[Edaily Reporter SOYEON KIM ] LGELECTRONICS announced on the 29th that it is hosting the finals of the “2026 Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities (GITC)” in Da Nang, Vietnam, for three days starting on the 27th (local time). This year’s competition is structured around tasks utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology, allowing youth with disabilities to compete in demonstrating their ability to adapt to the future digital environment.

The GITC is a competition that has been held since 2011 to enhance the information technology (IT) skills of youth with disabilities and support their entry into society. Over the past 15 years, more than 5,000 youth with disabilities from 41 countries have participated. This year, 81 youth with disabilities who advanced through preliminary rounds in nine countries—including South Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, and the Philippines—have qualified for the finals.

This competition was hosted by LG Corp. and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and co-organized by LGELECTRONICS, the Korea Association for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, local social enterprises in Vietnam, and universities.

Participants competed in four categories: △ information search and document creation using AI (e-Combination) △ video production using an AI platform (e-Content) △ autonomous vehicle programming (e-Creative) △ and the creation of interactive games that respond to motion and voice using AI (e-Interactive). On the final day of the competition, participants are scheduled to engage in cultural exchange activities, such as learning traditional Vietnamese dance and visiting a museum.

This year, marking the 15th anniversary of the competition, the inaugural champion attended, adding to the significance of the event. Shin Ki-hoon, who took first place in the information retrieval category at the first competition held in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2011, attended the opening ceremony to encourage the participants. Shin is currently a doctoral student at Pusan National University, researching technologies to implement AI in smart devices.

Yoon Dae-sik, Executive Vice President of External Relations at LGELECTRONICS, said, “Through GITC, we will continue to create opportunities for young people with disabilities around the world to experience new technologies, such as AI, and showcase their abilities.”