Applicants enter an examination hall at a school in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, set up for the first round of the Grade 5 national civil service open competitive recruitment exam and the diplomatic service candidate selection test. [Ministry of Personnel Management]
Applicants enter an examination hall at a school in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, set up for the first round of the Grade 5 national civil service open competitive recruitment exam and the diplomatic service candidate selection test. [Ministry of Personnel Management]

This year's Grade 5 national civil service open competitive recruitment exam produced its youngest passer at age 20, while the oldest was 41. The average age of successful candidates was 27.8.

The Ministry of Personnel Management announced Thursday the 400 final passers of the 2026 Grade 5 national civil service open competitive recruitment and diplomatic service candidate selection exams through the national civil service recruitment system.

The Grade 5 open recruitment produced 360 passers in total — 101 in science and technology and 259 in administration. An additional 40 candidates passed the diplomatic service selection exam.

The average age of Grade 5 open recruitment passers was 27.8 in both the science and technology and administration tracks. Diplomatic service candidates averaged 27.5 years old.

The youngest passer, born in 2006, cleared the science and technology track. The two oldest passers — both born in 1985 and aged 41 — also came from the science and technology track.

By age group, those between 25 and 29 held the largest share across all categories: 50.5 percent in science and technology, 61.4 percent in administration, and 67.5 percent among diplomatic service candidates.

By gender, 241 of the 360 Grade 5 open recruitment passers were men (66.9 percent) and 119 were women (33.1 percent).

In the science and technology track, 85 passers were men (84.2 percent) and 16 were women (15.8 percent). In administration, 156 were men (60.2 percent) and 103 were women (39.8 percent).

Among diplomatic service candidates, men and women each accounted for exactly half, with 20 passers apiece.

Under the regional talent recruitment quota, 11 additional candidates passed in the administration track. Under the gender-equal recruitment quota, two additional candidates passed in science and technology and seven in administration.

Grade 5 open recruitment passers in both the science and technology and administration tracks must complete their candidate registration through the national civil service recruitment system between Friday and Monday.

Diplomatic service candidates will enroll at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy under diplomatic trainee status, complete roughly one year of coursework, and then be appointed as foreign service officers.

Meanwhile, 6,744 applicants sat the first round of this year's Grade 5 national civil service open recruitment exam, of whom 2,299 passed — 593 in science and technology and 1,706 in administration. The competition ratio of 19.8 to 1 was the lowest on record.


bbo@heraldcorp.com