Hana Financial and FSS join hands to foster young digital talent
Hana Financial Group said Sunday that the South Korean financial holding company held a proclamation ceremony for the second Hana Digital Power On Project last Thursday — a program designed to cultivate young digital talent in emerging technologies like blockchain and big data — at the Hana Global Campus in Incheon.
Support from tech juggernauts
The program, sponsored by the Korean Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) and several tech giants such as Google, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and SK Telecom, was first held last year. This year’s project saw the participation of over 50 individuals forming 16 teams, Hana said.

Competitions and training
A contest centered around new digital technology was also held on the same day. Participating teams proposed ideas for solving issues that may arise in the financial industry using artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, and big data technologies.
Winning teams will be rewarded up to KRW 10 million (approximately $7,500) in prize money along with the opportunity to visit several information technology companies. They will also have the chance to participate in a hackathon competition organized by SK Telecom to further develop their ideas.
They will also undergo a four-week digital education program put together by Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, as well as practical training provided by the Hana Institute of Technology. Notably, graduates of the program will be exempt from going through the initial screening process when applying for positions at Hana Financial Group.
Officials including Lee Bok-hyun, Governor of the FSS; Lee Hoon-kyu, Director of Future for Youth Foundation; and Ham Young-joo, Chairman of Hana Financial Group, were in attendance.
“We will strive to cultivate young digital talent and create employment opportunities for the youth,” said Hana Chairman Ham. FSS Governor Lee also added that there is a need to secure interdisciplinary talents capable of generating innovative ideas.


