"My Dream Is to Be a Public Servant" Increasing Number of 'Gongsijok' Amid a Year-Long Employment Freeze

Continued COVID-19 Employment Slump... 470,000 Fewer Employed in February
National Civil Service Grade 9 Open Exam Competition Ratio 35:1
Experts Say "Impact of Worsening Economic Conditions"

Examinees who applied for the Level 7 National Civil Service open competitive recruitment written exam are entering the examination hall. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] "Where else is there a job as good as being a public servant?", "Once you become a public servant, your future is guaranteed."

As the employment freeze caused by the COVID-19 pandemic continues into its second year, the number of young people aspiring to become public servants is increasing. Young people are dreaming of becoming public servants due to job stability and retirement pensions. However, some have raised concerns that even talented individuals who could contribute to social development are preparing for the civil service exam, which could weaken national competitiveness. Experts analyze that the worsening economic situation has led young people to prioritize job security.

According to the 'February Employment Trends' released by Statistics Korea on the 17th, the number of employed people last month was 26,365,000, a decrease of 473,000 (-1.8%) compared to the previous year. The decline in employment has continued for 12 consecutive months since March last year when the COVID-19 crisis began. This is the longest period since the 16 consecutive months of decline from January 1998 to April 1999 during the foreign exchange crisis.

The employment freeze is even harsher for the youth. In February, the number of employed young people decreased by 142,000 compared to the same month last year, and the employment rate (employment-to-population ratio) dropped by 0.9 percentage points. The number of unemployed reached 416,000, an increase of 35,000 from the previous year.

Job seeker Park (28) said, "After graduating from university, I did two internships and won several contests. Even though people around me worried about the employment crisis, I thought it was a story far from me." He added, "At the beginning of my job search, I sent dozens of resumes to large companies, but all were rejected in the document screening. Then I lowered my sights to small and medium-sized companies, but even passing the document screening was like picking stars from the sky."

As a result, more young people are turning to the civil service exam. Public servants are called the "dream job" among young people because they are guaranteed retirement age and receive pensions after retirement.

Kim (28), who worked at a marketing company, recently quit his job and is preparing for the Grade 7 civil service exam. Kim said, "Even if I got a job with difficulty, I eventually quit because of continuous overtime and performance pressure from bosses. Passing the civil service exam won't be easy, but once I pass, I can work much more stably than in a regular company. That's why I don't regret quitting my job much."

Given this situation, competition for the civil service exam is also increasing. This year, the number of applicants for the Grade 9 national public official open competitive recruitment increased by 12,907 (6.9%) from last year to 198,110.

According to the Ministry of Personnel Management, 198,110 people applied for the open competitive recruitment exam to select 5,662 candidates held from the 21st to the 24th of last month. The average competition rate was 35 to 1. The competition rate for the civil service exam varies by job category but ranges from dozens to hundreds to one.

A civil service exam academy located in Noryangjin, Dongjak-gu, Seoul. Examinees are deeply focused on their studies. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Asia Economy DB

However, some express concerns that even excellent talents who could contribute more to the national economy by getting jobs in companies or starting businesses are applying for public servant positions, which could reduce national competitiveness in the long term.

There are also criticisms that young people in their prime working years investing several years preparing for the civil service exam instead of seeking employment causes significant damage to the national economy. According to a report titled 'Analysis and Implications of the Economic Impact of Civil Service Exam Preparation' released by the Hyundai Research Institute, the rapid increase of so-called 'Gongsi-jok' (civil service exam takers) has caused an annual social loss of 17.143 trillion KRW.

Parent Jeong (47), whose child is preparing for the civil service exam, said, "When my daughter was in high school and had no particular dream, I recommended becoming a public servant. But as the competition rate for the exam gets tougher every year, I secretly worry." He added, "I support her financially as she attends a civil service exam preparation academy, but I have many concerns. It's hard because I keep supporting the economic costs without knowing when she will pass."

As a result, the number of young people who have given up job hunting or are 'just resting' without seeking employment has also increased. According to the National Statistical Portal (KOSIS), among the 2,715,000 people who were 'resting' in January, 741,000 (27.3%) were in their 20s and 30s. This is the highest monthly figure since related statistics were reorganized in 2003.

Experts analyze that due to the worsening economic situation, young people are seeking more stable jobs compared to the past.

Professor Kwak Geumju of the Department of Psychology at Seoul National University said, "Young people value 'work-life balance' and dream of harmony between work and life. Also, as the economic situation worsens, the tendency to pursue more stable jobs becomes stronger, so the preference for public servant jobs continues." He added, "However, the higher the competition rate, the greater the relative deprivation among civil service exam takers, so caution is needed."

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