'The essence of finance is shared happiness': Hana Financial Group celebrates its 20th anniversary

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'The essence of finance is shared happiness': Hana Financial Group celebrates its 20th anniversary

Published: 01 Dec. 2025, 13:21 Updated: 01 Dec. 2025, 19:27

LIM JEONG-WON
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Hana Financial Group Chairman and CEO Ham Young-joo, center, and other group executives pose for a photo during a ceremony to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the group’s founding at its Myeongdong headquarters on Dec. 1. [HANA FINANCIAL GROUP]

Hana Financial Group celebrated the 20th anniversary of its founding at its Myeongdong headquarters on Monday, reaffirming its core values and long-term vision for the future.

The event was attended by Hana Financial Group Chairman and CEO Ham Young-joo and about 200 executives and employees. Together, they commemorated the group’s transformation from a small domestic bank into one of Korea’s leading financial conglomerates, according to the group.

The ceremony also served as an occasion to express gratitude to customers, employees, shareholders and everyone else who has supported Hana’s two-decade journey.

Under the slogan “One DNA, One Promise,” the celebration highlighted the group’s progress. Ham shared the story of Hana Financial Group’s evolution, emphasizing its resilience during major financial crises, such as the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2008 bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers.

“Hana began with just two branches, 347 employees and as the 22nd-ranked newcomer in Korea’s banking sector,” Ham said during the ceremony. “But with our ‘One DNA,’ we overcame countless financial crises and grew into a healthy, competitive group that values diversity and inclusion. I am deeply grateful to all our employees, past and present, who made this journey possible.”

Hana Financial Group Chairman and CEO Ham Young-joo speaks during a ceremony to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the group’s founding at its Myeongdong headquarters on Dec. 1. [HANA FINANCIAL GROUP]

Ham described the “One DNA” as the driving force that will sustain Hana Financial Group over the next century. He pledged to continue expanding the group’s role beyond finance to create greater social value and global impact and urged employees to do the same, as “the essence of finance is shared happiness” — positioning itself not just as a financial institution but as a contributor to broader social progress.

The group also unveiled the 20th anniversary company history book during the ceremony.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]