BNK Financial Group has implemented a second-half organizational reshuffle centered on a strategy tailored to the Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang region and support for the region’s key industries. At the holding company, it created new units to handle regional economic research, ESG strategy and AI transformation, and set up new dedicated industrial finance organizations at Busan Bank and Kyongnam Bank.

BNK Financial said on Tuesday it reshuffled the organization of the holding company and major subsidiaries, focusing on responding to the regional economy, localizing ESG strategy and preparing for future finance.

The holding company will set up a Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang Economy Research Team under the BNK Management Research Institute. The team will analyze industrial and economic trends in Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang and reflect them in the group’s management strategy.

It will also create a Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang ESG Strategy Team to identify ESG tasks linked to regional issues. The group plans to expand ESG projects tied to local communities and spell out its regional mutual-growth strategy.

In future finance, it will set up an AX Promotion Group to oversee the group’s AI transformation. The organization will drive AI-based work innovation and digital transformation tasks at the group level.

It will also set up a Digital Asset Promotion Group to handle payments and digital assets. The organization will respond to changes in digital asset regulations and markets and review related business opportunities.

Busan Bank and Kyongnam Bank will each establish an Industrial Finance Strategy Team. They plan to build a financial support system centered on regional strategic industries in the Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang area, including small modular reactors, the defense industry, aerospace and eco-friendly shipbuilding.

Busan Bank will set up a Marine Finance Promotion Group. It will transfer its technology evaluation function to the Innovative Growth Finance Group to strengthen investment and financial support for venture firms and startups.

Kyongnam Bank will set up a Business Succession Support Team. It plans to link business succession consulting and financial support to help local companies with succession and continuity of management.

A BNK Financial official said the group would expand productive financial supply to regional strategic industries and step up responses to AI and digital assets.