Competition Rate for Grade 9 National Civil Service Exam Reaches 28.6 to 1

3,802 Positions to Be Filled, 108,718 Applicants
Written Examination on April 4

This year, the average competition rate for the Grade 9 National Public Officials Open Competitive Recruitment Examination has been tallied at 28.6 to 1. A total of 108,718 people applied for 3,802 positions scheduled to be filled. The written examination will be held on April 4 in 17 cities and provinces nationwide.

The Ministry of Personnel Management announced on the 7th that, as a result of receiving applications from the 2nd to the 6th of this month, the competition rate has risen compared with last year (24.3 to 1). This year, the number of positions to be filled decreased by 528 from the previous year (4,330 positions), but the number of applicants increased by 3,607 (3.4%), leading to a higher competition rate. Over the past five years, this is the highest level since 2022, when the competition rate was 29.2 to 1.

By recruitment group, the competition rate was 38.3 to 1 for the Grade 9 science and technology group (432 positions to be filled, 16,535 applicants) and 27.4 to 1 for the Grade 9 administrative group (3,370 positions to be filled, 92,183 applicants).

Among the detailed recruitment units in the science and technology group, the facilities (landscape architecture) position recorded the highest competition, with 189 applicants for 1 position, or 189.0 to 1. In the administrative group, the administrative (education administration) position drew 10,698 applicants for 21 positions, marking the highest competition rate at 509.4 to 1.

Among recruitment units with a large number of positions, the computer science (software development: general) position in the science and technology group had 3,104 applicants for 75 positions, a rate of 41.4 to 1, while the agriculture (general agriculture: general) position had 1,610 applicants for 53 positions, a rate of 30.4 to 1. In the administrative group, the tax administration position had 10,509 applicants for 1,080 positions, or 9.7 to 1, and the general administration position had 6,172 applicants for 546 positions, or 11.3 to 1.

The average age of applicants was 30.9, similar to last year (30.8). By age group, those in their 20s (20 to 29) were the largest group with 55,253 applicants (50.8%), followed by those in their 30s (30 to 39) with 40,162 (36.9%), those in their 40s (40 to 49) with 11,069 (10.2%), those aged 50 or older with 1,615 (1.5%), and those under 20 with 619 (0.6%). The proportion of women was 56.9%, higher than last year (55.6%).

Son Mujo, Director General of Talent Recruitment, said, "Since the Grade 9 open competitive examination is the test that attracts the largest number of applicants, we will do our utmost to ensure that it is conducted fairly and safely." Test sites for the written examination will be announced on March 27 through the National Civil Service Recruitment System.