Woori Bank is the second largest bank in terms of loan assets in South Korea. It has an extensive network. It is still a government bank but there could be disinvestment to below 50% level this year. It has a strong capital base, impressive profitability and financial ratios. While there is marginal slippage in its CAR and NPL ratios, the bank is far ahead of system's average. Its Internet banking is becoming popular. While its expanding retail credit portfolio, especially to the housing sector could be a cause of concern, its credit card portfolio has been taken out of the bank to be handled by a separate entity of the holding company. Woori Bank has good cross-selling opportunities being a part of a financial holding company.

Woori Bank is the second largest domestic bank of South Korea, in terms of total loans and assets. It has the second most extensive network among all commercial banks in Korea with 680 domestic branches and 12 overseas branches. This bank belongs to Woori Financial Group, which was established in 2001 as Korea's first financial holding company. Woori Bank, earlier known as Hanvit Bank, has come into existence following the merger between the Commercial Bank of Korea and Hanil Bank on December 31, 1998.

Woori Bank finances manufacturing, households, wholesale and retail trade, construction and other sectors. While households finance accounts for 44.5%, manufacturing sector occupies 18.6% as on March 31, 2003. The bank states that it has expanded its exposure to household sector by 2.7%, as it has been perceived as a relatively safer and more profitable than the manufacturing and construction sectors. The loan assets had a quantum jump of 40% during the one year period ended on March 31, 2003.

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