Woori Bank Opens First Branch in Poland Among Domestic Banks

Securing a Third Base in Europe Lays Foundation for Growth
Meeting Local Financial Demand for Ukraine Reconstruction Projects and More

Woori Bank announced on the 1st that it opened a branch in Warsaw, the capital of Poland, on the 31st of last month (local time), becoming the first domestic bank to expand its strategic foothold in the European region.

Poland has served as a production base and logistics hub in Europe, bordering both Eastern and Western Europe. Recognizing the growth potential of the Polish market early on, Woori Bank established an office in Katowice, a southwestern industrial city where many local subsidiaries of domestic companies are concentrated, in 2017, providing financial support services such as funding and intermediary services to these companies.

The opening ceremony was attended by Im Hun-min, Ambassador of Korea to Poland; Lee Jung-hoon, Head of the KOTRA Warsaw Trade Center; Ryu Hyung-jin, Head of Woori Bank’s Global Group; and many representatives of Korean companies operating in Poland. Notably, Piotr Ostaszewski, former Ambassador of Poland to Korea, who has worked to strengthen Korea-Poland cooperation and promote K-defense industry entry, also attended, adding significance to the branch establishment.

Recently, Poland has emerged as a forward base for post-war reconstruction projects in Ukraine, alongside the entry of K-defense, electric vehicle, and secondary battery companies. To promptly respond to the local financial demand arising from the expansion of domestic companies, Woori Bank began preparations for establishing the branch at the end of 2023, received approval from the Polish supervisory authority in July last year, and opened the Polish branch in Warsaw in April 2025, becoming the first Korean bank to do so.

Warsaw hosts local subsidiaries of leading domestic defense companies such as Hanwha Aerospace, Hyundai Rotem, and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), as well as many companies including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor, and Kia Motors. As the capital of Poland, it plays a central role in politics, economy, and finance, and is expected to enable much more efficient acquisition of a customer base throughout Poland.

With the opening of the Polish branch, Woori Bank has secured its third foothold in Europe, in addition to its London branch, which handles foreign currency procurement, and its European Woori Bank in Frankfurt, which specializes in corporate finance. The Polish branch will oversee operations in Eastern Europe, including Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Romania, where Korean subsidiaries have entered.

Lee Jung-woo, Head of the Polish Branch, stated, "By establishing the first branch among domestic banks in Poland, which boasts the largest economy in Eastern Europe, the 'Woori Bank European Triangular Formation' connecting Germany (European Woori Bank), London (branch), and Poland has been completed. Poland’s geopolitical advantages and the post-war reconstruction projects in Ukraine are expected to attract many Korean companies, and we will be a reliable partner for Korean companies."