Kakao is recruiting participants for a fully funded artificial intelligence (AI) talent development camp aimed at easing the digital education gap for teenagers outside the Seoul capital area.

Kakao said on May 12 it will accept applications until June 10 for the second cohort of its environmental, social and governance (ESG) programme, Kakao AI Rookie Camp, aimed at narrowing regional education gaps and fostering future talent.

The second cohort will be held in two sessions in August, each running 3 nights and 4 days at the Kakao AI Campus. A total of 100 participants will be selected, and final successful applicants will be announced in July after document and interview screening. Any student from the first year of middle school to the first year of high school outside the Seoul capital area with basic programming skills can apply.

The recruitment regions will be subdivided into the first session (North Gyeongsang, Chungcheong, Jeju, Gangwon) and the second session (South Gyeongsang, South Jeolla, North Jeolla). Participants will complete pre-learning and then take part during the camp in hands-on projects that include advanced courses such as physical computing, backend server building and AI web development, directly planning and implementing real solutions. Kakao will fully cover operating costs including accommodation, meals and tuition.

Ahead of the recruitment, it will hold an online briefing session at 7:30 p.m. on May 23 to share selection guidance and outstanding activity cases from the first cohort.

Eun-hee Seo (서은희), Kakao leader for training technical talent, said, "This is a programme that reflects Kakao's ESG philosophy of creating social value through technology and discovering local talent." She added, "We look forward to many applications from teenagers outside the Seoul capital area who will discover new possibilities through AI and experience transformative growth across their lives."

Kakao has also been working to build an AI ecosystem outside the Seoul capital area, led by Kakao AI Sail, which it launched in cooperation with four institutes of science and technology in March.