South Chungcheong Province to Launch 2026 Youth-Friendly Company Contest, Aiming to Identify About 15 Firms and Support Their Settlement

[Financial News, Hongseong=Kim Won-joon Reporter] South Chungcheong Province announced on the 1st that it will publicly recruit candidates for the "2026 Chungnam Youth-Friendly Company" until the 30th of this month, in order to identify outstanding companies with work environments preferred by local young people and help them find jobs and settle in the region.
The Chungnam youth-friendly company program selects and promotes companies that offer job conditions young people value most, such as wages, welfare and working conditions, with the aim of spreading a youth-friendly corporate culture across the region.
After designating five companies and institutions in 2024 and 11 companies in 2025, Chungnam plans to expand the program this year and identify about 15 companies.
Eligible applicants are small and mid-sized companies with headquarters or production facilities in the region. They may apply either through a recommendation from the relevant city or county government or directly on their own. While keeping the existing selection framework, Chungnam has revised standards such as youth tenure and special leave for long-term service to better reflect current conditions, making participation more accessible for companies.
The screening process consists of a first-round document review and a second-round on-site evaluation. The document review will examine wages, youth tenure, the share of young employees, working hours, and welfare and communication measures. The on-site review will assess the workplace environment, management's commitment to youth-friendly practices, how young employees perceive the company, and its potential for shared growth.
Companies selected in the final round will receive youth-friendly company status for three years. Benefits include a provincial governor's commendation, a plaque, company briefings, preferential treatment in provincial youth employment programs, promotional content production through the Chungnam Youth Portal, and networking programs for young employees. Companies wishing to participate in the contest can apply by submitting an official document through the relevant city or county office, or by email to the provincial youth policy division, by the 30th.
The youth-friendly company designation system introduced by local governments is drawing attention as an alternative way to spotlight strong local companies at a time when youth outflow to the Seoul metropolitan area is intensifying. It is expected to help bridge the mismatch between local small and mid-sized firms, which often struggle to hire despite offering good working conditions because of the preference for large corporations and information asymmetry, and young people who leave the region in search of jobs.
A Chungnam official said, "We will continue to identify good jobs so that young people can dream about their future here in the region," adding, "We hope for active participation from companies in the province."

[email protected] Kim Won-joon Reporter