The government will transition the 9th-grade civil service exam, which has traditionally focused on knowledge and memorization, to the Public Service Aptitude Test (PSAT), a comprehensive assessment of critical thinking skills.
Choi Dongseok, Minister of Personnel Management, announced this on the 17th during a work report presided over by President Lee Jaemyung at the Sejong Convention Center.
The Ministry of Personnel Management plans to conduct research and gather public feedback next year, with the goal of announcing a detailed implementation plan in 2027. There will be a grace period of at least two years before the new system is applied. Additionally, the ministry will revise regulations to allow the PSAT to be used for experienced-hire exams and will encourage its use throughout public sector recruitment. In Sejong, the government aims to establish a National Recruitment Center by 2030 to support all aspects of recruitment.
The public personnel system will be restructured to focus on competency and performance. A new "early promotion to 5th grade" system will be introduced, allowing outstanding 6th-grade working-level civil servants to be quickly promoted to 5th-grade middle management positions. The scope of open recruitment positions will be expanded to include 6th-grade officials, creating a pathway for excellent 7th-grade civil servants to advance rapidly. The 5th-grade competency assessment, currently conducted at each ministry’s discretion, will be standardized and piloted.
Compensation based on civil servants’ working conditions and performance will be significantly improved. The base salary for 7th- to 9th-grade junior civil servants will be increased, raising the starting monthly salary for 9th-grade officials from 2.86 million won in 2026 to 3 million won in 2027. Civil servants with between five and ten years of service will be granted three days of special leave. Those handling heavy workloads in the field or who have received government awards will receive additional promotion points and performance bonuses. The number of merit awards for proactive administration will increase by more than 50 percent.
At the same time, accountability and disciplinary standards will be strengthened. If a senior civil servant is deemed to lack performance or qualifications, the relevant minister will have the authority to demote them, and they will henceforth be excluded from promotion consideration. Disciplinary standards for all civil servants will be tightened regarding passive administration and hate or discriminatory remarks. Those involved in abuse of authority or sexual misconduct will be required to undergo mandatory awareness training in addition to disciplinary action.
Furthermore, the government will regularly monitor senior officials’ compliance with stock divestment, blind trust, and prohibition of job-related involvement. The Ministry of Personnel Management will conduct investigations ex officio for those suspected of violations. In particular, a "Stock Blind Trust Reporting Center" will be established, allowing anyone to report violations of the prohibition on job-related involvement to the Public Officials Ethics Committee. If the committee determines a violation has occurred, it will request that the official be removed from their duties, and continued involvement will result in penalties.
For those required to publicly disclose assets, all real estate transactions-including ownership, surface rights, and leasehold rights-must be reported annually when submitting regular asset change reports. The government will establish a Real Estate Fair Reporting Center (tentative name) to conduct focused reviews.
Minister Choi Dongseok stated, "Civil servants must be competent and upright, but above all, loyal to the people. We will do our utmost to foster a democratic public service environment where civil servants, as autonomous actors, can fully account to the public for their work and to create a vibrant public sector."
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