상호금융을 중심으로 한 포용적 금융 활성화 방안

This paper examines strategies for promoting inclusive finance by focusing on the legal foundations and institutional characteristics of mutual finance. Inclusive finance aims to guarantee access to essential financial services for all citizens, including economically and socially vulnerable groups, and functions as a form of public infrastructure supporting sustainable growth and social integration. Mutual finance plays a central role in this context as a representative community-based financial system that provides financial access to underserved regions and populations. Contrary to the misconception that mutual finance is governed by a single comprehensive statute, it is regulated by five separate sector-specific laws: the Agricultural Cooperative Act, Fisheries Cooperative Act, Forestry Cooperative Act, Credit Cooperative Act, and Saemaul Geumgo Act. Each law independently defines organizational structure, membership, business scope, supervisory mechanisms, and deposit protection, forming a multilayered legal framework that balances cooperative principles with financial stability. The paper further situates mutual finance within international trends in inclusive digital finance, particularly the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), whose Module 11 emphasizes policies ensuring the participation of digitally vulnerable groups. Recent financial performance data indicate declining profitability and asset quality in the mutual finance sector, underscoring the need for structural reforms. The study proposes integrated legal, digital, and operational strategies to strengthen mutual finance’s inclusive role and build a sustainable and equitable financial ecosystem.