[Report] Visiting the IT Hub of Nonghyup Federation, the 'Nonghyup Integrated IT Center'

All NongHyup Affiliates Gather for Integrated IT Management
Earthquake-Resistant Design Withstands Intensity 8
Solid Preparation for BCP
A Lounge to Spark Employee Creativity
"Significant Synergy Effect"

In American Hollywood movies, especially those related to space, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) often appears. There are dozens of monitors attached to a large wall, with the largest monitor positioned right in the center. This monitor displays various statistics, from the launch scenes of spacecraft to other data. On the 10th, at the NongHyup Integrated IT Center’s first-floor control room located in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, a person appeared on such a monitor as soon as we entered. “Thank you for visiting the center despite your busy schedule.” This was Manager Lee Ro-woon, the AI banker. With a natural tone, he introduced the center. After the introduction, the ‘Event Status’ began to appear in real time. Numerous texts and times were intertwined, allowing a comprehensive view of IT-related events not only for NongHyup Bank but also for NongHyup Central Association and all nine NongHyup Financial affiliates.

On the 10th, employees are looking at the status board in the control room of the Nonghyup Integrated IT Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by NH Nonghyup Bank

The NongHyup Integrated IT Center operates the IT infrastructure and security monitoring for NongHyup Central Association, the bank, and nine financial affiliates in an integrated manner. IT personnel from each affiliate work in the same space, enabling the sharing of technical cases between corporations. The basement floors 1 and 2 are used for infrastructure, while the first and second floors serve as office spaces. Floors 3 to 4 house NongHyup Bank’s data center, floors 7 to 8 are for NongHyup Central Association, and the 10th floor contains the data centers for affiliates such as NongHyup Life Insurance and NongHyup Property & Casualty Insurance.

When heading to the bank’s data center on the third floor, we used the freight elevator. This elevator, used for transporting large-scale server equipment, was larger than those found in large supermarkets that carry carts. A NongHyup Bank official explained, “Only up to the second floor is used as office space, and from the third floor onward, there is data center equipment, so only authorized personnel can use the elevator.” He added, “Even after working here for 30 years, it’s a facility you can’t tour and just go home from.” Upon entering the data center, a warmth like spring air was felt. It was the heat emitted by about 6,000 servers. The heat flows behind the server equipment and rises upward. Cool air was blowing from below. This is the air conditioning system set to the optimal temperature of 23 degrees Celsius for the server equipment. Even if there is an abnormality in temperature, it can be checked and controlled via the control room monitors.

The computer room of NongHyup Bank located on the 3rd floor of the NongHyup Integrated IT Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province. Provided by NH NongHyup Bank

After leaving the data center and heading to the second floor, we entered the emergency stairs and saw a long strip on the wall. The strip, about 2 cm wide with small grooves, was present not only on the wall but also on the stairs. NongHyup Bank explained that this is because a seismic isolation device is installed. The seismic isolation system uses the elasticity of rubber to protect the building during an earthquake. The seismic isolation devices are installed on the pillars beneath the data center to minimize the transmission of seismic energy to the data center. The devices were installed between the second and third floors of the center, corresponding to 69 pillars, which caused the stairs and handrails to be separated. The seismic performance is such that the data center equipment is protected even in an earthquake of intensity 8. A NongHyup Bank official said, “In the event of an actual earthquake, the second and third floors move separately.”

The emergency stairs between the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Nonghyup Integrated IT Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi, on the 10th. The stairs and handrails are separated due to seismic design. Photo by Oh Gyumin

The BCP (Business Continuity Plan) situation room on the second floor resembles the control room. However, monitors are also attached to the side walls, and more detailed figures and data are displayed. What stood out was the sign attached above the monitors. Names like WAS, EAI/API, DB, and MCI were unfamiliar. These are department names, indicating where each department should be seated according to the BCP. It is said that about 130 employees stayed up all night during the Lunar New Year holiday period here to transition the digital financial platform.

On the 10th, BCP Situation Room, 2nd floor, Nonghyup Integrated IT Center, Uiwang, Gyeonggi. Photo by NH Nonghyup Bank

Returning to the first floor, near the central lobby, there was a wall about two stories high with photos and quotes from famous IT figures such as Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Following that gaze, a sign reading ‘IDEA GROUND’ was visible. This space was created for free communication and innovation among employees. Established in 2022, it was created after management and the labor union listened to employees’ voices. It was developed in response to opinions that creative ideas were difficult to generate in workspaces where commercial internet use is restricted due to network separation policies. The space includes an open lounge that can accommodate about 30 people, single rooms, six-person rooms, and a new technology experience center. In the experience center, employees can try AI-related products they developed or experience the metaverse, making it a place also used by nearby elementary school students. Some ideas conceived in this experience center have been commercialized. A representative example is the idea applied to the STM (Smart Teller Machine) for All One Bank withdrawal services.

On the 10th, Idea Ground located on the 1st floor of the Nonghyup Integrated IT Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province. Provided by NH Nonghyup Bank

The NongHyup Integrated IT Center employs a total of 3,500 people, including 1,300 NongHyup employees and 2,200 contractors. Through the center, each corporation operates 6,132 hardware units such as servers, communication, and security equipment, holds 26,593 TB (terabytes) of data, and manages 2.03 million application programs including customer-facing services. Park Do-sung, head of the IT division at NongHyup Bank, said, “The NongHyup Integrated IT Center is a core institution overseeing the operation of IT systems for NongHyup Financial and NongHyup Bank. IT personnel from affiliates gather in one space to share technical cases, accumulate know-how, and create opportunities for improvement, generating synergy. This results in improved efficiency and enhanced IT security for the stable operation of the NongHyup system.”