Shinhan Financial expands ties with Korean diaspora in Japan at 80th anniversary event

Shinhan Financial Group used the 80th anniversary ceremony of the Korean Residents Union in Japan to promote investment opportunities in South Korea's financial markets and present its corporate value enhancement plan to ethnic Koreans living in Japan.

Shinhan Financial set up a dedicated promotional booth at the ceremony, held Wednesday at Lotte Hotel World in Jamsil, Seoul, the group said Thursday. It marked the first time the Korean Residents Union in Japan — founded in 1946 — has held its anniversary ceremony in South Korea rather than Japan.

Shinhan Bank and Shinhan Securities used the booth to walk attendees through the process of opening bank and securities accounts, with guidance tailored to each visitor's nationality and residency status. The initiative aimed to extend the group's longstanding ties with ethnic Korean shareholders in Japan to a new generation of investors.

Staff also advised visitors on how to deposit and transfer investment funds between South Korea and overseas, helping to improve access to and convenience within the domestic financial market. Materials covering Shinhan Financial's growth history, key business results and corporate value enhancement plans were also distributed.

The event served as an occasion to reflect on the relationship between Shinhan Financial and the Korean diaspora in Japan. The group was founded in 1982 at the initiative of 341 small shareholders from that community, who sought to contribute to South Korea's economic development. Its founding philosophy — "financial patriotism," or contributing to national and social progress through finance — traces directly to that origin.

The Korean Residents Union in Japan has long advocated for the rights and interests of ethnic Koreans in Japan and served as a unifying force within the community. It has supported South Korea at critical moments, including dispatching student volunteer soldiers during the Korean War and organizing remittance campaigns during the country's financial crisis.

"Growing interest in South Korea's financial markets and Shinhan Financial among the Korean community in Japan, especially younger generations, prompted us to set up the booth," a Shinhan Financial official said. "We will strengthen communication to carry on the founding spirit of financial patriotism and extend our ties with the Korean community in Japan to future generations."