KB Financial Group Holds “Store of Honor” Signboard Ceremony for 80th Anniversary of Liberation

Signboard Unveiling Ceremony for the First “Store of Honor”
Customized Remodeling Support for Small Business Owners Who Are Descendants of Independence Activists
Project to Expand to Eight Locations Nationwide
Jonghee Yang: “We Will Spread Positive Influence Through Finance and Be a Partner in Growth”

(From the left) Jin Kim, Vice President of the Liberation Association; Ohul Kwon, Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs; Sujeong Kim, Director (descendant of independence activist Hyuk Kim); Jin Ryu, Chairman of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business; Jonghee Yang, Chairman of KB Financial Group, are taking a commemorative photo at the plaque ceremony held on the 13th at the first luxury store. KB Financial

KB Financial Group announced on August 14 that it held a signboard unveiling ceremony on August 13 at Chang-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul, for the first store of its “Store of Honor” project. This initiative, launched in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Liberation, is aimed at supporting the self-reliance of small business owners who are descendants of independence activists.

The event was attended by Ohul Kwon, Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs; Jin Ryu, Chairman of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business (Korea Economic Association); Jin Kim, Vice President of the Liberation Association; and Jonghee Yang, Chairman of KB Financial Group, among other key officials. They expressed gratitude and respect to the small business owners who are carrying on the spirit of independence.

The “Store of Honor” project is a small business support initiative in which KB Financial Group, together with the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business, and the Liberation Association, discovers and supports small business owners who are descendants of independence activists. The project aims to encourage their livelihoods and self-reliance, while fostering public empathy and awareness.

The first “Store of Honor” selected is the Palette Art Academy in Chang-dong, Dobong-gu, operated by Sujeong Kim, the granddaughter of independence activist Hyuk Kim. The academy is dedicated to providing arts education to local children. KB Financial Group and the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business carried out comprehensive improvements to the space, including exterior wall repairs, sign replacement, interior remodeling, and plumbing reinforcement, in order to provide a safe and comfortable learning environment for the children.

Going forward, KB Financial Group and the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business plan to offer customized solutions to small business owners who are descendants of independence activists in eight regions nationwide. These solutions will include store and facility improvements (remodeling), year-round management consulting by sector, and the provision of “Store of Honor” signboards.

Sujeong Kim, Director of Palette Art Academy, said, “I am grateful that we are remembered and not forgotten, and I feel even prouder to be a descendant of an independence activist. Thanks to this support, our academy has become a much warmer space, and we will continue to contribute to the local community.”

Jonghee Yang, Chairman of KB Financial Group, stated, “This ‘Store of Honor’ support project will serve as a meaningful bridge, connecting the sacrifices of the past with the hopes of today. KB Financial Group will continue to do its utmost to exert a positive influence throughout society through the role of finance, and to be a partner in growth for everyone.”

Meanwhile, KB Financial Group has consistently carried out campaigns and sponsorship projects for independence activists, expressing gratitude and respect for their sacrifice and dedication to the nation. Since 2019, KB Kookmin Bank has been running the “Korea Lives On” campaign, producing video campaigns such as “The Untold Stories of Independence Heroes” to promote the history of Korea’s independence movement. In 2022, the “Home of Korea” project supported improvements to the living conditions of descendants of independence activists residing in old homes in areas such as Jeongseon in Gangwon, Mokpo in South Jeolla, and Yeongdeok in North Gyeongsang. In addition, KB Financial Group has continued its comprehensive support for independence activists and their descendants through scholarships, living support kits, and other initiatives.