Korea Mine-Tech Festa draws young talent in push to secure critical mineral supply chains

The Korea Mine Reclamation Corporation has launched a drive to cultivate future talent in the resource industry as part of its efforts to secure critical mineral supply chains.

The corporation held the 2026 Mine-Tech Festa, a competition to identify innovators in resource industry technology, drawing 39 teams from 12 universities with resource-related programs across the country. A Sejong University team took first place, receiving the gold prize at an awards ceremony held Thursday at the corporation's headquarters in Wonju.

The event was organized around the themes of resource security and supply chain strategy, as well as AI-driven and digital resource innovation, with the aim of fostering skilled professionals and promoting technology exchange in the resource sector.

Now in its seventh year, Mine-Tech Festa is the country's flagship innovation competition in the resource industry. It is organized by the Korea Mine Reclamation Corporation and sponsored by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Korea Mining Association, the Korea Mine Reclamation Association, the Korean Institute of Resources Engineering, the Korean Society for Rock Mechanics, the Korean Institute of Resources Recycling, the Korean Society of Earth and Exploration Geophysicists, and the Korean Society of Economic and Environmental Geology.

Eight teams that advanced to the final round were evaluated at Thursday's ceremony before the winners were announced. The gold prize — the Korea Mine Reclamation Corporation president's award — went to Kim Tae-heon and three teammates on the K-MIR team from Sejong University.

The Sejong team developed a decision-support platform that integrates critical mineral data scattered across multiple agencies, uses a supply chain integrated risk index called K-RISK to quantitatively assess supply chain vulnerabilities, and deploys an AI agent to compare and recommend response strategies.

Three silver prizes were awarded: the Korea Mining Association president's award went to Seong Ha-kyeong and six teammates on the SAiL team from Seoul National University; the Korea Mine Reclamation Association president's award went to Hong Ji-min and four teammates on the SMART-X team from Sejong University; and the Korean Institute of Resources Engineering president's award went to Jang Min-kyeong and one teammate on the Optimine AI team, also from Sejong University. Four bronze prizes went to: Shim Daniel and one teammate on the ROCKSIGHT team from Korea Maritime and Ocean University, receiving the Korean Society for Rock Mechanics president's award; Jeong Hyeon-su and one teammate on the Recycling team from Jeonbuk National University, receiving the Korean Institute of Resources Recycling president's award; Choe Gi-hwan and eight teammates on the Pulse Power team from Jeonbuk National University, receiving the Korean Society of Earth and Exploration Geophysicists president's award; and Lee A-in and teammates on the Miner's Tongjang team from Kangwon National University, receiving the Korean Society of Economic and Environmental Geology president's award.

Seoul National University Professor Jo Yong-chae received the outstanding faculty advisor award — a special prize presented by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy — in recognition of his careful mentorship and the strong results it produced.

"I am deeply grateful to the students who presented innovative ideas with such dedication and passion, and to the faculty advisors who guided them with such care," Korea Mine Reclamation Corporation President Hwang Yeong-sik said. "The corporation will continue to champion the challenges and innovations of young talent who will lead the future resource industry, strengthen the ties between the private sector, government and academia, and take the lead in building a sustainable resource ecosystem where technology and people grow together."

Presentations by this year's Mine-Tech Festa finalists and highlights from the event are available on the YouTube channel "Mine-Tech Festa."