Group calls for stronger risk management framework

JB Financial Group held its second management strategy conference of 2026 at Aurum Campus in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, from July 30 to 31. [JB Financial Group]
JB Financial Group held its second management strategy conference of 2026 at Aurum Campus in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, from July 30 to 31. [JB Financial Group]

JB Financial Group said it will strengthen its regional and corporate banking operations in the second half of the year and accelerate its AI transformation strategy, building on record earnings posted in the first half.

The group announced Tuesday that it held its second management strategy conference of 2026 at Aurum Campus in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, from July 30 to 31.

About 150 people attended, including Chairman Kim Ki-hong and senior executives and department heads from all subsidiaries. The gathering focused on reviewing first-half performance and mapping out profit targets and medium- to long-term growth strategies for the second half.

"In the first half, we confirmed that the group's structural earnings base has solidified, with assets consistently growing alongside results that met market consensus," Kim said. "We must take our group-wide risk management framework to the next level to prepare for an uncertain market environment."

JB Financial posted a record net profit attributable to controlling shareholders of 385.7 billion won ($270 million) in the first half, up 4.1 percent from the same period a year earlier. The group said its strategy of pursuing quality growth centered on return on risk-weighted assets has translated into tangible results, further reinforcing its structural earnings base.

In the second half, the group plans to expand non-interest income and restructure its portfolio around high-efficiency assets to navigate market uncertainty, while maintaining its industry-leading cost-to-income ratio.

Jeonbuk Bank and Kwangju Bank each presented their key second-half strategic priorities — including strengthening regional finance roles, expanding corporate banking, boosting sales capabilities, and enhancing AI and product competitiveness — and shared implementation plans across subsidiaries.

Kim also identified AI transformation as a core priority.

"AX is a process in which each subsidiary's CEO personally leads change in organizational culture and working practices," Kim said. "We must spread real-world application cases so that all employees can experience the benefits of AI agents firsthand, and embed an organization-wide AX culture through initiatives such as in-house AI competitions."

The conference also featured special lectures and seminars on internalizing AX across the group. Seok Chang-gyu, chairman of Fantech Webcash Group — a strategic partner of JB Financial since 2024 — attended and shared case studies on AI platform use in B2B finance and ways to improve productivity.

On the second day, participants discussed strategic priorities for the AI era, benchmarked global innovation and technology trends, and explored ways to expand synergies among subsidiaries and advance community-oriented finance initiatives in the regions the group serves.


forest@heraldcorp.com