Hana Financial, FSS join forces to raise alarm over youth gambling

Hana pledges W10b to protect youngsters from illegal onlinegambling

Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo (center left, front row) and Financial Supervisory Service Gov. Lee Bok-hyun (center right, front row) pose for a photo along with partnering officials, youngsters and their parents at the launch event of a new anti-gambling campaign in Seoul, Friday. (Hana Financial Group)

Hana Financial Group said Sunday that it will inject 10 billion won ($7.32 million) over the next three years to bring awareness to the dangers of illegal gambling for youngsters.

The project is co-organized by Hana Financial Group and Korea Center on Gambling Problems, joined by public institutions including the Financial Supervisory Service, National Gambling Control Commission, National Police Agency and Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.

"The Financial Supervisory Service, in charge of providing financial education for youngsters, has been putting efforts into preventing illegal gambling that disrupts them from forming a proper perspective on money management,” FSS Gov. Lee Bok-hyun said at an event held to mark the start of the project in the Hongdae area in western Seoul, Friday.

“I hope the co-project involving the financial circle and public institutions, can be a meaningful step to ensure a sound future for the young people,” he said.

Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo also vowed to protect young people from becoming addicted to online gambling through an integrated approach, encompassing prevention and treatment.

"Hana Financial will set up a social safety net through operating campaigns and providing counseling for elementary, middle and high school students," Ham said.

"I hope today's event can be an opportunity to raise alarm over youth gambling and to bring attention to prevention and treatment," Ham said. "I hope the whole society can be a lamp protecting young people from illegal gambling."

Hana Financial has appointed professional esports player Lee Sang-hyeok as the ambassador of its illegal gambling prevention campaign. Lee, known by his game name “Faker,” is a legendary online gamer here and a brand model for Hana Bank, a lender under the financial provider.

"Gambling is not a game," Lee said through a video message, further calling for youngsters not to be exposed to illegal gambling.

Under the project, Hana Financial and Korea Center on Gambling Problems are to produce content such as musicals, webtoons and animations to raise the alarm against the dangers of illegal gambling. They are to hold talk concerts and busking performances as well.

The project further involves nurturing around 1,000 instructors who specialize in preventing youth gambling. It will also designate 90 local schools to be exemplary cases of gambling prevention.

"I thought of online gambling as a game that my friends play, as it is easily accessible through smartphones," a young student was quoted as saying during Friday's panel discussion. "Through the event, I realized that this is illegal gambling that can be punished by the law.”

By Im Eun-byel(silverstar@heraldcorp.com)