Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) Governor Lee Bok-hyun, front row fifth from left, poses with British Ambassador to Korea Colin Crooks, front row sixth from left, and Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo, front row third from left at the launch ceremony for the Hana Digital Power On project at Hana Financial Group’s headquarters in Seoul, Monday. The project aims to nurture young talent in digital finance. Courtesy of Hana Financial Group

By Yoon Ja-young

Hana Financial Group announced on Monday the launch of the third edition of the Hana Digital Power On project, which aims to nurture young digital talent to drive the country’s financial innovation.

The project is hosted by Hana Financial Group and sponsored by the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), Google, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft and SK Telecom.

“The previous two years of the Digital Power On project proved that the brilliant ideas of young people, when combined with an excellent educational environment, bring about outcomes that surpass those of the older generation,” FSS Governor Lee Bok-hyun said at the launch ceremony at Hana Financial Group’s headquarters in Seoul.

“I hope that Hana Financial Group’s investment in young people will continue to nurture excellent digital finance talent,” he added.

“The competitiveness of digital finance is determined by digital talent, and the life and death of a company lies in nurturing of such talent,” Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo said.

“We promise our best efforts to help the participants of this project grow into future digital talent. We hope that you will grow through this project to meet us again as our colleagues who will determine the future of Hana Financial Group.”

Following the launch ceremony, the Digital New Technology Competition was held to select the final participants for the project from among 20 teams. They suggested innovative finance-digital convergence ideas using new digital technology: AI, blockchain, the cloud and data.

The final participating teams selected through the competition will be provided with intensive training so that they can gain professional knowledge and experience. They will also participate in the hackathon competition with SK Telecom to solidify their own ideas and develop them into prototypes.

Those with excellent outcomes will be offered a total of 30 million won in prize money as well as a special field trip to global IT companies and fintech firms in the U.K., which is at the center of the global financial market. Those applying for jobs at Hana Financial Group in the future will also be given preferential benefits.