The current KB Kookmin Bank was formed in December 2000 in a merger between the old Kookmin Bank and the Housing & Commercial Bank. They were both founded by the Korean government in the 1960s for special purposes. Kookmin Bank, which catered towards providing financial services for middle and low income consumers, was privatized in 1995. During the Asian financial crises both banks acquired other financially troubled banks. The merger of the two banks was partly due to the government policy of making banks bigger and more stable. After the merger, KB acquired various companies include credit card, insurance and brokerage firms, transforming into the current financial group in 2008. In September 2004, Kookmin Bank said it would restate its 2003 and 2004 earnings after a financial watchdog found that the bank avoided $270 million in taxes.