SEOUL, KOREA – Labeled as a slacker for taking baby steps toards smart finance, NH Bank (CEO Shin Chung-shik) has burned off its bridges behind it. Having taken a hard knock from the massive system crash in April of 2011, NH Bank now looks to take a step forward.
On January 1 of this year, reform-minded NH Bank newly created the Smart Finance Division, a think tank that encompasses all the areas of smart finance including online banking, smart business and e-biz projects. The Smart Finance Division is aimed to build a smart finance ecosystem where customers can do transactions and use various finance- and life-related services in a safe, convenient manner.
NH Bank will plough KRW 39 billion into its efforts for the provision of Korea’s best smart financial services including the building of a next-generation e-finance system.
In addition, NH Bank plans to jack up the number of NH smart banking users, which currently stands at 1.64 million, to 3 million this year.
By connecting a financial service app with agricultural products selling at NH Bank branches nationwide, NH Bank will also allow its customers to enjoy a variety of services like shopping, entertainment and investment techniques, not to mention financial services.
The Division will also push for a large-scale project for the creation of Korea’s first “app map,” in which a systemic map of apps will be drawn to offer a wide range of smart life services to customers.

Sean Chung (hbpark@etnews.com)
**Article provided by etnews [Korea IT News]
[Reference] : http://english.etnews.com/electronics/2715655_1303.html