본 연구는 우리나라의 대표 서민금융기관이라 할 수 있는 새마을금고의 다양한 특성요인이 이의 경영효율성, 생산성, 금융포용의 수준에 미치는 영향 등을 살펴보고, 이는 지역별로 차이가 존재하는지, 만약 차이가 존재한다면 어떠한 특성요인에 의한 것인지 등을 과거 12년간(2010~2021) 새마을금고의 재무 및 현황 자료를 활용하여 실증분석하였다. 먼저 전국 단위의 분석결과로부터, 새마을금고의 수익성(ROA), 안정성(부실여신비율), 활동성(예대비율), 기여도(조합원당출자금), 자산규모 등은 이의 효율성 지표에 긍정적 영향요인임을, 활동성(예대비율)과 지점수는 이의 생산성과 금융포용수준에 부정적 영향요인임을 확인하였다. 특히 지점수는 효율성에 유의미한 영향요인은 아닌 것으로 나타나 최근 새마을금고의 효율성 증대 전략으로서의 지점수 감소 정책은 실제로 유효성이 높지 않았음을 살펴볼 수 있었다. 다음으로 지역단위의 분석결과에서, 새마을금고의 수익성, 안정성, 자산규모 등은 전반적으로 효율성에 대해 긍정적 영향요인임을 알 수 있었지만, 기여도와 지점수는 지역별로 긍정적 영향과 부정적 영향이 혼재되어 나타나고 있었다. 금융포용 수준에 대해서도 수익성, 안정성, 기여도, 자산규모는 통계적으로 유의한 양(+)의 영향력을 보였지만, 활동성은 음(-)의 영향력을 가지는 것으로 나타났다. 이로부터 새마을금고의 수익성, 안정성, 조합원 기여도, 자산규모 등의 영향요인들은 이의 효율성과 금융포용에 긍정적 영향을 주었지만, 활동성과 지점수는 적어도 이의 생산성과 금융포용에 부정적이거나 지역별로 상반된 영향을 주는 특성요인임을 알 수 있었다. 이는 효율성과 생산성 및 금융포용 수준 확대를 위해 새마을금고의 재무적 특성요인(수익성, 안정성, 조합원 기여도, 자산규모)의 긍정적 측면을 가능한 제고하기 위한 실무적 노력이 중요함과, 대출규모 증대 및 지점수 증감 등의 정책은 지역의 차별적 특성 등을 가능한 면밀히 고려할 필요가 있음을 시사한다.
Microfinance institutions have a policy purpose to financially embrace the financially vulnerable class as much as possible, and as community-based financial institutions, they have the role and responsibility to compensate for the imperfections and inefficiencies of the financial market as much as possible by increasing the financial accessibility of local residents as much as possible. Accordingly, this study examines the impact of various characteristics of financial cooperatives(Saemaul-Geumgo), which can be said to be Korea’s representative microfinance institution, on its management efficiency, productivity, and level of financial inclusion. An empirical analysis was conducted using financial and current status data of the financial cooperatives(Saemaul-Geumgo) for the past 12 years (2010-2021) to determine what characteristic factors, if any, were caused. First, from the results of nationwide analysis, it was found that the financial cooperatives’ profitability (ROA), stability (nonperforming loan ratio), activity (deposit ratio), contribution (equity contribution per member), and asset size are characteristic factors that positively affect its efficiency. On the other hand, it was found that the number of branches of the financial cooperatives in the region did not have a significant effect on its efficiency. To this end, it is suggested that a more detailed analysis considering regional characteristics is needed. In addition, activity and the number of branches were found to be negative factors that hindered the financial cooperatives’ productivity and level of financial inclusion. This means that the productivity of the financial cooperatives and the level of financial inclusion can be negatively affected. Next, from the regional analysis results, the profitability, stability, and asset size of the financial cooperatives were found to be positive factors for its efficiency, productivity, and level of financial inclusion as a whole, the same as the national analysis results. This means that the higher the profitability and stability of the financial cooperatives and the larger the asset size, the higher the efficiency and level of financial inclusion of the financial cooperatives without regional discrimination. In contrast, the influence of characteristic factors on the productivity of the financial cooperatives was found to be insignificant in almost all regions. However, in the case of Seoul, it was analyzed that profitability, stability, contribution, and asset size had a positive (+) influence on productivity, while activity and number of branches had a negative (-) influence on productivity. In other words, this means that profitability, stability, contribution, and asset size of the financial cooperatives can be positive characteristic factors for increasing efficiency (productivity) in Seoul compared to other regions. In addition, activity and the number of branches are found to be negative factors influencing productivity, showing that the financial cooperatives’ strategy of increasing loans or increasing the number of branches may not be positive in increasing its productivity. In short, the analysis results of this study showed that there are some differences by region in various characteristic factors that can affect the efficiency, productivity, and level of financial inclusion of the financial cooperatives. In general, the financial cooperatives’ profitability, stability, member contribution, and asset size were found to have a positive effect on its efficiency and financial inclusion. In this case, it was analyzed that it had a negative or opposite effect on productivity and financial inclusion by region. Therefore, it was found that it is generally important for the financial cooperatives to make practical efforts in management to improve the positive aspects of its financial characteristics (profitability, stability, member contribution, and asset size) as much as possible in order to expand the level of efficiency, productivity, and financial inclusion. , In addition, the analysis results of this study suggest that the profit-ability of the financial cooperatives is sensitive to the characteristics of a microfinance institution with relatively high credit risk and the internal and external economic and financial conditions. The increase or decrease shows the need to more deeply consider the current situation and discriminatory characteristics of the region.