Kiwoom Securities recruits 21st customer panel, accepting first 80 applicants

Kiwoom Securities announced Friday it is recruiting members for its 21st customer panel to collect feedback from customers who use its financial products and services.

The customer panel program has been in operation since 2017. Starting in 2024, Kiwoom Securities expanded its recruitment cycles from twice to four times a year to gather a wider range of customer input.

Individual customers aged 14 or older who have traded at least one of the following products through Kiwoom Securities within the past year — funds, repurchase agreements, individual savings accounts or pension savings — are eligible to apply. Recruitment runs through Aug. 20, with 20 spots available per product category for a total of 80 panelists, accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Panel suggestions have led to tangible service changes. Based on past panel feedback, the company adjusted the start dates for equity-linked securities subscriptions, which had been fixed to Mondays, to vary by product type. It also introduced a system that sends customers a text message with a URL to unlock their brokerage account after five consecutive incorrect password attempts. A panel recommendation also prompted the development of an automatic-purchase service for overseas stock exchange-traded funds.

Selected panelists will submit their opinions on product-specific topics assigned by Kiwoom Securities via a dedicated panel email address from Friday through Aug. 30. Participants who submit feedback will receive a small gift, and those offering outstanding suggestions will be recognized with a separate award.

"The perspective of customers who directly use our financial products and services is the most important starting point for improvement," a Kiwoom Securities official said. "With the 21st panel as well, we will carefully examine the inconveniences and suggestions that customers experience and translate them into meaningful change."