Incheon is hosting 1,677 skilled workers from across the country who will compete in 51 categories, including industrial robots, cloud computing, welding, and baking.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on August 24 that the 61st National Skills Competition will take place until the 28th at six venues in Incheon, in collaboration with the Incheon Metropolitan City and the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education.
This year's event features 1,677 representatives from 17 provinces and cities who excelled in regional competitions. Events will be held at locations including Songdo Convensia, Incheon Mechanical Technical High School, Bupyeong Technical High School, Incheon Fire Academy, Incheon Electronic Meister High School, and the Songdo campus of Jein University.
The competition includes essential manufacturing skills such as molding, casting, welding, and plumbing, as well as advanced fields like industrial robots, industrial drone control, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and game development. The event also features categories in culinary arts, baking, hair design, skincare, and traditional Korean clothing. Mobile app development will be showcased as a demonstration category.
This competition brings together traditional craftsmanship and digital, high-tech industries. It reflects a shift from simple manual skills to competencies involving software, robotics, and networking.
Winners in each category will receive the Minister of Labor's award and cash prizes of 10 million won for first place, 6 million won for second, and 4 million won for third. The top scorer among first-place winners will receive the President's Award, while the second-highest scorer will receive the Prime Minister's Award.
Outstanding participants will qualify for the national selection for the 49th WorldSkills Competition, which will be held in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, in 2028. They will also be exempt from the practical exam for the national technical qualification in their respective fields.
The number of participants in the National Skills Competition has increased from 435 in its inaugural event in 1966 to 1,677 this year. The number of competition categories has also expanded from 26 to 51 during this period.
Vice Minister of Labor Kwon Chang-jun stated, "The National Skills Competition is a platform for nurturing young masters who will be responsible for the future of a skilled nation, South Korea. We will support the participants in their growth as outstanding skilled workers."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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