Shinhan manager upholds bank’s spirit to better serve older customers

Shin Dong-sub, a Shinhan Bank manager who plays a key role in Shinhan Hakijae, a digital financial education center for older adults, gives a lecture to participants in Incheon in this 2023 file photo. Courtesy of Shinhan Bank

By Yi Whan-woo

Shin Dong-sub, a manager at Shinhan Bank, plays a key role in Shinhan Hakijae, a financial consumer education center designed to bridge the digital divide for older adults. With a career dedicated to consumer protection and financial accessibility, he has been at the forefront of efforts to ensure that all consumers, regardless of age or ability, can confidently navigate digital banking services.

Shin began his career in 2011 at a retail branch, where he specialized in consulting older customers and individuals with disabilities on financial services. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by these groups, he transitioned to the Consumer Protection Department at Shinhan Bank’s headquarters in 2020.

In 2021, he joined the newly established Inclusion Cell, a specialized team tasked with helping older adults adapt to digital financial services and strengthening their ability to prevent financial fraud. As a founding member, Shin contributed to shaping Shinhan Hakijae, which has since become a national model for inclusive finance and digital literacy education.

Shinhan Hakijae currently operates in two locations, Incheon and Suwon, both strategically selected based on demand assessments. These centers serve as dedicated spaces where older adults can experience digital financial services and enhance their financial security.

Shin credits Shinhan Bank’s strong leadership and commitment to financial accessibility as the driving force behind his work.

“I witnessed firsthand how deeply Shinhan Bank is committed to ensuring financial inclusion for older adults,” he said in a phone interview with The Korea Times.

He highlighted that the Consumer Protection Group is led by Vice President Park Hyun-ju, while the Inclusion Cell, which oversees Shinhan Hakijae, is led by Deputy General Manager Lee Hak-young. He added, “My seniors provided a clear vision, allowing me to focus on developing detailed educational programs tailored to older adults.”

One of the key features of the Shinhan Hakijae initiative is its repurposing of unused bank-owned real estate for social contribution. Instead of pursuing commercial use, Shinhan Bank has transformed these spaces into financial education hubs, reinforcing its commitment to inclusive finance and community engagement. Through this initiative, the bank has established a sustainable model that improves financial accessibility for digitally underserved groups, including older adults.

Furthermore, Shinhan Hakijae collaborates with the National Information Society Agency to offer structured training programs. These programs are led by professional instructors and utilize educational content developed by Shinhan Bank. The curriculum goes beyond banking services, covering essential digital literacy topics such as smartphone usage and online security.

To date, more than 5,800 residents aged 65 and older have participated in Shinhan Hakijae’s programs, and the initiative continues to expand its reach, ensuring that more older adults can confidently navigate digital financial services.

The popularity of Shinhan Hakijae has grown beyond Incheon and Suwon, with participants from outside these cities traveling to join the program. Shin hopes that Shinhan Hakijae will establish itself as a long-term, sustainable financial education model within the banking sector.

“Rather than fearing the digital era, we want to empower older adults to embrace it,” Shin said. “By providing accessible education and hands-on experience, we aim to create a financial environment where no one is left behind.”