Woori Financial Supplies 1 Trillion Won in Inclusive Finance This Year... Builds 'Interest Rate Ladder' for Vulnerable Borrowers

951.4 Billion Won Supplied Through Saeheumang Hallseed, Sunshine Loans, and Saitdol Loans

If Bank Loans Are Blocked, Customers Are Connected to Affiliate Savings Banks and Capital Arms

Qualified Secondary Finance Borrowers Can "Refinance" with Bank Loans

Woori Financial Group is steadily building a "financial ladder" for vulnerable borrowers. Borrowers who are unable to secure a bank loan are redirected to affiliate savings banks or capital arms, and those who have obtained loans from affiliates in the secondary financial sector can, if they meet the requirements, refinance their loans through the bank. By leveraging its group affiliates to supply funds—and facilitating refinancing at banks to reduce interest rate burdens—Woori is accelerating the creation of an inclusive financial system.

According to Woori Financial Group on September 16, the amount of newly issued financial products for low-income households and individuals as of the end of August 2026 totaled 951.4 billion won.

Woori Bank provided the largest share, with 563.4 billion won worth of Saeheumang Hallseed loans, which are supplied to low-income and low-credit borrowers through the bank's own funds and review process. Woori Financial Savings Bank supplied 217.7 billion won in "Sunshine Loans" and 170.3 billion won in "Saitdol Loans." By responding to the funding needs of vulnerable borrowers together, Woori Bank and Woori Financial Savings Bank supplied close to 1 trillion won since the beginning of the year.

One pillar of this inclusive finance strategy is "referral business" between affiliates. With the customer's prior consent, clients who do not pass Woori Bank’s credit loan screening are instead connected to group affiliates such as Woori Financial Savings Bank or Woori Financial Capital. This allows customers, whose access to bank loans has been blocked, to seek alternative sources of funding within the group—rather than turning to high-interest lenders outside of the group.

In one real case, a customer who approached Woori Bank for an additional loan was unable to qualify due to constraints such as the debt service ratio (DSR), and did not meet the income requirements for Saeheumang Hallseed. With customer consent, the bank connected this client to its affiliates, allowing the customer to borrow 25 million won from Woori Financial Capital and 3 million won from Woori Financial Savings Bank.

This referral business is based on the group’s integrated joint marketing system, established in 2023. It involves Woori Financial Savings Bank, Woori Financial Capital, Woori Investment & Securities, Woori Asset Trust, and Woori Card. Importantly, bank employees do not directly recommend or sell affiliate products. Only customers who have been declined by the bank’s loan review are simply introduced to affiliates, after which all consultation and screening are carried out by the respective affiliates.

The financial ladder also works in the opposite direction. If a customer who has received funding from an affiliate in the secondary financial sector meets certain requirements, they are given the opportunity to move to bank-level refinancing.

The "Woori One Dream Refinancing Loan," a non-face-to-face lending product launched in May 2026, is a representative case. Customers who have taken loans from Woori Financial Savings Bank, Woori Financial Capital, or Woori Card—and who meet specific income requirements—can refinance up to 20 million won via a bank loan. The maximum interest rate is capped at 7% per annum, and prepayment penalties are waived, which helps relieve interest cost burdens for borrowers in the secondary financial sector. This measure is in line with Woori Bank’s ongoing policy of strengthening inclusive finance, such as capping maximum annual interest rates on personal credit loans at 7% since the beginning of 2026.

Ultimately, Woori Financial Group has built a financial ladder that enables vulnerable borrowers to remain within the formal financial system and, step by step, reduce their interest burdens. This virtuous cycle structure—"bank → affiliate in the secondary financial sector → bank"—is central to this effort.

A representative from Woori Financial Group stated, "Our focus is not merely on expanding the supply of financial products for low-income individuals, but on enabling vulnerable borrowers to access necessary funds within the formal financial system of our group and reduce their high interest burdens," adding, "We will continue to strengthen tailored support for customers and establish an inclusive financial virtuous cycle system that people can truly experience."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.