North Gyeongsang Province selected for 2026 Youth Challenge Support Project

North Gyeongsang Province announced Wednesday that it has been selected for the Ministry of Employment and Labor's 2026 Youth Challenge Support Project, securing 400 million won (about $263,000) in national funding.

The province plans to support participants in stages — starting with early counseling to lower psychological barriers for young people with little motivation to find work, followed by AI and digital skills training, field internships with local companies, and employment incentives.

To deliver the program, the province will establish operational hubs in two regions — the southeastern zone in Gyeongsan and the northwestern zone in Gimcheon — running a 15-week, 120-hour curriculum at each.

Participants will receive a stipend of up to 1.5 million won per person, a completion incentive of 200,000 won and an employment incentive of 500,000 won, all fully funded by the national government.

Graduates of the program will also receive support to enter vocational training through government employment policy linkages, along with job experience opportunities through local companies and partner organizations. The province also plans to build a sustained employment outcome management system by linking participants with programs such as the National Employment Support System.

Further details are available through the implementing agency, the North Gyeongsang ICT Convergence Industry Promotion Association.

Park Si-gyun, director of North Gyeongsang Province's Meta AI Science Bureau, said the project is expected to help young people in the province who are struggling to find work regain their confidence and build digital skills suited to future industries.