[New Year’s Address] KB Kookmin Bank President Lee Hwanju: "Do Not Rest on Reputation, Expand Our Financial Territory"

New Year’s Kickoff Ceremony Held on January 2
Key Themes: Expansion and Transformation
Emphasis on Capabilities in Corporate Finance and Asset Management

On January 2, Lee Hwanju, President of KB Kookmin Bank, urged employees not to rest on the bank’s past reputation but to solidify and expand KB’s financial territory in a meaningful way.

At the 2026 New Year’s Kickoff Ceremony held that morning at the new headquarters of KB Kookmin Bank in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, President Lee presented two key themes: expansion and transformation. He stated, “This must be another innovation that changes our ‘strategic direction,’ not simply an increase in the number of customers or an expansion of the market.”

For ‘expansion and transformation,’ President Lee outlined the following main areas of focus: ▲ Expanding the bank’s management objectives by strengthening customer trust and creating social value ▲ Advancing sales methods ▲ Building a foundation for differentiated capabilities and execution power.

He also emphasized the importance of protecting financial consumer rights, safeguarding customer information, and maintaining strong internal controls, adding, “We will faithfully fulfill the bank’s social responsibilities.”

Furthermore, President Lee stressed, “We must evolve beyond being number one in retail finance and become a bank that leads in corporate finance and asset management.” He added, “By utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) agents, we must reinvent ourselves as a lifelong financial partner that grows together with our customers.”

In addition, President Lee referenced the four-character idiom ‘Jung-hu-pyo-san’ (衆煦漂山, meaning ‘Even a mountain can be moved if many people come together’), and called on everyone to make 2026 a year that firmly establishes KB Kookmin Bank’s standing.