KB Financial cans incumbent chairman to tap deputy as new leader

KB Financial Group selected Vice Chairman Lee Jae-keun as its next chairman for a three-year term, replacing the widely expected incumbent Yang Jong-hee. His appointment will be finalized at a shareholders meeting on Nov. 20, when Yang’s current term expires. The recommendation committee said Lee was chosen to lead a bold transformation and generational shift. The decision comes as regulators push for more transparent succession practices at financial holding companies.

Lee Jae-keun was selected over Yang Jong-hee and former Woori Bank CEO Kwon Kwang-seok.

The appointment is due to be finalized at a shareholders meeting on Nov. 20, when Yang’s current term expires.

The committee interviewed the three shortlisted candidates for two hours each and evaluated them on five criteria: experience, leadership, morality, alignment with the group’s vision and values, and commitment to sound management.

The succession process began more than a month earlier than in previous years, which the committee said was meant to allow more time to inspect candidates and reduce disadvantages for outside contenders.

KB Financial became the first Korean financial holding company to report more than 5 trillion won in annual net income in 2024 and is now on track to surpass 6 trillion won this year for the first time.

Published Sep 11, 2026 5:26 pm KST

Updated Sep 11, 2026 10:02 pm KST

Headquarters of KB Financial Group in Seoul / Courtesy of KB Financial Group

KB Financial Group selected Vice Chairman Lee Jae-keun as its next chairman for a three-year term, surprising a market that had widely expected incumbent Chairman Yang Jong-hee to secure another term.

Lee was selected over Yang and former Woori Bank CEO Kwon Kwang-seok. His appointment is due to be finalized at a shareholders meeting on Nov. 20, when Yang's current term expires.

KB Financial Group Vice Chairman Lee Jae-keun

"The group selected Lee to lead a bold transformation and generational shift as it seeks to strengthen its core competitiveness and secure new growth engines beyond its current strong performance," the group's chairman recommendation committee said in a statement.

At Friday's meeting, the committee conducted two-hour in-depth interviews with each of the three shortlisted candidates. They were assessed on five criteria: professional experience and expertise, leadership, morality, alignment with the group's vision and values, and commitment to sound management over the short and long term. The committee then held a final vote.

The leadership change comes as financial authorities pursue governance reforms aimed at curbing prolonged tenures among financial holding company chairmen and improving transparency in succession procedures. Although the measures have yet to be announced, the regulatory push had emerged as a key factor in the selection process.

In announcing Lee's selection, the committee stressed that the succession process began more than a month earlier than in previous years to allow more time to inspect candidates and minimize potential disadvantages for outside contenders. It also pointed to greater disclosure throughout the process, saying the changes were in line with regulators' push to improve the fairness and transparency of management succession.

The decision stands out after Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo was reappointed last March, followed by the reappointments of Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Jin Ok-dong and Woori Financial Group Chairman Yim Jong-yong this March.

Yang had also been widely expected to secure reappointment, with strong earnings growth and a reduced reliance on banking seen as key strengths supporting his bid for another term.

KB Financial became the first Korean financial holding company to report more than 5 trillion won ($3.7 billion) in annual net income in 2024, a year after Yang took office. It is now on track to surpass 6 trillion won in net income this year for the first time.

KB金融集团已选定副会长李在根接任下一任会长，任期三年，接替此前普遍预期的现任会长杨钟熙。李在根的任命将于11月20日举行的股东大会上最终确定，届时杨钟熙的任期也将届满。推荐委员会表示，选择李在根是为了领导一次大胆的转型和代际更迭。此举正值监管机构敦促金融控股公司提高继任制度透明度之际。

李在根击败杨钟熙和前友利银行CEO权光锡，当选。

该任命预计将于 11 月 20 日的股东大会上最终确定，届时杨的现任任期将到期。

委员会对三位入围候选人分别进行了两个小时的面试，并根据以下五个标准对他们进行了评估：经验、领导力、道德、与集团愿景和价值观的一致性以及对良好管理的承诺。

继任程序比往年提前了一个多月开始，委员会表示，这样做是为了留出更多时间来考察候选人，减少外部竞争者的劣势。

KB Financial 成为韩国首家在 2024 年实现年度净利润超过 5 万亿韩元的金融控股公司，目前有望在今年首次突破 6 万亿韩元。

发布于2026年9月11日下午5:26（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月11日晚上10:02（韩国标准时间）

KB金融集团首尔总部 / 图片由KB金融集团提供

KB金融集团选择副董事长李在根担任下一任董事长，任期三年，这令市场感到意外，因为市场普遍预期现任董事长杨钟熙将连任。

李在与杨和前友利银行首席执行官权光锡的竞争中胜出。他的任命将于11月20日的股东大会上最终确定，届时杨的现任任期将届满。

KB金融集团副会长李在根

“集团选择李来领导大胆的转型和代际更迭，以增强其核心竞争力，并在目前强劲的业绩基础上寻找新的增长引擎，”集团主席推荐委员会在一份声明中表示。

在周五的会议上，委员会对三位入围候选人分别进行了两个小时的深入面试。面试评估基于五个标准：专业经验和专长、领导能力、道德品质、与团队愿景和价值观的契合度，以及对短期和长期稳健管理的承诺。随后，委员会进行了最终投票。

此次领导层变动正值金融监管机构推行公司治理改革之际，旨在遏制金融控股公司董事长任期过长并提高继任程序透明度。尽管相关措施尚未正式公布，但监管机构的推动已成为遴选过程中的关键因素。

在宣布李的当选时，委员会强调，今年的继任程序比往年提前了一个多月启动，以便有更多时间考察候选人，并最大限度地减少外部竞争者可能面临的不利因素。委员会还指出，整个过程的信息披露更加透明，并表示这些改变符合监管机构为提高管理层继任的公平性和透明度而采取的措施。

继韩亚金融集团董事长咸英柱于去年 3 月再次被任命，以及新韩金融集团董事长金玉东和友利金融集团董事长林钟龙于今年 3 月再次被任命之后，这一决定显得尤为突出。

外界普遍预期杨安泽将获得连任，强劲的盈利增长和对银行业依赖程度的降低被视为支持他连任的关键优势。

KB Financial成为韩国首家在2024年实现年度净利润超过5万亿韩元（约合37亿美元）的金融控股公司，而这距离杨安泽就任韩国总理仅一年之隔。该公司目前有望在今年首次实现净利润突破6万亿韩元。