Shinhan Financial Group marked its 25th anniversary with a ceremony and presented “trust” and “business competitiveness” as core values for sustainable growth.

Shinhan Financial said it held the 25th anniversary event on Tuesday morning at its headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul, with Chairman Jin Ok-dong (진옥동), group company CEOs and holding company employees in attendance.

Jin delivered a special lecture for employees, looked back on the group’s growth over the past 25 years and outlined a direction for sustainable growth.

Jin stressed that even if the financial environment changes rapidly, financial companies are ultimately judged by customer trust. He also said that in the AI era the object of trust is likely to expand to “AI agents” that compare products and carry out investments and transactions on customers’ behalf.

“Going forward, the key competitiveness will depend not just on how well we use AI, but on how well we design AI that customers can trust,” Jin said.

He also underscored the importance of internal controls. “Losing trust is like losing future growth opportunities,” Jin said, adding that sustainable growth requires competitiveness across all areas, including internal controls and profitability, market position, customer base, organisational culture and AX.

“Shinhan’s past 25 years have been a process of growth through success and failure, challenge and reflection,” he said. “Let us continue to leap higher, based on Shinhan’s firm trust and competitiveness in each area.”