Grade 5 Civil Service and Diplomat Exams Allow COVID-19 Positive Candidates to Take Tests

March 6 National Civil Service First Exam, COVID-19 Prevention Measures... Grade 5 Public Service Average Competition Ratio 43.3 to 1

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] The first exam for the national civil service Grade 5 open competitive exam and the selection of diplomatic candidates will be held on March 6. In particular, COVID-19 confirmed cases will be allowed to take the exam under strict quarantine management.

The Ministry of Personnel Management announced on the 17th the plan to conduct the first exam for the Grade 5 open competitive exam and diplomatic candidate selection. Earlier, from March 5 to 7, a total of 15,066 applicants applied for 348 positions, showing an average competition ratio of 43.3:1. Compared to last year’s 370 positions with 12,595 applicants, this is an increase of 2,471 applicants (19.6%).

The competition ratios by recruitment category were 48.2:1 for Grade 5 administrative positions, 30.1:1 for Grade 5 technical positions, and 41.8:1 for diplomatic candidates. Among detailed recruitment units, the Immigration Control position recorded the highest competition ratio of 179.5:1 with 359 applicants for 2 positions.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The average age of applicants was 28, slightly higher than last year’s 27.7. By age group, there were 4,306 (28.6%) aged 20-24, 6,555 (43.5%) aged 25-29, 3,417 (22.7%) aged 30-39, 709 (4.7%) aged 40-49, and 79 (0.5%) aged 50 and above. Female applicants accounted for 46%, a slight increase from last year’s 41.2%.

The first exam will be held in five regions nationwide (Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, and Daejeon). Successful candidates will be announced on April 7 through the ‘Cyber National Examination Center’.

This year, special attention is being paid to COVID-19 prevention. The Ministry of Personnel Management will verify the COVID-19 status, self-quarantine status, and travel history of all examinees. A voluntary reporting system allowing examinees to self-report their health status and travel history will also be expanded and operated.

In particular, the Ministry plans to allow examinees who have tested positive for COVID-19 to take the exam under strict quarantine management if they wish to do so.

The Ministry explained, "According to the quarantine authorities’ exam quarantine guidelines, examinees confirmed by their attending physician to be fit to take the exam will be allowed to do so at hospitals or residential treatment centers designated by the quarantine authorities. Examination supervisors, composed of Ministry staff, will be dispatched to these facilities to directly manage and supervise the entire exam process while wearing full protective gear."

For those in self-quarantine, arrangements will be made to allow them to take the exam at separate locations after consultation with quarantine authorities, as was done last year.

This year, the operation time of the first exam for the Grade 5 open competitive exam and diplomatic candidate selection will be shortened by about 60 minutes. To minimize contact between examinees, education and preparation time will be efficiently conducted to reduce the exam operation time.

Additionally, examinees showing fever or respiratory symptoms on the exam day will be continuously monitored for health status for two weeks. Supervisors of exam rooms where confirmed or self-quarantined examinees took the exam will be required to undergo diagnostic testing within one day after the exam and have their health status monitored for two weeks.

Hwang Seo-jong, head of the Ministry of Personnel Management, said, "In accordance with the recent Constitutional Court decision and the government’s overall decision, we have decided to provide exam opportunities to confirmed cases. We will establish thorough quarantine measures to ensure examinee safety and prevent COVID-19 infection, and make every effort to conduct the exam flawlessly."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.