President Jung Jinwan: "The Most Valuable Investment Is in People"... Woori Bank Leads HR System Innovation

The First 'Woori Career EXPO' Held on July 26
Reflects President Jung's Strong Determination... Made a Surprise Visit to the Venue
Positive Response from Young Employees

▲Jinwan Jung, Woori Bank President

"The potential that employees can develop is limitless, depending on how an organization nurtures its people."

On July 26, at the Woori Bank Seoul Training Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, Woori Bank President Jung Jinwan emphasized the importance of talent development and expressed his deep affection for the staff during an interview with a reporter at the 'Woori Career EXPO'.

The 'Woori Career EXPO', held for the first time this year, was organized to help employees enhance their understanding of job roles and explore career development. The event aimed to provide equal opportunities to everyone, regardless of age or position. About 500 employees participated in the 'Woori Career EXPO', which ran from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day. Notably, around 80% of the participants were employees with less than 10 years at the bank, indicating high engagement from younger staff. Over 100 current employees from 86 headquarters departments and three top sales professionals introduced their roles and shared sales know-how with attendees. Customized one-on-one consultations were also offered, providing useful tips for those interested in applying for headquarters positions in the future. Woori Bank plans to open applications for headquarters positions to all employees in August.

It is said that President Jung's strong determination was the driving force behind this event. Kim Nanyeong, head of the HR Development Department, which organized the event, said, "President Jung Jinwan insisted, 'Even if only one employee expresses interest, make sure to set up a booth,'" adding, "He personally instructed me about the event and communicated directly with me throughout the preparation."

President Jung Jinwan: "Woori Bank's greatest strength is its employees... Investment in people is essential for organizational growth"

At the Woori Bank Seoul Training Center located in Namchang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 26th, participants are visiting various booths to learn about different job roles at the "Woori Career Expo." Photo by Kwon Jaehee

President Jung's philosophy is that investment in people is even more important during times of crisis. He took office in January this year amid lingering factional conflicts and various scandals involving the previous chairman, which left the atmosphere unsettled. From the start of his tenure, he emphasized, "The most important thing for the bank's growth is employee morale and education," and stated, "Woori Bank's greatest strength is our employees," expressing deep interest in talent development. In practice, President Jung has broken away from the bank's conservative organizational culture and taken bold steps in personnel management. He ordered the removal of information such as educational background, military service, and place of origin from personnel records. By eliminating distinctions between the former Commercial Bank and Hanil Bank, he signaled a commitment to a merit- and performance-based personnel system, regardless of background or affiliation.

He also established an internal rewards system to encourage employees' self-development. Employees who receive many internal awards are designated as 'Woori Crown', and those who acquire numerous difficult certifications are named 'Woori Elite', both receiving special bonuses. For 'Woori Crown', the top employee in each job category is given a special one-step promotion. 'Woori Elite' recipients are given preferences when selected for MBA training, and opportunities to attend the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and Mobile World Congress (MWC). This reflects President Jung's intention to establish a performance-oriented personnel culture based solely on ability. Since early this year, the bank has also been running a 'Self-Development Challenge', where employees set individual training and certification goals to strengthen their professional competencies. The 'Woori Career EXPO' is an extension of these HR innovation efforts by President Jung.

As President Jung personally instructed the HR Development Department to host the event, he also made a surprise visit to the venue. Without prior notice, he appeared at around 10:40 a.m., dressed casually in a bucket hat, cotton pants, and sneakers, and spent about 30 minutes carefully inspecting each floor from the fifth down. He was seen engaging in relaxed and candid conversations with employees.

President Jung stated, "If we recruit talented people but fail to place them in the right positions, it is a huge loss for the organization," and added, "It is not enough to simply hire talent; the organization must also support career development and encourage growth. That is also the role of the organization."

"I believe the personnel system is fair"... Young employees respond enthusiastically

At the Woori Bank Seoul Training Center located in Namchang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 26th, participants are visiting various booths to learn about different job roles at the "Woori Career Expo." Photo by Kwon Jaehee

The employees' response was enthusiastic as well. The fact that they were given the opportunity to proactively develop themselves, rather than having personnel decisions made solely by the organization, was met with great approval.

Park Geunil, an assistant manager at the Jongno YMCA branch with eight years at the bank (age 33), said, "When I was assigned to headquarters in my second year, I didn't know what was expected of me or why I was assigned there, so I regret not being able to fully take advantage of an important career opportunity. What I like most now is that I can take the initiative in shaping my own career."

Kim Sunhee, a manager at the Daejeon Yuseong Financial Center with 19 years at the bank (age 42), commented, "It is very encouraging that opportunities are open to everyone to develop their careers and build experience, regardless of rank or age. Back in the early 2000s when I joined, the atmosphere was such that getting on the branch manager's good side mattered more than ability or performance. Now, employees can actually feel that the processes of personnel appointments, assignments, and promotions are fair."

Han Donghee, an assistant manager at the Daejeon Yuseong Financial Center with 10 years at the bank (age 34), also said, "With the training card, I can objectively see how many job-related certifications I have within my position and what my official English score is, which motivates me to develop my career. Since personnel decisions are made based on this, the overall trust in the personnel system among employees has increased, which is a positive change."

The 'Woori Career EXPO' is also expected to help prevent talent from leaving the bank. Previously, employees had no way of knowing what each headquarters department did without direct experience.

Manager Kim added, "This event allows employees to discover and experience areas of work they are interested in, which is a great opportunity. I hope it becomes a regular event rather than a one-off occasion."

'Woori Career Expo' held on the 26th at Woori Bank Seoul Training Center located in Namchang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kwon Jaehee