[비즈한국] It has been confirmed that Douzone Bizon012510 quietly recruited Shim Kyu-ho, a former vice president of Kangwon Land with ties to the Democratic Party, last year. Vice President Shim currently handles external relations for the company. Shim previously served as an aide to lawmakers affiliated with the Democratic Party of Korea. As Douzone Bizon expands its business, including a recent application for a preliminary MyData license, his recruitment is expected to help maintain relations with the government. However, given that Shim was previously embroiled in controversy over being a "parachute appointment" at Kangwon Land, it is reported that some in the opposition party view this move with skepticism.
According to Bizhankook’s reporting, Douzone Bizon hired former Kangwon Land Vice President Shim Kyu-ho as a vice president in charge of the External Cooperation Headquarters last July. Shim previously served as an aide to former Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Kwang-jae, head of the National Assembly’s Gangwon-do Aide Association, director of the Gangwon-do Seoul Office, and vice president of Kangwon Land.
At the time of his appointment to Kangwon Land, Vice President Shim was at the center of a "parachute" controversy, as critics argued he lacked expertise due to his lack of experience in the leisure industry. In 2022, social organizations from four cities and counties in the abandoned mine area labeled then-Kangwon Land CEO Lee Sam-geol and Vice President Shim as parachute appointments and demanded their resignation.
During a debate for the 2022 Gangwon-do gubernatorial election, candidate Kim Jin-tae asked candidate Lee Kwang-jae, “Did you recommend him (Vice President Shim)?” to which Lee replied, “I did not recommend him.” Vice President Shim resigned from his position at Kangwon Land at the end of 2022, citing health reasons.
Since 2020, Douzone Bizon has been making significant moves in the fintech industry. After receiving an investment of 72.3 billion KRW from Shinhan Bank in 2021, the company established "Douzone Techfin," a joint venture with Shinhan Bank, in 2022 to develop financial platforms specialized for SMEs. In 2023, it acquired the IT media outlet Electronic Times (ETNews), and in 2024, it established "Techfin Ratings," a joint venture with Shinhan Bank and SGI Seoul Guarantee. The company also pushed for an internet-only bank late last year but withdrew the plan in March this year.
Douzone Bizon is also preparing for the MyData business. MyData is a service that consolidates financial asset status scattered across various financial institutions, allowing operators to utilize this data in various ways. For instance, Toss uses MyData to provide recommendations for customized financial services based on deposit and loan status. Since the 19th, MyData 2.0 has been implemented, allowing for asset inquiries across all financial institutions.
With new ventures like the MyData business, this is a critical time for Douzone Bizon to maintain strong relations with the government and financial authorities. Given his long history with the Democratic Party, Vice President Shim was expected to help foster friendly relations, though since he was hired in July last year, it is difficult to see his recruitment as being specifically aimed at the current administration.
The fact that some in the political sphere still view Vice President Shim as a parachute appointment is a source of concern. A Douzone Bizon official stated, “Vice President Shim underwent employment screening by the Public Service Ethics Committee for high-ranking officials and was deemed qualified,” adding, “We recruited him for his external relations expertise, taking his reputation into account.”