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| Choi Jung-min, a master planner at AIA Life Insurance, communicates using sign language during a recent YouTube interview uploaded by the Korea Life Insurance Association (KLIA). Courtesy of KLIA |
By Anna J. Park
Choi Jung-min, 38, is AIA Life Insurance's star planner. He has pioneered his path, shattering the prejudices against the hearing-impaired.
With 13 years of experience under his belt, Choi has become the first life insurance planner with a hearing impairment to receive the Golden Fellow Award, an annual award granted by the Korea Life Insurance Association (KLIA) to outstanding planners across the country.
The KLIA launched the award back in 2017 and life insurance planners must meet various strict criteria regarding ethical behavior and solid performance to be one of the 1,000 recipients of the annual award. On average, the recipients possess more than 21 years of experience as life insurance planners.
The country's life insurers' association released YouTube video interviews with 14 outstanding awardees, including Choi, earlier this month and his trailblazing story captured the hearts of online viewers.
"As I am a hearing-impaired person, I use sign language to talk with clients, most of whom are hearing-impaired. Sometimes I communicate in writing, which takes more than 10 pages of A4 paper. It's true that it takes more time for me to communicate with clients, but nothing hampers my sincere and full communication with them," Choi said.
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| Choi Jung-min, a master planner at AIA Life Insurance, smiles during a recent YouTube interview uploaded by the Korea Life Insurance Association (KLIA). Courtesy of KLIA |
He started his career as a planner at AIA Life Insurance in 2010, when there were very few planners with hearing impairments. The reason he decided to become a life insurance planner was, initially, due to his interest in finance. After studying computer statistics in college, he aimed to work in the financial sector. But he got rejected by most financial firms due to his hearing impairment.
Then, he knocked on the door of the Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities, which recommended him to be a life insurance planner. Now, he's led by a sense of being on a mission, helping hearing-impaired people by managing their risks. While it is paramount that hearing-impaired people are informed about the benefits of various insurance plans, most of them are not exposed to such information.
"Life insurance planners are risk experts," he highlighted, stressing that he is a companion who helps hearing-impaired people prepare and manage their insurance needs throughout life. About 90 percent of his clients are hearing-impaired.
He also achieved certificates for both recreation and laughter therapy in order to approach customers with more positivity and a bright disposition.
"I hope to continue breaking prejudices that the public holds against the hearing-impaired that they can't do anything. I hope to inspire many hearing-impaired people to have more courage," Choi emphasized.
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