CORRESP 1 filename1.htm CORRESP

LOGO

51, Sogong-ro, Jung-gu,

Seoul 04632, Korea

Tel: 82-2-2125-2000

Fax: 82-0505001-0501

http://www.woorifg.com

December 14, 2022

VIA EDGAR

Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, N.E.

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Attention:

Michael Volley, Staff Accountant

    

John Nolan, Senior Advisor

    

Division of Corporation Finance

    

Office of Finance

 

  Re:

Woori Financial Group Inc.

      

Form 20-F Filed May 16, 2022

      

File No. 001-31811

Dear Messrs. Volley and Nolan:

We write in response to your November 18, 2022 letter addressed to Woori Financial Group Inc. (the “Company”), in which the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Staff”) provided certain comments with respect to the Company’s response letter dated September 7, 2022. Such response letter was in turn provided in response to the Staff’s comment letter dated August 10, 2022, regarding the above-referenced filing (the “Form 20-F”) of the Company. For ease of reference, your comments appear in italics directly above the Company’s response. Unless indicated otherwise, capitalized terms used herein without definition have the meanings ascribed to them in the Form 20-F.

 

  1.

Please refer to comment 4. We note that the material amount of reconciling items impacting net income relate to “consolidation adjustments including the elimination of intercompany transactions.” Please tell us in detail and revise future filings to disclose the nature of the adjustments that result in a decrease in segment net income for each of the past three years in order to reconcile to consolidated net income. Your discussion should provide sufficient information to allow an investor to understand why a segment recognized net income that was eliminated through a consolidation adjustment or an intercompany elimination adjustment. For example, clarify if segment entities use a different measurement basis for certain transactions, etc.


Messrs. Michael Volley and John Nolan

Securities and Exchange Commission, p. 2

 

The Company respectfully advises the Staff that the major adjustments to segment net income (loss) are intercompany dividends, which amounted to Won 676,000 million, Won 680,375 million and Won 692,605 million in 2019, 2020 and 2021, respectively. The Company receives dividends from its subsidiaries, including Woori Bank, which are recognized as non-interest income under the “Others” segment shown in Note 5 “Operating Segments” of the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in the Form 20-F. Such dividends are internal transactions between the Company and its subsidiaries and are eliminated through consolidation adjustments. The Company will disclose such details in its future filings, as shown in the tables and their accompanying footnotes below.

Segment net income (loss) is measured using IFRS amounts after internal managerial adjustments and others, as follows:

 

     As of or for the year ended December 31, 2019  
     Total
adjustments
(A+B+C)
     Internal managerial
adjustments (A)
    All other segments
(B)(*4)
     Internal transaction
adjustments
and others (C)(*5)
 
                            
     (in millions of Korean Won)  

Net interest income (expense)

     699,997        648,995   (*1)      48,968        2,034  

Non-interest income (expense)

     (1,533,917      (566,038 )(*2)      (31,872      (936,007 )(*6) 

Impairment losses due to credit loss

     (80,909      (82,957 )(*3)      14,293        (12,245

General and administrative expenses

     257,231        —         (1,745      258,976   (*7) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Operating income (expense)

     (657,598      —         29,644        (687,242
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Share of gain (loss) of joint ventures and associates

     127,400        —         (80      127,480   (*8) 

Other non-operating income (expense)

     (61,822      —         3,515        (65,337 )(*9) 

Non-operating income

     65,578        —         3,435        62,143  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income (expense) before income tax expense

     (592,020      —         33,079        (625,099

Income tax expense

     (33,222      —         (142      (33,080
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

     (625,242      —         32,937        (658,179
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total assets

     (21,007,090      —         4,866,049        (25,873,139

Investments in joint ventures and associates

     (22,236,786      —         10,951        (22,247,737

Other assets

     1,229,696        —         4,855,098        (3,625,402

Total liabilities

     339,323        —         4,281,104        (3,941,781

 

(*1)

Includes the deduction of Won 333,600 million of deposit insurance expenses and Won 317,668 million of contribution expenses, which are classified as “net interest income (expense)” for internal management purposes but as “non-interest income (expense)” for financial accounting purposes.

(*2)

Includes the addition of the expenses described in footnote (*1) as well as the addition of Won 82,957 million, which includes Won 103,649 million of gains from sales of loans that are classified as “impairment losses” for internal management purposes but as “non-interest income (expense)” for financial accounting purposes.

(*3)

Includes the addition of Won 82,957 million described in footnote (*2).

(*4)

Includes consolidated funds (subsidiaries of the Company and Woori Bank) that are not included in the disclosed “others” segment.

(*5)

Consolidation adjustments of the Company and Woori Bank, including the elimination of intercompany transactions and others.

(*6)

Consolidation adjustments including the elimination of Won 676,000 million of intercompany dividends between the Company and its subsidiaries and Won 246,289 million of the intercompany IT service agency income of Woori FIS, which acts as the Group’s IT services agent.

(*7)

Consolidation adjustments including the elimination of Won 246,289 million of intercompany IT service agency.

(*8)

Share of gain (loss) of associates of the Company and Woori Bank.

(*9)

Consolidation adjustments including the elimination of Won 52,273 million of intercompany dividends between Woori Bank and its subsidiaries and associates.


Messrs. Michael Volley and John Nolan

Securities and Exchange Commission, p. 3

 

     As of or for the year ended December 31, 2020  
     Total
adjustments
(A+B+C)
     Internal managerial
adjustments (A)
    All other segments
(B)(*5)
     Internal transaction
adjustments
and others (C)(*6)
 
                            
     (in millions of Korean Won)  

Net interest income (expense)

     741,406        692,298   (*1)      52,171        (3,063

Non-interest income (expense)

     (1,710,849      (676,483 )(*2)      (19,082      (1,015,284 )(*7) 

Impairment losses due to credit loss

     (28,741      (17,138 )(*3)      (808      (10,795

General and administrative expenses

     251,940        —         (2,921      254,861   (*8) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Operating income (expense)

     (746,244      (1,323     29,360        (774,281
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Share of gain (loss) of joint ventures and associates

     106,547        —         (22,047      128,594   (*9) 

Other non-operating income (expense)

     (123,090      1,323   (*4)      33,895        (158,308 )(*10) 

Non-operating income

     (16,543      1,323       11,848        (29,714
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income (expense) before income tax expense

     (762,787      —         41,209        (803,996

Income tax expense

     25,753        —         29        25,724  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

     (737,034      —         41,238        (778,272
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total assets

     (22,610,807      —         5,643,135        (28,253,942

Investments in joint ventures and associates

     (23,978,359      —         10,194        (23,988,553

Other assets

     1,367,552        —         5,632,941        (4,265,389

Total liabilities

     925,168        —         4,643,899        (3,718,731

 

(*1)

Includes the deduction of Won 371,054 million of deposit insurance expenses and Won 327,911 million of contribution expenses, which are classified as “net interest income (expense)” for internal management purposes but as “non-interest income (expense)” for financial accounting purposes.

(*2)

Includes the addition of the expenses described in footnote (*1) as well as the addition of Won 15,815 million, which includes Won 51,655 million of gains from sales of loans that are classified as “impairment losses” for internal management purposes but as “non-interest income (expense)” for financial accounting purposes.

(*3)

Includes the addition of Won 15,815 million described in footnote (*2) and the addition of Won 1,323 million of “provisions for other provisions” that are classified as “other non-operating income (expense)” for internal management purposes but as “impairment losses” for financial accounting purposes.

(*4)

Includes the deduction of Won 1,323 million of “provisions for other provisions” and the that are classified as “other non-operating expense” for internal management purposes.

(*5)

Includes consolidated funds (subsidiaries of the Company and Woori Bank) that are not included in the disclosed “others” segment.

(*6)

Consolidation adjustments of the Company and Woori Bank including the elimination of intercompany transactions and others.

(*7)

Consolidation adjustments including the elimination of Won 680,375 million of intercompany dividends between the Company and its subsidiaries and Won 252,922 million of the intercompany IT service agency income of Woori FIS, which acts as the Group’s IT services agent.

(*8)

Consolidation adjustments including the elimination of Won 252,922 million of intercompany IT service agency expenses.

(*9)

Share of gain (loss) of associates of the Company and Woori Bank.

(*10)

Consolidation adjustments including the elimination of Won 214,802 million of intercompany dividends between Woori Bank and its subsidiaries and associates and the recognition of Won 67,427 million of gain from a bargain purchase of Woori Financial Capital Co., Ltd.


Messrs. Michael Volley and John Nolan

Securities and Exchange Commission, p. 4

 

     As of or for the year ended December 31, 2021  
     Total
adjustments
(A+B+C)
     Internal managerial
adjustments (A)
    All other segments
(B)(*5)
     Internal transaction
adjustments
and others (C)(*6)
 
                            
     (in millions of Korean Won)  

Net interest income (expense)

     767,701        758,559   (*1)      9,938        (796

Non-interest income (expense)

     (1,623,603      (670,230 )(*2)      16,431        (969,804 )(*7) 

Impairment losses due to credit loss

     (88,592      (89,683 )(*3)      —          1,091  

General and administrative expenses

     275,618        —         (256      275,874   (*8) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Operating income (expense)

     (668,876      (1,354     26,113        (693,635
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Share of gain (loss) of joint ventures and associates

     (3,993      —         51        (4,044 )(*9) 

Other non-operating income (expense)

     11,364        1,354   (*4)      2,956        7,054  

Non-operating income

     7,371        1,354       3,007        3,010  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income (expense) before income tax expense

     (661,505      —         29,120        (690,625

Income tax expense

     (4,714      —         —          (4,714
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

     (666,219      —         29,120        (695,339 )  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total assets

     (23,956,847      —         1,101,162        (25,058,009

Investments in joint ventures and associates

     (21,710,683      —         35,134        (21,745,817

Other assets

     (2,246,164      —         1,066,028        (3,312,192

Total liabilities

     (1,756,726      —         54,595        (1,811,321

 

(*1)

Includes the deduction of Won 406,276 million of deposit insurance expenses and Won 367,961 million of contribution expenses, which are classified as “net interest income (expense)” for internal management purposes but as “non-interest income (expense)” for financial accounting purposes.

(*2)

Includes the addition of the expenses described in footnote (*1) as well as the addition of Won 88,329 million, which includes Won 125,221 million of gains from sales of loans that are classified as “impairment losses” for internal management purposes but as “non-interest income (expense)” for financial accounting purposes.

(*3)

Includes the addition of Won 88,329 million described in footnote (*2) and the addition of Won 1,354 million of “provisions for other provisions” that are classified as “other non-operating income (expense)” for internal management purposes but as “impairment losses” for financial accounting purposes.

(*4)

Includes the deduction of Won 1,354 million of “provisions for other provisions” that are classified as “other non-operating expense” for internal management purposes.

(*5)

Includes consolidated funds (subsidiaries of the Company) that are not included in the disclosed “others” segment.

(*6)

Consolidation adjustments of the Company including the elimination of intercompany transactions and others.

(*7)

Consolidation adjustments including the elimination of Won 692,605 million of intercompany dividends between the Company and its subsidiaries and Won 274,768 million of the intercompany IT service agency income of Woori FIS, which acts as the Group’s IT services agent.

(*8)

Consolidation adjustments including the elimination of Won 274,768 million of intercompany IT service agency expenses.

(*9)

Share of gain (loss) of associates of the Company.


Messrs. Michael Volley and John Nolan

Securities and Exchange Commission, p. 5

 

* * *

We sincerely hope that the response above adequately addresses the staff’s comments. Please direct any further questions or comments to the Bank’s Investor Relations Department, to the attention of Sung-Wook Lee at +822-2125-2070 (fax: +82-0505001-0501), or the Company’s outside counsel, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, to the attention of Jinduk Han at +822-6353-8020 (fax: +822-6353-8099).

 

Sincerely,

/s/ Sung-Wook Lee

Sung-Wook Lee

Deputy President and

Principal Financial Officer

 

cc:

Jinduk Han

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP