Co-organized by Jeonnam Technopark and others, the event drew 532 on-site interviews and 15 immediate hires.
Jeonnam Technopark said the 2026 South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Job Fair, held Wednesday at the Gwangyang Public Stadium gymnasium, drew about 1,500 job seekers and local business representatives, closing out the day on a strong note.
The fair was co-hosted by the South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special City, Gwangyang and eight other cities and counties, the Yeosu branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Office of Small and Medium Venture Enterprises, the Gwangju Regional Veterans Affairs Office's veterans support center, and the Korea Industrial Complex Corp. Jeonnam Technopark, the Jeonnam Small and Medium Enterprise Jobs and Economy Promotion Agency, and the Gwangju Economic Promotion and Shared Jobs Foundation served as co-organizers.
The fair's centerpiece on-site hiring hall featured 39 local companies spanning steel, metals and materials, port logistics, machinery and equipment, smart manufacturing, services and food industries, collectively recruiting for 142 positions.
A total of 532 job seekers took part in on-site interviews on the day, and 15 were hired on the spot.
Candidates who were not hired immediately but were matched with companies can expect additional interviews and in-house hiring procedures to follow, raising hopes for further placements after the event.
Beyond simply providing job listings, the fair drew attention for operating a "South Jeolla-Gwangju Future Industries Pavilion," giving job seekers a chance to learn firsthand about the direction of the region's key industries and the changes taking place on the factory floor.
The pavilion showcased the region's core industries concentrated in eastern South Jeolla Province — steel, secondary batteries, defense, aerospace and chemicals — alongside semiconductors and advanced industries identified as future growth engines.
Also on display were major projects under way at the Gwangyang National Industrial Complex aimed at digital transformation and the development of a smart green industrial complex. These included a smart manufacturing talent development program, a project to build an integrated control center for the complex, a smart logistics platform project and an intelligent energy platform project, all managed by the Korea Industrial Complex Corp.
Three AI experience zones set up to let visitors try AI technology in industrial settings also drew an enthusiastic response.
At the Industrial Safety AI Experience Zone run by Argo Marine Total, visitors could experience AI-powered CCTV systems that detect hazardous situations and manage safety on the factory floor. The Manufacturing Innovation AI Experience Zone operated by Aigi introduced automation and intelligent manufacturing technologies through national certification programs and hands-on activities related to smart manufacturing.
KT Corp's Work Innovation AI Experience Zone demonstrated technology that automatically summarizes meeting content from industrial workplaces and suggests solutions to key issues.
The programs gave job seekers a direct sense of how AI and digital technology are transforming manufacturing environments and workplaces, and offered a chance to explore the skills and career preparation needed in future industries.
Oh Ik-hyeon, president of Jeonnam Technopark, said local governments, industrial support agencies, employment-related organizations and businesses must work closely together to strengthen industrial competitiveness and create quality jobs in order to respond to the recent industrial and employment crises and the rapid changes in the industrial environment.
parkds@heraldcorp.com
