As a responsible corporate citizen, Kyongnam Bank came out strong in support of worthy causes in 2004. First of all, the bank¡¯s 1,900 staff established Regional Service Corps, 35 in total. Each of these corps entered into sisterhood with a designated welfare organization and engaged in a range of services for those in need. Their philanthropic activities include regular visits to facilities housing orphans and the elderly. In particular, they help older people take baths and clean up their rooms. They also donate blood.

* 1,900 People
About 1,900 employees of Kyongnam Bank set up Regional Service Corps, 35 in total.

In farming areas, bank employees roll up their sleeves and plant rice seedlings in paddies. Korea¡¯s rice farmers nowadays suffer from acute shortages of workers, as young persons prefer urban life to life in rural communities. In Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, 40 Service Corps members contributed time and effort in support of marathon runners in early this year. Standing along the marathon course, they gave out water to every runner. After the race, they also took time out to clean up dirt and garbage in areas around Jinju Stadium.



Bank staff operated a temporary tea house, a bazaar and a beer house in late 2004 at the bank s head office. Sponsored by the Community Business Service Division, the charity program focused on raising relief funds for the needy, especially orphans and destitute older people who have no family to rely on.

All the proceeds from the program were donated to the unprivileged, who included teenage boys and girls heading families. Kyongnam Bank President Kyong-Duck Jung invited these underprivileged boys and girls to the bank to deliver money raised from the charity program to them in person.

Since the bank inaugurated a community relations office in August 2004 in a large-scale organizational restructuring, the bank and its employees have been actively involved in charity activities in an effort to enhance their profile as a community bank. All employees have donated substantial amounts of money to the needy every year through a variety of fundraiding activities, such as bazaars.

Moreover, about 40 bank employees donate 10,000 to 50,000 won each month and present the cash to the underprivileged. Their donations aggregate to 50 million won on an annual basis. The donation drive was started in mid-2003.

Kyongnam Bank also is a prominent patron for promotion of artistic and cultural activities for community members.

For instance, the bank is a strong financial supporter to Gyeongnam Opera Company. Its donation to the Company amounted to 150 million won in 2003 and 120 million won in 2004. The bank will also contribute a significant amount to the opera this year. Founded in 1992, Gyeongnam Opera Company performs several times annually with a large number of bank customers invited.

Every year, the bank also extends a helping hand to young students from low-income families. Since 1990, the bank has donated a huge 1.3 billion won to some 3,000 students in the form of scholarships. The recipients included teenage boys and girls heading families. The bank will continue its general financial support to young students and underprivileged families in 2005.

Moreover, the bank offers short-term education on financial services and economic activity to students and housewives. In 2004 alone, the bank extended such education to 4,000 students, mostly during summer vacations. The bank also finances drawing and essay writing contests for children and housewives as part of its efforts to develop closer ties between the bank and the communities in which it operates.

In addition, Kyongnam Bank takes keen interest in the preservation of traditional cultures. Since 1996, eight volumes featuring traditional cultures in local communities have been published by the bank. One book featuring 200 of the best local cultural assets was distributed to middle and high schools in South Gyeongsang Province as a supplementary textbook. Another book, published in 1999, shows a wide array of pictures of major tourist destinations in the province. A wide variety of birds and insects are featured in a book issued in 2000.