Securing Global Talent: 360 Companies and 18,000 Young Job Seekers Gather at COEX

'2026 Global Talent Fair' Opens
AI Job Assistant Introduced
Recruitment Expands in Advanced Industries Including Semiconductors, Batteries, and AI

Yonhap News Agency

The '2026 Global Talent Fair,' the largest recruitment fair in Korea connecting young people with global companies, opened on June 1 at COEX in Seoul.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that they will jointly host the Global Talent Fair for two days, from June 1 to June 2, at COEX Hall B and Conference Room E. This year’s event features participation from over 360 companies, including foreign-invested companies, domestic companies, and overseas companies, and is expected to attract approximately 18,000 young job seekers.

The Global Talent Fair is the largest global recruitment event in Korea, integrating the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s Foreign-Invested Companies Job Fair and the Job Fair for International Students with the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s Global Job Fair since 2023.

This year’s fair has strengthened support for both companies returning to Korea from overseas and young people with overseas experience. Korea Kolmar’s Sejong Plant, which became the first non-metropolitan company to return to Korea in 2026, is participating to recruit talent, and a one-on-one consulting booth will be operated to support the domestic reemployment of those with overseas experience.

Approximately 140 companies, including Amkor Technology Korea and Hitachi Energy Korea, are participating in the Foreign-Invested Companies Recruitment Zone. In particular, a 'TECH Zone' has been set up with more than 90 companies in the fields of semiconductors, secondary batteries, displays, bio, artificial intelligence (AI), and information technology (IT), aiming to secure talent for advanced industries.

In the International Students Recruitment Zone, over 100 domestic companies, such as Amorepacific and HK Inno.N, are conducting on-site interviews and recruitment consultations.

The Overseas Companies Employment Zone features a total of 121 companies. Among them, 87 overseas companies from Japan, North America, Oceania, China, and Southeast Asia have visited Korea in person, while 34 companies are participating in online recruitment consultations. Online consultations will be held from June 8 to June 19.

This year’s event has significantly expanded AI-based employment support services. The AI job assistant booth analyzes job seekers’ competencies and suitability for specific roles, recommending appropriate company booths. In addition, an AI-based Korean language proficiency assessment experience is provided for international students seeking employment in Korea.

Other programs include special lectures on AI industry trends and employment strategies, a Job Concert with alumni, and networking programs featuring companies such as Hankook Tire, Megazone Digital, and Megazone Cloud.

The government expects this fair to provide young people with opportunities for global career development and to serve as a venue for companies to secure outstanding talent.

At the opening ceremony, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jeonggwan emphasized, “In the rapidly changing global environment, we must not be confined by conventions but seek new opportunities,” adding, “In the age of AI, human qualities such as communication, empathy, and inclusiveness based on consideration are all the more important.”

Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Younghun stated, “This is a meaningful occasion where our youth can meet with global companies,” and added, “We will continue to expand diverse support to help young people build global careers and grow.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.