"The elderly customers feel like my own parents. Rather than explaining things just once and being done with it, I take time to walk them through everything slowly so they can use the services on their own when they come back next time."
Lee Myung-ran, a senior specialist at Woori Bank's Social Contribution Department, made these remarks in an interview with Seoul Economic Daily on the 21st at the Goodwill Store Ansan Sangnok branch in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, when asked what she considers most important when serving customers. "Digital banking is spreading rapidly and bank branches are dwindling, but there are still many financially vulnerable people who need on-site help," she said. "The Digital Express is meaningful because it not only improves financial accessibility but also serves as a connecting channel where customers can come and seek help with peace of mind."
Lee is one of 37 people selected for the first cohort of Woori Bank's retiree rehiring program, which the bank introduced for the first time last year. She joined the bank in 1990, worked for 32 years, and has now returned to the field. She currently handles services for financially vulnerable customers at Woori Bank's "Digital Express" inside the Miral Goodwill Store Ansan Sangnok branch. Woori Bank has expanded its retiree rehiring from the initial 37 last year to 71 today, and plans to hire about 60 more.
The retired specialists Woori Bank has rehired are now active across various departments. "Even while still working, I had a vague thought that after retirement I wanted to contribute to society based on the experience and know-how I had built at the bank," Lee said. "I wanted to keep meeting customers in person and helping them even after retirement, so I applied to the Social Contribution Department." She added, "I feel the greatest sense of fulfillment when I'm communicating with and helping customers in the field."
The Digital Express where Lee works is an unmanned branch based on video consultations. Through smart kiosks and digital desks, customers can handle major banking tasks such as deposits, loan consultations, and overseas remittances. The Miral Ansan Sangnok branch in particular is set up inside a Goodwill Store, improving accessibility for financially vulnerable groups including the elderly, people with disabilities, and foreign residents. Woori Financial Group currently supports 13 of the 47 Goodwill Stores nationwide. The Miral Ansan Sangnok branch is regarded as a flagship example of an "inclusive finance innovation branch" that combines a Goodwill Store with financial services.
"There are hardly any banks within a 30-minute walk of this area, so satisfaction with the Digital Express is high among elderly customers and foreign customers who find it difficult to travel far," Lee said. Unlike her days as a branch center head overseeing VIP-focused sales operations, explaining everything from how to use kiosks to mobile banking and card issuance procedures—at the customer's level—has become her daily routine. "Many customers aren't familiar with bank apps or kiosks, so my biggest focus is helping them so they can handle their banking on their own even when I'm not there," she said.
The Digital Express has proven its value in real situations. Last month, Lee noticed a customer wearing earphones and attempting a transfer with an anxious expression. She persuaded the customer to stop the transfer, preventing a voice phishing scam. She has also personally driven foreign customers who had difficulty processing banking tasks to a nearby branch.
Her sincere attitude has naturally rubbed off on Goodwill Store staff as well. Lee has actively engaged with employees, helping disabled workers organize merchandise, and received an "Honorary Employee Certificate" from the Goodwill Store. "I don't think I've done anything special," she said. "Helping customers in the field so they don't feel excluded because of finance is the direction Woori Financial Group has been emphasizing." She added, "I want to continue playing a role that eases inconveniences for customers by their side."
