Selection for Helsinki disability skills competition

The labor ministry said Wednesday that 53 competitors will take part in selection trials to choose representatives for South Korea at an international skills competition for people with disabilities in Helsinki, Finland, in May 2027.

Candidates in 12 fields that do not feature in domestic contests, including food carving, are being selected at four venues, including the Ilsan Vocational Training Institute, through Aug. 14. Selection for the remaining 18 fields will run alongside the 43rd National Skills Competition for People with Disabilities in Busan in 2026. The highest-scoring competitor in each discipline will be eligible to represent South Korea.

The selected team will compete in 30 fields, including web design and development, against skilled participants from other countries. The Helsinki event is a four-year international event held to improve the skills of people with disabilities, promote their employment and raise awareness of vocational ability. It commemorates the 1981 UN International Year of Disabled Persons.

South Korea has won the overall title in seven consecutive editions, beginning with the fourth competition and extending through the 10th event held in France in 2023.