KB Kookmin strengthens corporate banking as competition intensifies

(KB Kookmin Bank)

South Korea’s retail banking powerhouse KB Kookmin Bank is rapidly expanding its footprint in corporate finance. Through personnel reshuffles and organizational restructuring, the bank is accelerating a full-scale transformation from a retail-focused institution into one centered on corporate banking.

According to sources from the financial industry on Sunday, KB Kookmin Bank raised the share of relationship managers (RMs) dedicated to corporate banking from 34 percent of its roughly 13,000 regular employees as of the end of December 2025 to 37 percent through its latest round of regular personnel appointments.

The bank plans to raise the proportion of corporate banking staff to 40 percent in the second half of this year, and to more than 50 percent by 2033 over the medium to long term.

The bank has also overhauled its branch operating system. Previously, smaller branches did not handle corporate loans or business loans exceeding 1 billion won ($678,619) but starting this year, all branches are able to offer a full range of corporate financial services, including corporate credit and foreign exchange-related financing.

To support this shift, the bank has mandated that each branch staff at least two corporate banking specialists.

KB Kookmin Bank’s push to strengthen corporate finance reflects rapid changes in the financial landscape.

Internet-only banks such as Toss Bank and KakaoBank have been gaining ground on the back of digital convenience.

Corporate banking, on the other hand, involves complex loan structures and requires face-to-face services such as corporate due diligence, consulting, and foreign exchange and trade finance – areas where traditional banks retain a competitive edge.

The shift also aligns with the Lee Jae-myung administration’s push for “productive finance,” which calls on banks to expand support for corporate investment and growth rather than rely on household lending.