[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] A record number of 340,000 candidates took this year's Certified Real Estate Agent exam held on the 31st. Contrary to its nickname as the "middle-aged civil service exam," many test-takers in their 20s to 40s, including comedian Seo Kyung-seok, born in 1972, participated in the exam.
According to the Korea Industrial Human Resources Corporation on the 31st, the number of applicants for the 31st Certified Real Estate Agent exam held nationwide on that day was 343,076, an increase of about 50,000 compared to last year (298,227).
This is the highest number of applicants since the Certified Real Estate Agent system was introduced in 1983, and the participation of comedian Seo Kyung-seok in this exam attracted attention.
The age group of this year's exam applicants showed that those in their 40s accounted for 32%, ranking first, and those in their 30s accounted for 29%, ranking second, revealing that 6 out of 10 examinees were in their 30s and 40s. Despite its nickname as the "middle-aged civil service exam," the number of young examinees in their 20s to 40s has been steadily increasing every year.
The significant increase in applicants for this year's real estate agent certification exam is presumed to be due to the rise in unpaid leave, honorary retirement, self-employment closures, and delayed employment caused by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), leading many to seek new alternatives.
On the morning of the 31st, when the 31st Certified Real Estate Agent Exam was held, examinees were entering a high school in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, where the exam took place. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Comedian Seo Kyung-seok, who is known to have taken the exam that day, also stated, "Because of COVID-19, I had more time and the atmosphere was to refrain from gatherings, so I read books and searched the internet a lot, which led me to decide to challenge the Certified Real Estate Agent exam."
Having long served as a model and ambassador for an adult education company, he said, "My goal is to pass the first stage. I haven't even looked at the books for the second stage, but I will at least gain the experience." He added, "I scored clearly failing marks on the mock exam, but I am grateful for the many encouraging comments."
He continued, "It is not easy for most people to pass. Those who do pass deserve applause."
Meanwhile, examinees who took the exam that day expressed various reactions such as, "Civil law was a bit difficult, but the rest was average," and "Now, studying while working is not nearly enough."
The first-stage passers of the 31st Certified Real Estate Agent exam held today will be announced on December 2.
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