429 teams compete in employment and labor public data, AI contest; 14 win awards

The Ministry of Employment and Labor held an awards ceremony Tuesday at the Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, honoring 14 teams at the fifth annual Employment and Labor Public Data and AI Contest.

The contest, designed to uncover creative service and project ideas using public data and AI technology in the employment and labor sector, drew 429 teams — more than double the 195 teams that participated last year.

The ministry selected the final winners through a document review and presentation evaluation, assessing each entry on the practical use of public data, the utility of AI technology and commercialization potential.

Among the winning entries was an idea to enhance the emotional laborer protection feature of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's 120 Dasan Call Foundation AI counseling assistant, using an API of industrial accident insurance case rulings held by the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service. The core aim is to help the system more effectively detect and respond to emotional labor risk situations during counseling sessions.

Also recognized was a web service designed to detect early warning signs among workers with developmental disabilities in the workplace, offering plain-language guidance, response recommendations and a caregiver report-writing function.

Winning teams received ministerial citations along with a total purse of 18 million won ($12,100).

The ministry said it plans to actively promote the winning entries to support their development into startups and commercial services, and will provide follow-up support including expert mentoring.