Banking sector expands "New Hope Seed" loans... targeting 50 trillion won in supply this year

Last year, domestic banks provided approximately 4 trillion won in loans through the “New Hope Loan” product aimed at ordinary people, with a target of exceeding 5 trillion won set for this year. This reflects the intention of financial regulators and banks to expand inclusive finance.

The supply scale of the New Hope Loan in 2025 is 4.0167 trillion won, an increase of about 500 billion won from the previous year. Among 15 domestic banks, Woori Bank ranked first with a supply of 736.7 billion won, followed by Hana Bank, Shinhan Bank, Nonghyup Bank, and Kookmin Bank. These five major banks account for 75.2% of the total loan amount, a significant share. Among regional banks, Jeonbuk Bank and Gyeongnam Bank exceeded their targets, achieving outstanding results.

The new methods for processing loans are also changing. Non-face-to-face loans through the internet, mobile banking, and loan crowdfunding platforms account for 70.4% of the total. Especially, the proportion of loans processed via internet and mobile channels is the highest, indicating the continued popularity of digital finance. The average loan amount is 13.9 million won, and as loan limits and income standards are relaxed, the loan amounts are trending upward.

This year, the banking industry has set a supply target of 5.1 trillion won for the New Hope Loan, an increase of 900 billion won from last year’s target. This is the largest increase in the past five years, demonstrating a strong commitment to alleviating financial difficulties for ordinary people and vulnerable groups.

The Financial Supervisory Service stated that it will further support the New Hope Loan by promoting the development of specialized products and expanding non-face-to-face sales channels. If this trend continues, the processes of expanding financial inclusion and digital finance are expected to accelerate further.