Hana Financial Group Chairman Starts New Era with Customers by Visiting SMEs and Field

On March 27, Hana Chairman Ham Young-joo visits a small restaurant to donate a high-efficiency air conditioner as part of his first act after starting his second term. (Photos: Hana Financial Group)

Hana Financial Group announced in late March that its Chairman Ham Young-joo visited local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as his first activity after the beginning of his second term as chairman, ushering in the financial group’s new era by focusing on customers and the field.

On March 25, Chairman Ham Young-joo was reappointed as chairman of Hana Financial Group thanks to overwhelming support of Korean and foreign shareholders at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of 2025, where he won 81.2 percent of the vote.

With this, the foundation has been laid for the group’s 2.0 era, rebuilding an organizational culture of strengthening its originality and uniqueness that finds opportunities and grows even in times of crisis, sharpening competitiveness through internal integrity and collaboration, and expanding internal and external synergies to lay the foundation for sustainable growth.

As the first step in the 2.0 era, Chairman Ham visited a local small business that suffered tangible and intangible damage from a major fire at the end of last year, reiterating “customer value,” which puts customers ahead of anything else.

During his visit, Ham listened to the voices of the affected small business owners going through a difficult time and delivered a warm message of hope to them.

Ham and other employees also provided support for air conditioners and heaters that could not be replaced due to financial difficulties after the fire and carried out practical support activities, such as painting stair railings with employees who volunteered to help the small businesses.

“As a partner that helps small businesses grow, which is the foundation of the Korean economy and the center of local communities, we will continue to practice Hana Financial Group’s unique win-win financial practices so that the hopes of small businesses suffering from the economic downturn can continue uninterrupted,” Ham said.

Chairman Ham Young-joo who was re-elected after receiving overwhelming support at an annual general shareholders meeting on March 25 visits a small business the next day to carry out interior renovation activities with employees.

Implementation of ESG Projects

This year, Hana Financial Group, through its flagship affiliate Hana Bank, will conduct ESG support projects to cost 10 billion won to improve business environments and strengthen the competitiveness of small businesses for about 3,500 small businesses nationwide.

First, Hana Financial Group will provide support to approximately 1,000 small businesses to replace superannuated low-efficiency energy appliances such as air conditioners and refrigerators with high-efficiency new ones by accepting applications until April 23rd.

In addition, in June, 2,000 businesses will be recruited for a support project to improve the workplace environment to help small businesses attract customers and increase sales.

Hana Financial Group will support 1,000 businesses in replacing outdated signage. The remaining 1,000 businesses will receive support for interior renovations such as store interiors, leaks, and waterproofing.

Next, in August, Hana Financial Group will provide support for digital devices such as barrier-free kiosks and AI CCTVs to approximately 500 businesses to help them boost their management efficiency and cut their business costs.

Each project will select those to be supported through a one-month recruitment period and a two-week document review period and will be judged based on a comprehensive consideration of business feasibility, sustainability, feasibility and effectiveness.

In particular, in this support project, preferential treatment will be given to small businesses registered as Onnuri gift certificate franchisees in shopping districts full of small shops and restaurants designated by local government ordinances under the Special Act for Fostering Traditional Markets and Shopping Districts.

To support small businesses, Hana Financial Group will cooperate with Small Enterprise and Market Service to promote the projects.

Applications for each project can be made through “Small Business Owner ON,” a channel dedicated to small business owners on Hana Bank’s flagship mobile app “Hana OneQ,” as well as on Hana Bank’s website and Hana Power ON website.