March 12^, 2007

 

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation

 

Business Alliance with Kookmin Bank

 

TOKYO , March 12. 2007 --- Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC, President: Masayuki Oku) announced that a ceremony was held today in Seoul for the official signing of the business alliance agreement with Kookmin Bank, the largest Korean commercial bank in asset size.

 

By establishing a collaborative framework in various business fields with Kookmin Bank, which has a big presence in retail banking, SME business and financial services in Korea, SMBC will be able to enhance its business opportunities in Korea and other overseas markets.

 

Further, through this alliance, SMBC will be able to provide even higher quality banking services, including financial support in local currency, to Japanese corporate clients in Korea .

 

1. Outline of Business Alliance

1) Support for Japanesecorporates operating in Korea

SMBC will introduce Kookmin Bank’s financial services, such as corporate credit card and housing loans for local staff, to SMBC corporate clients in Korea .

 

2) Financing support to overseas branches of both banks

SMBC will provide Yen loan facility to Japanese branches of Kookmin Bank, and Kookmin Bank will provide Won loan facility to SMBC Seoul Branch in order to further meet their customers’ local-currency financing needs.

 

3) Collaboration in structured finance in Korean and international markets

Kookmin Bank and SMBC will promote structured finance in Korea and international markets by combining Kookmin Bank’s strength in project finance, real estate finance, ECA finance and LBO finance in Korea , and SMBC’s project finance know-how in the international markets.

 

4) Development of cash management products and services

Two banks will develop cash management services including management of funds of Korean subsidiaries in Japan by their parent companies in Korea .

 

5) Collaboration in developing trade finance

Two banks will promote trade finance and securitization of receivables related to trade between Korea and Japan .

 

2. Outline of Kookmin Bank

 

Establishment                                        : 1963

Location of Head Office            : 9-1, Namdaemoon-ro, 2-ga, Joong-gu, Seoul Korea

Total Assets                                : USD 180.8 Billion

(Ranked 1^st domestically, 70^th globally)

Listing                                     : Korea Stock Exchange, New York Stock Exchange

Ratings                                        : Moody’s /A3, S&P/A-