Kumoh National Institute of Technology Selected for “Advanced Industry Talent Development Bootcamp”
Over 20 Companies Including Hanwha Systems and LIG Nex1 to Participate
Building an Integrated Education-to-Employment Model
Strengthening the Defense AI Talent Supply Chain for the Industrial Complex
Expanding the Foundation for Young Talent to Settle in the Region
On March 3, the city of Gumi in North Gyeongsang Province secured 7.1 billion won in national funding to foster talent in the defense AI sector. The city announced that Kumoh National Institute of Technology was ultimately selected for the artificial intelligence (defense AI) category in the Ministry of Education's “Advanced Industry Talent Development Bootcamp” project.
Through this initiative, Gumi aims to train over 700 practical professionals in the defense AI field over the next five years, thereby establishing a stable talent supply base for the Gumi National Industrial Complex.
The “Advanced Industry Talent Development Bootcamp” led by the Ministry of Education is an intensive, short-term educational program of less than one year, in which universities and companies jointly design and operate the curriculum. The core objective is to nurture talent equipped with practical skills tailored to on-site needs and to connect graduates to employment opportunities.
In 2026, 37 universities were selected for the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, including six universities from the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region, with Kumoh National Institute of Technology among them.
The Defense AI Bootcamp, organized by Kumoh National Institute of Technology, will involve more than 20 companies, including Hanwha Systems, LIG Nex1, and PNT, and will run for five years starting in 2026. The total project budget is 7.375 billion won, with 7.125 billion won from national funding, 75 million won from provincial funding, and 175 million won from city funding.
The program will be systematically managed by the Department of Electronic Engineering as the lead department, with participation from industry experts, industry-academia joint projects, customized practical training, and the establishment of a job placement support system for graduates. Its distinctive feature is the implementation of an industry-academia cooperation-based talent development model, in which companies directly participate, going beyond simple education.
Jangho Kim, Mayor of Gumi, stated, “With the selection of Kumoh National Institute of Technology for this bootcamp project, the university-industry-local government cooperation system for nurturing talent in the defense AI field will be fully operational. It will serve as a turning point in alleviating corporate workforce shortages and strengthening the foundation for young talent to settle in the region.”
The city of Gumi expects that this initiative will not only resolve the imbalance in the supply and demand of defense AI personnel within the Gumi Industrial Complex, but also greatly contribute to increasing employment of graduates at local defense companies through joint projects with participating companies.
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