The Korea Inclusive Finance Agency announced Monday that it has carried out a second-half organizational restructuring aimed at delivering "life-saving finance" and proactively responding to a changing financial environment.
The financial operations unit, which oversees fund supply, has consolidated its previously scattered guarantee, loan and screening functions under a single division. The agency said the move is intended to strengthen coordination between lenders' loan execution and the agency's guarantee review process, while improving operational efficiency.
Departments under the financial support unit have also been reorganized. The youth finance division has been renamed the Future Asset Formation Support Division, and the microcredit business division has been restructured as the Microcredit Support Division. Through the new Future Asset Formation Support Division, the agency plans to expand asset-building support beyond its previous focus on youth to cover all citizens across their entire life cycle.
Customer counseling services have been further segmented and strengthened. The existing customer support unit has been reorganized as a counseling support unit, with two new departments — a counseling planning division and a non-face-to-face counseling division — established beneath it. Through this restructuring, the agency said it aims to move away from a reactive, application-driven model toward a proactive counseling system.
Data-driven research capabilities are also being upgraded. The data research function previously housed within the strategic planning division will be relaunched as a dedicated research center, with the goal of identifying inclusive finance-related data and enhancing the agency's capacity for policy research, new business model development and tailored financial service design.
In addition, the agency reorganized its public relations and cooperation office into a streamlined public relations office with an expanded mandate, aiming to strengthen policy communication and build a faster media response system.
"This restructuring is the starting point for institutional innovation — building a 'life-saving finance' system that intervenes before a crisis becomes reality," agency head Kim Eun-kyung said. "We will continue to strengthen our policy execution so that anyone can access services suited to their life stage and financial situation — from counseling to financial support to asset building — more easily and conveniently."
Those who have suffered losses from illegal private lending may report the matter to the Financial Supervisory Service (☎1332) for assistance. Those struggling with excessive debt or related difficulties may seek help from the Korea Inclusive Finance Agency (☎1397) or the Credit Counseling and Recovery Service (☎1600-5500).
※ Loan contracts with an annual interest rate exceeding 60% are void in both principal and interest.
won@heraldcorp.com