The 2026 HackTheon Sejong was held from July 9 to 10, 2026, at the Government Sejong Convention Centre. Co-hosted by Sejong Special Self-Governing City and the National Intelligence Service, the event brought together around 5,000 participants, including cybersecurity experts, university students, and industry representatives from Korea and abroad, to discuss cybersecurity technologies, policies, and talent development in the age of artificial intelligence.
HackTheon Sejong combines the words “Hacker,” “Pantheon,” and “Sejong,” reflecting the idea of cybersecurity talents gathering in Sejong. First launched in 2022, the event marked its fifth edition this year and has grown into a platform that brings together an international collegiate cybersecurity competition, an AI and cybersecurity conference, and corporate technology exhibitions.
The International Collegiate Cybersecurity Competition drew participation from 1,799 students in 548 teams from 216 universities across 47 countries in the preliminary round. Forty teams advanced to the final round in Sejong, where they competed by solving practical cybersecurity challenges. The top prizes in the advanced and beginner divisions were awarded to teams from the Republic of Korea and Viet Nam, respectively.
The conference and exhibition covered a wide range of topics, including AI and cybersecurity, vulnerability reporting and disclosure systems, AI security, and national security monitoring. Companies and institutions from the ICT and cybersecurity sectors also took part in exhibitions and related programmes, presenting technologies and expanding exchanges among public institutions, universities, research organisations, and businesses.
The event also highlighted the potential for inter-city cooperation. Mr. Yamashita Akimasa, former Vice Governor of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan, shared perspectives on cybersecurity cooperation based on public-private collaboration and local-level needs. His participation added an inter-city perspective to the discussions, showing how cybersecurity and smart city issues are becoming shared concerns for local governments in the digital transition.
HackTheon Sejong is growing beyond a technology event into a platform for discussing digital safety and trust in cities in the age of AI. Building on the event, Sejong City plans to strengthen cooperation with central government agencies, industry, academia, and research institutions, while expanding its efforts to nurture cybersecurity talent and support the information security industry.
Text and photos are contributions from local government of Sejong.
