'Typo Embarrassment' Civil Servant Korean History Exam, Multiple Correct Answers Finally Accepted

National Level Grade 9 Korean History Exam Accepts Multiple Correct Answers
Objection Raised Immediately After Exam Due to 'Typo Controversy'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The civil service Korean history exam question that sparked a ‘typo controversy’ was ultimately treated as having multiple correct answers. On the 17th, the Ministry of Personnel Management announced the final answers for the national level Grade 9 public official written exam through the National Examination Center, changing the correct answer for Korean history book-type question number 8 from option 2 to options 1 and 2. The reason for the change was a ‘notation error due to a typo.’

The question asked to select the incorrect statement about cultural heritage from the Goryeo Dynasty. The original correct answer, option 2, stated that ‘the Woljeongsa Octagonal Nine-story Stone Pagoda was modeled after a Yuan Dynasty stone pagoda.’ However, the Woljeongsa Octagonal Nine-story Stone Pagoda was actually modeled after a Song Dynasty stone pagoda, not the Yuan Dynasty.

However, there was a typo in option 1. The Dapo-style building ‘Eungjinjeon’ at Seongbulsa Temple in Sariwon, Hwanghae Province, was mistakenly written as ‘Ungjinjeon.’ Right after the exam held on the 8th, a ‘typo controversy’ arose, and the Ministry of Personnel Management confirmed both options 1 and 2 as multiple correct answers through the final answer confirmation meeting.

The Ministry of Personnel Management stated, “We deeply apologize for causing concern to all examinees due to the typo in the Korean history question,” and added, “We will thoroughly improve the problem review system by expanding review personnel and strengthening review procedures to ensure more rigorous exam management in the future.”

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