Korea places 2nd in job training

South Korea finished second in a global competition showcasing vocational training in Abu Dhabi following China, the labor ministry said Friday.

South Korean competitors claimed eight gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals in the WorldSkills event in Abu Dhabi that came to a close on the previous day.

The 46-strong South Korean team placed second overall after winning 279 points, slightly lower than the 281 points claimed by China, in the event that saw 1,200 young people from 77 nations competing in 51 disciplines.

In the medal-count table, China came first with 11 gold medals, followed by Switzerland with 11 gold medals and South Korea with eight gold medals.

A South Korean team of high school students, Hwang Joo-hyuk and Hwang Min-hyung, took gold in mobile robotics, claiming the fifth consecutive victory since the 2009 Canada event. Nineteen-year-old Seo Jae-eun from Samsung Electronics placed No. 1 in computer-aided design.

The South Korean team, which took part in 42 disciplines including polymechanics and auto maintenance, set its sights on retaining first overall for the 20th consecutive time after it took the top place in 2015.

The award winners will be given cash prizes and orders from the South Korean government. Gold winners get 67.20 million won ($59,000). For silver and bronze medalists, the prizes are 33.60 million won and 22.40 million won, respectively.

The next event in 2019 will be held in the Russian city of Kazan, with the Chinese city of Shanghai to host the 2021 event.

Yonhap