KT held the first Gwanghwamun cheering event for the 2026 North America World Cup with the Korea Football Association (KFA) and the Red Devils, lending support to South Korea’s national team victory.

Gwanghwamun is a symbolic venue for World Cup street cheering. KT has served as an official partner of South Korea’s national football team since 2001, linking the team and the public. From the 2006 Germany World Cup, it began running Gwanghwamun street cheering in earnest with the Red Devils.

The latest Gwanghwamun cheering focused on expanding public participation. Its flagship content, “Everyone’s Canvas,” is an artificial intelligence (AI)-based cheering programme that uses the media wall at KT’s Gwanghwamun WEST headquarters. AI recognises cheering citizens in the square in real time, generates cheering messages and visual effects, and broadcasts them on the screen. It also introduces cheering reels videos and messages through the on-site media wall. KT Onmaru is also hosting a pop-up exhibition for South Korea’s national football team.

KT is also working to create a safe cheering environment. It installed a main stage, cheering platforms and delay screens so people can watch the match from across the square. More than 250 safety and medical professionals, including event staff, security guards, traffic managers and medical personnel, were deployed on site. An integrated situation room in the KT WEST building monitors conditions in real time and works with relevant agencies on safety management.

Dong-hoon Kim (김동훈), executive director of KT’s public relations office, said, “This event will be a bridge that connects the passion of the past with the technology of the future.” He added, “We will do our utmost until the end so the entire nation can safely enjoy the festival.”

South Korea’s national football team beat the Czech Republic 2-1 in its first group-stage match of the North America World Cup on Thursday.