[비즈한국] BNK Financial Group138930 has officially begun full-scale discussions to select its next CEO and Chairman. On the 13th, the BNK Financial Group Executive Recommendation Committee (ERC) stated, "To ensure a systematic and in-depth verification based on fairness, transparency, and the strengthening of board independence, we have initiated the management succession process and are currently accepting applications from our regular candidate pool as of October."
In the financial sector, names such as Chairman Bin Dae-in, Busan Bank President Bang Sung-bin, and BNK Financial Group Vice President Kang Jong-hoon are being mentioned as candidates for the next BNK Financial Group chairman. Among them, attention is focused on the possibility of Chairman Bin Dae-in's reappointment. BNK Financial Group allows for one consecutive reappointment of the chairman.
Since Chairman Bin's inauguration, BNK Financial Group's capital adequacy has improved. According to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), the group's Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio increased from 11.50% in March 2023, when Chairman Bin took office, to 12.56% in June 2025.
In October of last year, BNK Financial Group set a mid-term goal of achieving a 12.5% CET1 ratio. At the time, the financial industry predicted that it would be difficult for the group to reach this goal in such a short period, as regional banks have recently been performing worse than commercial banks. However, by achieving the goal in less than a year, the evaluation of Chairman Bin has risen. Perhaps due to this, the stock price of BNK Financial Group, which hovered in the 6,000 won range in March 2023, has now exceeded 14,000 won.
The issue lies in BNK Financial Group's actual earnings. Although most regional banks are experiencing difficulties, poor performance is not welcome news for shareholders. Looking at the net profits of BNK Financial Group over the past five years: 562.6 billion won in 2020, 834.2 billion won in 2021, 858.3 billion won in 2022, 678.9 billion won in 2023, and 750 billion won in 2024. It is difficult to say that the group's performance has improved significantly since Chairman Bin took office. The group's net profit for the first half of this year was 486.3 billion won, a 3.29% decrease from the 502.9 billion won recorded in the first half of last year.
However, the securities industry suggests that BNK Financial Group's performance is not necessarily that bad. Looking only at the second-quarter net profit of this year, it reached 314.5 billion won, a 26.69% increase compared to 248.2 billion won in the second quarter of last year. Analysts suggest that while net profit fell in the first quarter of this year due to one-off loan-loss provisions, the operating performance itself was not poor.
Ultimately, second-half performance is expected to be a major factor in determining whether Chairman Bin Dae-in is reappointed. Opinions on the outlook for BNK Financial Group’s performance are divided. Choi Jung-wook, an analyst at Hana Securities, predicted, "It is highly likely that BNK Financial Group's loan-loss expenses in the third quarter will fall significantly below market expectations, and net profit is also very likely to exceed the average estimates of the securities industry," adding, "We expect the group to deliver solid results in the third quarter as well."
On the other hand, Jung Moon-young, a specialist at Korea Ratings, analyzed, "Amid the continued slump in the domestic economy, export growth is expected to shrink due to the imposition of tariffs following the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, and financial market volatility is expected to increase, which will likely slow down credit growth." He added, "Strengthened financial consumer protection measures, including the expansion of the social responsibilities of financial institutions and regulations on mis-selling, are burdening profitability."
Meanwhile, some in the financial industry point out that the schedule for selecting the BNK Financial Group chairman was set too tightly. The BNK Financial Group ERC began the selection process for the next chairman on October 1st and announced October 15th as the deadline for application submissions. Critics argue that, considering the Chuseok holiday, the preparation period for candidates was insufficient. However, a counter-argument exists that any qualified professional could have utilized the Chuseok holiday to prepare thoroughly.
The final candidate for the next BNK Financial Group chairman will be officially appointed as CEO and Chairman following a recommendation by the ERC, a board resolution, and approval at the regular general shareholders' meeting to be held in March 2026. Jung Young-suk, Chairman of the BNK Financial Group ERC, stated, "The recommendation of CEO candidates will be conducted through the highest level of fairness and transparent procedures in accordance with the BNK Financial Group management succession plan," adding, "We will do our best to recommend the optimal CEO to lead the future of the group."