Ministry of the Interior and Safety to Hold Local Level 7 Public Service Written Exam on the 16th... Average Competition Rate 31 to 1

20-29 Age Group Accounts for 50.9%, 30-39 Age Group 35.9%... Female Ratio is 54.9%

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] This year’s written exams for the Grade 7 local government official open recruitment and others will be held simultaneously on the 16th at 118 test centers across 17 cities and provinces nationwide.

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 12th, the written exams for the Grade 7 local government official open recruitment and others received 51,720 applicants for 1,670 planned positions, recording an average competition ratio of 31 to 1. By selection target, the Grade 7 exam had 38,846 applicants for 619 positions, with an average competition ratio of 62.8 to 1, and the research and guidance positions had 6,918 applicants for 409 positions, showing an average competition ratio of 16.9 to 1.

The Grade 9 high school graduate special recruitment exam, conducted for graduates (or expected graduates) of specialized and Meister high schools, had 1,822 applicants for 372 positions, showing an average competition ratio of 4.9 to 1. By city and province, Daegu showed the highest competition ratio at 60.5 to 1, while Chungnam showed the lowest at 9.2 to 1.

By age group, those aged 20-29 accounted for the largest portion at 50.9% (26,330 people), followed by those aged 30-39 at 35.9% (18,562 people), those aged 40 and above at 10.2% (5,290 people), and those aged 19 and below at 3.0% (1,538 people). The proportion of female applicants was 54.9% (28,418 people), slightly up from 52.0% (27,119 out of 52,147) last year.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety has established exam quarantine measures in consultation with the 17 cities and provinces and quarantine authorities, prioritizing the safety of examinees. A ‘voluntary reporting system’ will be operated for 15 days until the day before the exam, allowing examinees to self-report their health status or travel history. In cooperation with quarantine authorities and related ministries, all examinees will be monitored daily for confirmed cases, self-quarantine status, and travel history to preemptively manage those requiring special attention.

All examinees must immediately report their status as examinees to the health center and their city or province if they are confirmed positive or placed under self-quarantine, and follow the guidance provided. Examinees who have received confirmation and are in isolation can take the exam at a dedicated hospital or residential treatment center in their city or province by submitting a medical opinion stating that they are eligible to take the exam.

Unlike the national exam, local government exams can only be taken in the city or province where the examinee submitted their application. To prepare for cases where examinees are confirmed or quarantined in other regions, each city and province has been instructed to establish cooperative systems with related organizations and respond actively.

Additionally, professional disinfection and sterilization will be conducted before and after the exam at key facilities such as exam rooms, hallways, and restrooms. To secure a minimum safety distance of 1.5 meters between examinees in the exam room, the capacity per exam room will be limited to 20 or fewer, fewer than the usual 25-30 people.

Minister Jeon Hae-cheol stated, “Based on the experience of quarantine measures during the local government Grade 8 and 9 exams in June, we will work closely with the 17 cities and provinces and quarantine authorities to ensure that about 50,000 examinees can safely take the exam,” and urged, “Examinees should also strictly wear masks and comply with COVID-19 prevention guidelines.”

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