This year's competition rate for the hiring of new firefighters has fallen for the second consecutive year.
The National Fire Agency noted on the 31st that a total of 20,142 applicants applied for the firefighting recruitment exam for 2025, in which 1,927 were to be selected.
Accordingly, the average competition rate for new firefighter recruitment this year is 10.5 to 1. This is a decrease from last year's rate of 11.5 to 1, marking a decline for two consecutive years. After rising to 13.8 to 1 in 2023 from 9.6 to 1 in 2022, it has been continuously decreasing.
The reason for the drop in the average competition rate for new firefighter recruitment is the decline in the competition rate for open competitive examinations. Although the public recruitment exam competition rate increased from 13.1 to 1 in 2022 to 21.1 to 1 in 2023, it subsequently recorded 17 to 1 in 2024 and 14 to 1 this year.
In contrast, the competition rate for the special recruitment exam has steadily maintained around 7 to 1 from 2023 to this year. In 2022, it was 5.9 to 1.
The average age of applicants for new firefighter recruitment this year is reported to be 28. By age group, 69.9% are in their 20s, 28.2% in their 30s, 1.4% in their teens, and 0.5% in their 40s. The youngest applicant is 17 years old, while the oldest is 44.
The National Fire Agency is scheduled to announce the written test passers for new firefighter recruitment on April 24. Those who pass the written test will take physical tests from April 28 to May 16 according to a schedule by region, followed by interviews from June 9 to June 13.
The final successful candidates are expected to be announced on July 18. Results will be based on the written test (50%), physical test (25%), and interview (25%).