K Bank won a Financial Services Commission chairman award for contributing to expanded youth hiring and protection of minor financial consumers. It was recognised for creating jobs by running an employment-linked internship programme and for building a fraud detection system (FDS) dedicated to minors.

K Bank said on Oct. 27 it won an institutional citation and an individual award in the inclusive finance category at the 11th Financial Day ceremony hosted by the Financial Services Commission.

K Bank was selected for the newly introduced "expanding youth hiring" award this year. It marked the first time K Bank received a Financial Day citation as an institution, and CEO Choi Woo-hyung attended as the representative to accept the award.

K Bank was recognised for helping expand entry-level job seekers' opportunities to enter the financial industry and for contributing to job creation through its employment-linked internship programme, which it has operated since 2022.

In an internet-only bank sector where experienced hires account for a large share, it runs a regular employment-linked internship programme. From last year, it expanded the programme to twice a year, in the first and second halves, reflecting increased hiring demand.

It has held a total of seven internship rounds through this year, and outstanding interns have been converted to full-time roles. It provided young people with hands-on experience in financial-sector work and opportunities for full-time employment.

The individual award went to card team manager Ji-eun Jang (장지은). The citation recognised contributions to building a customised FDS for minors as the person in charge of the "Alpha Card" for customers aged 14 to under 19.

K Bank used artificial intelligence to analyse transaction characteristics of minor customers and set up a system that can identify suspicious transactions that were difficult to detect with an existing adult-focused FDS. It built a dual FDS structure that distinguishes between adults and minors, strengthening the prevention of financial crime and consumer protection.

A K Bank official said, "We will continue to work for the development and innovation of the financial industry."