FinanceAsia Country Achievement Awards - Korea

Best Domestic Commercial Bank: Housing & Commercial Bank

At one end of Korea's banking sector you have total basket cases, and at the other you have, well, Housing & Commercial Bank. H&CB is a bank whose financials speak volumes. Its operating income rose 258% due to increases in interest income (46%) and fee income (42%). After introducing a new credit scoring system, loan growth was up 30% - mostly in the consumer sector. As at the end of March its return on equity was 24.22%, while its main lending is to consumers and small and medium-sized enterprises.