In Noryangjin-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, where institutes for civil service exam preparation are concentrated, a 24-year-old named Kim said during a meeting on the 28th of last month, "I started preparing for the civil service exam in November of last year," adding, "While the job market in the private sector faces a hiring freeze, more people around me want to become public servants since salaries are set to increase." An official from an institute also noted, "Typically, the main lectures start in March, so it is generally quiet at the beginning of the year, but this year we have seen an unusual surge in students early on," mentioning, "There has been a particularly significant increase in inquiries from working individuals."
◇ Resistance in the 9th-grade civil service recruitment competition after 9 years... Students are returning to Noryangjin's exam prep institutes
The average competition ratio for the open recruitment exam for 9th-grade national civil servants surged to 93.3 to 1 in 2011. In 2017, the number of candidates who sat for this exam exceeded 228,000. However, last year the competition ratio fell to 21.8 to 1, marking the lowest level since 1992 (19.3 to 1). The number of candidates was also limited to 103,597.
But this year, the atmosphere has changed. The number of candidates for the 9th-grade national civil service recruitment exam, scheduled for April, has risen to 105,111, an increase of 1,514 compared to a year ago. The average competition ratio has rebounded to 24.3 to 1 for the first time in nine years.
The increase in applicants for civil service positions is attributed to employment shrinkage due to economic recession. In January this year, new jobs created through the government-operated job listing website 'WorkNet' totaled 135,000, while new job seekers were at 479,000, leading to a job vacancy ratio of 0.28. The job vacancy ratio is an economic indicator representing the number of new job seekers relative to new job postings, and a lower ratio indicates a lack of available jobs. The January figure is the lowest in 26 years since January 1999 (0.23) after the IMF financial crisis.
Furthermore, improvements in the treatment of civil servants also seem to have contributed to the rising popularity. The Ministry of Personnel Management plans to gradually increase the entry-level salary for 9th-grade civil servants to 3 million won by 2027 to improve the treatment of practical and lower-ranking civil servants. This year's entry-level 9th-grade civil servants receive around 2.69 million won per month, but they are expected to receive 2.84 million won next year.
Previously, low wages were cited as a reason for the decline in the popularity of civil service jobs. The Ministry of Personnel Management surveyed 30,000 people, including 3,000 citizens and 27,000 civil servants, in November of last year regarding the reasons for the decrease in applicants for civil service exams. The most common response was 'lower pay compared to the private sector' (62.9% among citizens and 88.3% among civil servants).
◇ "Giving up small businesses and temporary jobs to prepare for civil service exams... The academy market is recovering"
Recently, at Noryangjin's academy district, it has been possible to meet individuals who have given up on private sector employment to prepare for civil service exams. A 27-year-old named Jung stated, "My qualifications for employment, including English, certifications, and competitions, are a bit lacking compared to others, and since there are not many companies hiring these days, I came to look into registering for a civil service academy," adding, "Rather than engaging in endless competition for qualifications, I think studying for the civil service exam is a better option."
There are also many young individuals who have left their jobs to prepare for civil service exams. A 29-year-old named Kim mentioned, "I was working in marketing at a small corporation, but my salary started to be delayed at the end of last year," adding, "I began to feel that my severance pay might be at risk, so I quickly quit and came to Noryangjin." He remarked, "The treatment is said to improve, and above all, the stability without being affected by the economy attracted me."
Another individual, a 28-year-old named Kim who had worked in a temporary position, indicated that they began preparing for the civil service exams after their contract was not extended. He said, "The self-study rooms for independent study are already fully booked, so I need to look for another academy." In this regard, an official from one academy noted, "About 8 to 10 out of 100 individuals become civil service exam candidates after working in their jobs."
Local merchants welcomed the resurgence of civil service exam candidates. A café owner in his 40s, Choi, stated, "Sales have slightly increased over the past six months," adding, "In January and February, many repeaters and transfer students come, but recently we've been seeing quite a few civil service exam candidates as well." Yang, a business owner in his 50s who runs a restaurant serving meals for 6,000 won, noted, "The prices are low, so we need to sell a lot to make a profit, but these days, civil service exam candidates come quite frequently."
It is also difficult to find vacant rooms in Noryangjin study halls or lodgings. An official at a study hall mentioned, "All the rooms are occupied." Park, who operates a real estate agency, stated, "It seems that there are definitely more people trying to find a one-room place in Noryangjin to study, using the money they saved while working."