Jeong Woo-seong (from left), chairman of the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity; Kim Jung-won, head of management support at Hanwha Life Insurance; and Kim Dong-yun, honorary chairman of the Korea Computer Education Association, pose for a photo at a sponsorship MOU signing ceremony for the 2026 International Olympiad in Informatics held Thursday at the 63 Building in Yeouido, Seoul. [Hanwha Life Insurance]
Jeong Woo-seong (from left), chairman of the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity; Kim Jung-won, head of management support at Hanwha Life Insurance; and Kim Dong-yun, honorary chairman of the Korea Computer Education Association, pose for a photo at a sponsorship MOU signing ceremony for the 2026 International Olympiad in Informatics held Thursday at the 63 Building in Yeouido, Seoul. [Hanwha Life Insurance]

Hanwha Life Insurance announced Friday it has signed an MOU with the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity and the Korea Computer Education Association to sponsor South Korea's delegation to the 2026 International Olympiad in Informatics.

The International Olympiad in Informatics is a competition for students under 20 who have not received university-level education, testing their computer programming skills. Participants solve three problems over five hours each day across two days. Now in its 38th edition, the competition runs from Aug. 9 to 16 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with about 400 students from 100 countries expected to take part.

Hanwha Life Insurance began sponsoring the team last year, aiming to identify and consistently support world-class informatics talent at an early age — an effort the company frames as essential in an era where AI and digital technology increasingly determine competitiveness across society.

At last year's competition, all four members of South Korea's national team won gold medals — the first clean sweep since the country began participating in 1992. Hanwha Life Insurance's support has also been credited with transforming the team's preparation: training that had centered on online lectures shifted to in-person residential camps, strengthening the foundation for advanced study.

The company also plans to create a forum bringing together past and current competitors, teachers and education officials, building a network of top talent that goes beyond one-time financial support.

"Helping the next generation of informatics talent showcase their abilities on the world stage is a meaningful endeavor," said Kim Jung-won, head of management support at Hanwha Life Insurance. "We will work on multiple fronts to ensure our social contribution activities that strengthen students' educational foundation continue consistently."


psj@heraldcorp.com