Hallym University to Host '2026 Gangwon Leading Companies & Future Talent Summit' in Wonju on Jan. 15-16

Gangwon's Leading Companies, Local Governments, and Key Organizations Gather
Redesigning the Link Between University Education and Recruitment
Aiming to Establish a Practical Industry-Academia-Government Cooperation Model

Hallym University (President Choi Yanghee) will host the "2026 Gangwon Leading Companies & Future Talent Summit" over two days, from January 15 to 16, at the Ruby Hall of Hotel Inter-Burgo Wonju.

2026 Gangwon Leading Companies & Future Talent Summit Poster. Provided by Hallym University

This summit has been organized to bring together universities, companies, and related organizations in search of solutions to the intensifying youth job mismatch and the outflow of local talent. The dual structure of the labor market has become more pronounced, with the number of young people classified as "taking a break" exceeding 730,000 and companies experiencing a shortage of over 100,000 workers. In response, the event aims to establish practical talent strategies from the perspective of demand (companies), rather than supply (universities).

To this end, major institutions leading regional employment and industry-including Hallym University, Chuncheon Employment Welfare Center, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Economic Promotion Agency, Gangwon Technopark, Korea Association of Small and Medium Business Innovation Gangwon Branch, and Gangwon Regional Human Resources Development Committee-will participate extensively. In particular, HR and recruitment managers from leading companies representing the Gangwon region will attend in person to share insights from the field.

Unlike previous industry-academia cooperation events that were limited to formal discussions, this summit is thoroughly focused on "problem-solving." Key agenda items include: ▲ Recruitment challenges faced by companies and realistic talent profiles ▲ The shift toward on-demand and practical recruitment trends ▲ Analysis of the causes behind the outflow of local talent to the Seoul metropolitan area.

The summit will also directly address criticisms that university education fails to meet the expectations of companies. Participants will discuss everything from ways to foster job attitudes and basic skills in new employees, to specific conditions and role-sharing required for company-tailored curricula-such as on-site training and nano-degree (short-term degree programs)-to lead directly to recruitment.

Through these efforts, it is expected that companies will improve recruitment efficiency and resolve hiring difficulties, universities will enhance their educational competitiveness, and local governments will encourage young people to settle in the region, creating a "virtuous cycle."

Sung Siil, Director of the Hallym University Career Plus Center, stated, "Starting this year, we plan to gradually expand participation to other universities in the province and more companies. By institutionalizing a cooperation model that encompasses on-site training, practical education, and recruitment linkage, we aim to establish a solid foundation for industry-academia cooperation and a local talent retention ecosystem, enabling the joint growth of Gangwon's industries and talent."