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The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry holds a contest every year to discover success stories of certificate holders and publicize the practical value of certificates. This contest, now in its 10th year, aims to find cases where certification has contributed to career development and changes in life.
The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced on the 11th that it will be accepting applications for participation in the ‘2026 Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Contest for Best Practices in Utilizing Certificates of Commerce and Industry’ until the 30th.
This contest, which marks its 10th anniversary this year, was designed to discover cases where people have made changes in their lives and careers through obtaining a certificate from the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and to publicize the practical value of the certificate.
Anyone who has obtained certification from the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, including computer literacy, word processor, and distribution manager, can participate.
The theme of the contest is cases of overcoming difficulties such as employment/advancement using certificates, promotion/change of job, improving job competency at work or during military service, and disability/career interruption.
The three top prize winners will be awarded the Minister of Employment and Labor Award, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award, the President's Award of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and a prize of 1 million won. In addition, a total of 22 people will be awarded, including 9 Excellence Awards (500,000 Won each) and 10 Encouragement Awards (300,000 Won each).
Those wishing to participate can download the application form from the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Qualification Evaluation Team website and submit it via email. The winning entries will be announced at the end of next month.

With the end of the odd-even system based on the last digit of the year of birth, the Financial Services Commission will accept applications for Youth Future Savings from the 12th to the 16th regardless of year of birth. The screening will be conducted from the 19th to the 13th of next month, and those who pass will be able to open an account and make payments from the 16th of next month. Youth Future Savings is a three-year maturity savings account that allows young people aged 19 to 34 to freely contribute up to 500,000 won per month. Considering government contributions and interest income tax exemption benefits, the general type can achieve an effect of up to 13.2 to 14.4%, and the preferential type can achieve an effect of up to 18.2 to 19.4%.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the National Tax Service announced that they will provide technology development and commercialization support and tax support to 2,559 AI small and medium-sized businesses and startups. AI startups within 5 years of founding are excluded from regular tax audits, and other AI small and medium-sized businesses will have their tax audits postponed for 2 years upon application as taxpayers. The application period is from February 11, 2025 to February 28, 2028.

The Korea Small and Medium Business Corporation announced that it will establish a new ‘Manufacturing AI Instructor Training Course’ and a ‘Manufacturing AI Practical Course’ and recruit participants to support the transition to artificial intelligence at small and medium-sized manufacturing sites. All training courses are conducted free of charge at the Samkyung Education Center in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

As a result of Min Byeong-deok, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, analyzing data from the National Tax Service, the number of new national tax delinquencies between 2020 and 2022 during the COVID-19 period was calculated to be KRW 61.91 trillion in 9.56 million cases, and the amount of delinquent debts being reorganized increased from KRW 9.5284 trillion in 2020 to KRW 24.1127 trillion in June this year, an increase in about 5 and a half years. It increased 2.5 times. In particular, there was a sharp increase in delinquency in the elderly in their 60s and in industries directly hit, such as accommodation, retail, and food, but it was pointed out that the National Tax Service does not separately manage delinquency for self-employed people, so there is a policy blind spot.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Economic Promotion Agency will recruit 27 companies to move into Seoul Startup Hub Gongdeok in the second half of 2026, targeting technology-based companies within 7 years of establishment, until the 16th. In the new industry field, companies that have been established for less than 10 years can apply, and applications are accepted through the Seoul Startup Integrated Platform Startup Plus. Selected companies will be provided with independent office space and customized growth programs.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that District 5 of the Yongsan Electronics Market Special Planning Zone will begin construction within this month. This is the first step in the Yongsan International Business District connection development strategy announced in 2023, and is a plan to transform the existing electronics distribution center into a new industrial base based on AI and ICT and build a futuristic urban space by creating public pedestrian passageways, public facilities, and parking lots.