Saemaul Geumgo has supplied over 2 trillion won in policy funds aimed at supporting low-income individuals and small businesses in the first half of this year.
The Saemaul Geumgo Central Association announced on August 24 that the total amount of policy funds provided by Saemaul Geumgo across the country reached 2.17 trillion won in the first half of 2026.
The largest portion of this funding came from local government agreement loans, totaling 1.63 trillion won, followed by the Haetsal Loan at 380 billion won and small business loans at 160 billion won.
Local government agreement loans are designed to provide low-interest funding to local self-employed individuals through agreements between local governments and Saemaul Geumgo. The interest rates for these products range from approximately 2% to 6%.
The scale of policy fund provision by Saemaul Geumgo has been steadily increasing. The annual supply rose from 2.958 trillion won in 2023 to 3.123 trillion won in 2024, and further to 4.052 trillion won last year. This year, the amount provided in just the first half has already surpassed half of last year's total annual supply.
Notably, a significant portion of the policy funds is being allocated to non-capital regions and rural areas. Saemaul Geumgo operates about 70% of its 3,198 branches outside the capital region and has over 460 branches in 89 areas experiencing population decline.
Saemaul Geumgo prioritizes low-interest products like the Haetsal Loan for customers who meet the eligibility criteria for policy fund support when they visit branches for general credit loans or financial consultations. The organization also plans to identify and share best practices for policy fund management across the country.
A representative from the Saemaul Geumgo Central Association stated, "We will continue to expand policy fund support tailored to customer needs, becoming a strong pillar for the local economy."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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