Local Grade 9 Civil Service Examination (South Korea)지방직 9급

Overview

The Local Grade 9 (지방직 9급) Public Official Recruitment Examination recruits into entry-level administrative and technical positions within South Korea's local governments (provinces, metropolitan cities, and other municipalities), run separately by each local government rather than by the national Ministry of Personnel Management, which runs the National (국가직) track instead.

Who can apply

Applicants must be Korean nationals meeting general civil-service eligibility requirements; many local governments also require a connection to that region, such as current or past residency, as part of eligibility, with exact residency rules varying by local government and cycle.

Exam pattern

The exam is primarily a multiple-choice written test covering required and selected subjects specific to the job series applied for, similar in format to the National Grade 9 exam, followed by an interview for candidates who pass the written stage.

Marking and results

Final selection combines the written exam score and interview result; because each local government sets its own vacancy numbers, competitiveness varies by region and job series each cycle.

How to apply

Applications are submitted online through the specific local government's recruitment portal (or a shared regional portal, depending on the area) during the application window announced for that cycle.

After the exam

Candidates who pass both stages are appointed to Grade 9 positions within that specific local government, generally with an expectation of continued service within that region.

Preparation tips

Because residency eligibility rules and subject requirements vary by local government, confirming eligibility for the specific region targeted before beginning exam preparation avoids wasted effort, since passing an exam does not transfer eligibility to a different region's vacancy.