial support programs, such as reducing interest rates by up to 1% for corporate loan extensions and providing low-interest refinancing loans for businesses with high-interest loans above 7%.

• The bank also plans to actively consider additional benefits and promotions, such as cashback for Gwangju Card payments at traditional markets.

Gwangju Bank CEO’s Commitment to Qualitative Growth for a Centennial Bank

As the new year begins, Gwangju Bank held a ceremony for its employees to reaffirm their dedication to qualitative growth and becoming a sustainable centennial bank.

Highlights:

• Gwangju Bank employees pledged to achieve sustainable growth as a centennial bank based on a solid foundation of qualitative growth.

• CEO Goh Byung-il emphasized the need for meticulous analysis and timely responses to the ongoing business activities in the rapidly changing financial and economic landscape.

• He presented five practical tasks: balanced growth based on a solid internal management foundation, enhancing future competitiveness, promoting regional symbiosis, strengthening synergy, and enhancing consumer protection.

• Despite challenging business environments, Gwangju Bank has demonstrated substantial growth, supporting local economies through special funds for small and medium-sized enterprises and returning more than 10% of annual net profits to the region.

• As a result, Gwangju Bank has maintained its position as the top local bank brand for six consecutive years, received the highest rating in regional reinvestment evaluations, and was recognized as an exemplary case for consulting services for self-employed individuals and small business owners.

• CEO Goh Byung-il diagnosed that the year 2024 will bring rapid changes in the financial market with the acceleration of digital transformation and artificial intelligence-based technological innovations, leading to a stagnant era of high interest rates and low growth.

• He urged the bank to maintain its “original intention” and build a solid foundation of “customer” and “competence” to break through the era of change and innovation, becoming a leading centennial bank.